# Help- Dry Spots using wipe-on poly....



## karabeth (Feb 4, 2015)

Newbie here... I am refinishing an oak desk & really wanted to good finish on the top, i am running into 3 small 1"-2" round spots that arent accepting the polyurethane? Ive cleaned & sanded, it almost instantly dries up in those same small spots. Can anyone help me, or give me some advice? I really want this to turn out good.

I have used minwax stain & am using wipe-on poly clear gloss for this project..

THANKS in advance... :1eye:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If the finish tried to bead up like water on a freshly waxed car it might be silicone contamination. If that is what it is, it is caused by aerosol furniture polish. It goes through the finish and into the wood. There is really nothing you could have done to get rid of it however there is a additive you can add to your finish to alleviate the problem. At places that sell automotive paint you can get a fisheye control solvent to add to the finish. I use one called Smoothie. It doesn't take but a few drops per quart to do the job. You will need to be careful not to re-use sandpaper on new projects you used to do the between the coats sanding as the smoothie is silicone itself. Mix only what you need for this project and dispose of what is left over after you are done to prevent contamination.


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## CNYWOODS (Apr 22, 2012)

Got any pictures? Did the stain go over( into) the area without any problems? If so is it a WB or Oil based stain from minwax?


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## karabeth (Feb 4, 2015)

Thank you CNY & Steve. I will send a photo when I get home tonight (possibly tomorrow, depending on the lighting.)


To answer the questions: 

The stain had no problem soaking into the wood.
The stain was oil-based, Minwax Wood Finish Early American color. The poly was also oil-based, Minwax wipe-on poly clear gloss.
Steve, It seems like after i wipe on & then a few seconds later, I look & what i had on the spot has disappeared. I tried to see if it was beading up, and i guess that might be a good way to compare it. To me it looked like tiny bubbles, kind of seperating from the area. This last few times, i tried scuffing the dry spots which are now a slight dip (compared to the layers of poly on the rest of the desktop), i even tried to wipe it down good & let it dry, then wipe on the poly extra hard. That time it lasted a bit longer, but when i got back from work, they were dry looking still.
Thank you again for replying, i will get a photo posted soon. 

ALSO, it


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## CNYWOODS (Apr 22, 2012)

The Minwax Wood "finish" has a few solids in it and should have wicked away from the area just like the poly is . Hmmm


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It's possible the problem you have is you have a few spots that the wood over absorbent and is just drinking up the finish in spots. This will eventually correct itself. If it is silicone the problem will only get worse and using the smoothie won't hurt anything unless you contaminate another project with it.


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## karabeth (Feb 4, 2015)

Thanks in advance yall.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I'm not seeing any place where the finish isn't taking. I only see the texture of the oak wood.


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## karabeth (Feb 4, 2015)

Sorry it was really hard to get on camera.. Let me circle the areas & repost pictures.


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## karabeth (Feb 4, 2015)

Areas are now circled on the photo. This is in my basement, so i have poor lighting. No other warm place to work on it. Here is a zoomed in cropped version.


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## karabeth (Feb 4, 2015)

So steve do you think i should try:

A) adding some more wipe on, to see if my last attempt coat of sanding & cleaning & rubbing the poly on hard in those areas worked (and maybe its still dull because i have only done 1 coat since that attempt?)

B) try the fish eye smoothie addition to more poly

C) something else?

***Also, do you think i can apply to just that area or should i do the whole desktop each coat? 
I do plan on doing 1 or 2 more coats over the whole top, just to get the finish a bit more smoother. (it was AWFUL at first 5 -6 coats, had huge endentations on the dark grains, then i sanded good between coats & added probably 7-10 more coats.)


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If that white mark is in the finish and not glare, I'm incline to believe the finish is pealing off. If that is what it is it's probably air under the finish.


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## karabeth (Feb 4, 2015)

It may be a glare, i need to look at it closer & let you know. How do you get air under your finish?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Air gets under a finish when it starts to peal off. It's lack of adhesion for one reason or another. Sometimes there is a contaminate on the surface of the wood preventing the finish from properly adhering.


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