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Questions tagged [polyurethane]

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Polyurethane is a synthetic resin used in some modern finishes.

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35 views

Will my tacky polyurethane eventually cure when average air temperature rises?

So, for lack of a proper shop, I was applying a first coat of undiluted Varathane Ultimate Polyurethane (oil based) to a plywood box using my dining room table under a plastic drop cloth as a work ...
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54 views

Number of polyurethane coats before I can polish?

My first post on WoodWorking Stack Exchange so please forgive me in advance if my question has been answered before. I am new to woodworking and have read a lot of information regarding working with ...
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1answer
44 views

Will faster drying interior polyurethane work over a layer of slow drying exterior poly

I am coating a pine mantlepiece with gloss polyurethane. I used interior/exterior poly for my 1st & second coats for protection from sun exposure. Because of the longer drying time 24/48 hours ...
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How to coat and finish a fresh cut end grain cookie stop it from drying/cracking? [duplicate]

First timer here (to forum and woodworking). I have two, 2" thick tree slices ("cookies") that have a diameter of around 20". I'm trying to turn them into end tables as a gift for ...
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Why do MDS for polyurethane finishes show such a wide range of solvents? What are we really getting?

I like to thin my polyurethane finish with mineral spirits as an alternative to buying a wipe on poly - but when I started to look at several of the easily available options for Clear Gloss, like ...
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1answer
62 views

Sealant recommendation for pen-holding box

I am about to start assembling a box to stow away items that otherwise overrun a desk. The box arrives in small pieces. Before assembling, I'd like to apply some sealant so that it stays clean for ...
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51 views

After 4 coats of light wipe on poly my counter looks spotty

I have butcher block counter tops that I just bought. Unfinished birch to be exact. I stained the block then let sit for 48hr. After that, I put 4 coats of wipe on poly on. It looks and feels fine ...
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31 views

Polyurethane on top of an uneven texture

I'm building a headphone amp - I've opted to go for a patchy paint job on top because I like the pattern it introduces. Having said that, the paint is uneven as a result. If I kept this as is and ...
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2answers
378 views

How to fix polyurethane finish peeling off furniture

So I recently bought a piece of furniture which (based on my research) has a polyurethane finish. After it arrived I discovered it had scratches, which I believe is polyurethane flaking off (you can ...
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2answers
62 views

Is there any issue using a water based stain then oil based finish?

If there is no issue, what is the proper way to perform this? How long after staining should I wait? I’ve only found answers to the reverse problem. And not sure if it would be the same answer.
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95 views

Polycrylic getting sticky and peeling/wearing off

I coated a bare wood acacia table for a computer desk with Minwax polycrylic about 4 months ago and made sure it was dried the recommended 24 hours before regular use. 4 months later, I noticed the ...
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230 views

Proper way to dilute water based oil-modified polyurethane?

What is the proper way to dilute water based oil-modified polyurethane? I know for oil based poly, to use mineral spirits. Water based poly, use water. I couldn't find any details on how to dilute ...
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1answer
69 views

Best waterproofing method for bathroom project?

I'm somewhat of a beginner woodworker and I'm looking at building a small caddy of sorts for my bathroom counter to hold my razor, razor blades, shaving brush, toothbrush, etc. because my bathroom isn'...
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1answer
547 views

Finishes over mineral oil

Over the past few days I have been refinishing a cedar chest. I used stripper and a razor blade to remove most of the old finish before starting to sand. I sanded it up to 600 grit. I was reading ...
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130 views

Sanded lightly between coats of minwax. Applied second coat and you can see where I sanded. How can you fix this?

Refinishing a pine table. Applied one coat of minwax wipe on then sanded as told. Applied second coat and sanding marks still showing. Can it be fixed?
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Should I use or exterior oil based polyurethane for wood trim in a bathroom?

I have stained all the wood trim in my bathroom. I am planning to coat it with an oil based polyurethane. Would exterior poly be preferable because it is exposed to moisture?
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50 views

Sanding Poly coated veneer

I put new oak veneer on a table and applied two coat of polyurethane. It now looks as though I should have sanded down the veneer to a smoother surface. It's not terrible, but it the grain is sticking ...
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251 views

Water based poly over oil stain

I saw a post that actually discussed this topic, but saw it a bit too late. It basically said that it's fine if you let the oil stain fully cure before applying the water based poly. However, I ...
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144 views

Recommended finish for workbench vise

I made a small tabletop Moxon vise and after some research decided to finish it using a 3-part mix of equal parts polyurethane, boiled linseed oil, and mineral spirits. Sounds okay to me, but I'd like ...
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1answer
422 views

Using PT lumber indoor if covered with polyurethane?

Earlier today, I posted a question about building a small table with pressure-treated wood. A few people chewed me out for using PT wood indoors, so I deleted it. So just now I called a lumber store ...
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1answer
77 views

Meat Grinder Table Design

I am considering building a table for a meat grinder out of wood and then covering it in something to make it last longer. The basic idea is that the grinder would sit on a higher section and then ...
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82 views

Veneering with construction adhesives (PL Premium, etc)

I have one curved staircase riser I need to veneer or otherwise match with hardwood floor. All the other risers are going to be done with thin plywood and clear coated (treads will be assembled from ...
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1answer
66 views

How do I finish-off pine wood after issues?

I'm trying to finish a pine dresser. Here are the steps I have taken so far: Sanded 1 layer pre-stain wood conditioner (Varathane) 2 layers of wood stain (Varathane Classic) 1 layer of water-based ...
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1answer
121 views

How to get an even sheen with wiping varnish?

I am making my own wiping varnish by following Bob Flexner's recommendation of mixing polyurethane varnish (in my case, Minwax semigloss) with odorless mineral spirits. Everything seems to be going ...
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58 views

Strategy for coating a built table with polyurethane?

I built a simple table. I stained each piece before final gluing and construction. I am not sure how to polyurethane the table. I am concerned about both getting an even coat that doesn't run and ...
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1answer
68 views

Does water-based polyurethane affect paint color?

I recently painted a dresser. I originally painted it a darker gray than I wanted so after putting the initial two coats on I took the paint back to Home Depot and had them lighten the rest of the ...
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1answer
7k views

Can I use #0000 steel wool for final polish of water-based polyurethane?

I'm finishing my first woodworking project — a tabletop that I hope to mount on a sit/stand desk mechanism. I've stained and applied 4 coats of Varthane water-based polyurethane in matte finish. I ...
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32 views

How to smooth out final polyurethane coat? [duplicate]

first time posting here and first time doing any sort of woodworking. I purchased the Gerton table top from IKEA and it came pretty scratchy. So I sanded it with 120 grit sandpaper and applied 3 ...
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1answer
679 views

Do I need to sand off old finish completely before applying polyurethane?

I want to add polyurethane to wood floors to protect them from wear. The floors were already finished and looked fine. I sanded one floor with 120 grit sandpaper, and now the finish looks patchy. I ...
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1answer
527 views

Should I use a router before or after my finish is done?

First time poster so forgive me if my question is worded poorly. I have a wood art piece that I'm coming close to finishing. I plan on routing out the back of the piece to lay in some LED lights to ...
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1answer
2k views

When can I sand water based polyurethane?

I've applied Water Based Varathane Ultimate Polyurethane to some desktops. I intend to apply 3 coats. The instructions say drying time is 2 hours. Can I sand the finish after 2 hours or do I have to ...
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39 views

I'm looking for a good finish for goblets and shot glasses [duplicate]

So I have started turning some goblets and shot glasses, and I'm trying to find a good finish for them that can be nice and glossy, but doesn't need constant reapplication. I'm pretty sure that ...
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1answer
48 views

Refinishing over different polyurethane

I have a lot of door and window trim that I finished with a satin polyurethane. I recently started a project to finish trim in another location in my house. I somehow managed to use a different satin ...
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1answer
178 views

Best way to glue two finished surfaces

What would be the best way to glue two surfaces which have already been finished with Danish oil and then wipe-on poly? One surface would be the cut edge of ply, the other surface would be solid wood....
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2answers
2k views

A beginner's question about sanding, stain, and polyurethane for a SMOOTH finish

I'm doing to hobby pieces using 3/4" pine ply. On my faces, I've sanded with 80, then 120, then finish with 220 using random orbit sander. To the touch, it's very very smooth. I'll give it a good ...
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37 views

Spreading water-based Varathane that is 3 times thicker

I used water-based 3X Varathane on a table top I am refinishing. It is very difficult to spread because it is so thick. It is supposed to be "self-leveling". I cannot brush it on evenly because it ...
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2answers
7k views

How to fill in holes and gaps after applying polyurethane

I'm finishing a very rough piece of scrap wood for use as a tabletop and to practice applying polyurethane. I've since found that the holes and gaps aren't really "filled" by the material and that I ...
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1answer
1k views

Is this mask sufficient to filter polyurethane fumes?

I'm learning how to apply polyurethane and am very bothered by the strong fumes. Is this mask from Harbor Freight sufficient protection for health purposes and will it help to filter out the smell? ...
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1answer
64 views

Applying finish over furniture repair wax

I have a panel made from recycled lumber - there are a number of 10mm holes from some sort of fixtures in the woods previous life. These are not nail holes, but clean drilled out holes. I'm not ...
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1answer
5k views

Can I put a clear polyeurethane coat on top of teak oil?

I have an outdoor bench that came with instructions to coat it with teak oil once a year. I've done the teak oil one year so far. If I put on another coat of teak oil this year, do you think I can ...
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1answer
1k views

Water based oil modified polyurethane finish beading when applied over stain on pine

I applied Minwax Wood Finish penetrating stain to white pine cabinet. Wiped stain thoroughly, waited 60 hours before attempting to apply Minwax water based, oil-modified polyurethane, using synthetic ...
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2answers
124 views

Top coat poly makes other sides rough

We're restoring some old furniture - sofas with a lot of carving, whole wood book shelves, et al. We've stripped the old varnish and are redoing the job with poly. We did 2 coats of PU sealer and 2 ...
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1answer
135 views

Moisture Blushing or Inadequately Mixed Satin Wipe-On Poly?

In the final step of finishing my speakers I was putting satin wipe-on poly over my danish oil. The danish oil sat for 6 days on my walnut paperbacked veneer in my basement with a dehumidifier going. ...
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2answers
456 views

Polyurethane a box (vertical sides)

I was originally going to use spray lacquer for my speaker cabinets which are essentially large cubes. However, I've switched to brush on Poly. Is it possible for me to apply the poly on the ...
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80 views

Staining veneer in humid weather

I am working in my garage in Wisconsin in August so needless to say it’s super muggy/humid. I’ve veneered my speaker cabinet and I’m getting ready to stain. Should I bring in the cabinets and put ...
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1answer
129 views

Spray on Lacquer for Vertical Surface

I have a rectangular speaker cabinet (basically a box). Can I use spray lacquer and spray all sides at once? Otherwise I have to account for a lot of overspray.
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Sun damaged polyurethane-finished dining table

So I have this Italian made marquetry dining table which has a polyurethane finish. I acquired this as a used item and I noticed after purchase that in the light I can see streaked areas where it has ...
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1answer
2k views

Can I use linseed oil and water-based polyurethane on opposing sides of a 1/2" board?

I know that linseed oil and water-based polyurethane won't work together. But I have 1/2" poplar paneling that I am installing in my van and am hoping to get the best of both synthetic and natural ...
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13k views

Polyurethane clear coat is thickening to a jelly in the can!

I've been refinishing wood cabinet doors. I've sanded down to the bare wood, then applied a pre-stain. After 1 coat of stain I'm putting on 2-3 coats of polyurethane clear coat. I'm using mineral ...
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545 views

Pore/Grain Filler Over Danish Oil

I have two slabs: redwood some kind of hard wood that I think resembles a red gum wood I have coated them in Danish Oil and this coating has been allowed to dry for over 10 days. My long term goal ...

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