# Finishing Polyurethane - Dining Table



## jimmyv (Mar 15, 2010)

I have read through a variety of articles on polishing the final coat of poly, but I have yet to find something that I feel addresses my specific need. I have refinished a 4x8 dining room table top. Sanded through a thick, atrociously applied coating of some kind of polyurethane until I achieved bare, raw wood. It took me 3 days of hard work just to get the wood bare. It is a 1 inch thick slab of solid oak with a 4 inch wide (also 1 inch thick) full border of solid mahogany. Then I applied a 2 tone stain, which came out perfectly and made the table look like a million bucks. I had just got done coating an entire oak bedroom set with poly and the final results were nearly flawless, so I figured I was on the home stretch with the poly on this project too. But since this table is such a large, single surface (48 sq ft), I have found that it is difficult to cover the entire surface before the poly turns gummy and I am no longer able to touch it without making an unsightly 'mark' or 'blotch' in it. So, after 2 coats of 100% poly (Minwax fast drying semi-gloss), I used 0000 steel wool to smooth it out (after 1st coat as well) and it did the job perfectly. 

On the 3rd coat, I mixed approx 30% Mineral Spirits into the poly. When I applied with a foam brush, I was shocked at how much easier this made application. I was able to slowly and patiently run the brush all the way down the length for a very smooth looking and "flat wet" coat. I was very pleased and figured I was done. Upon returning to the table the next day to see how it had dried, I noticed that although it dried quite flat, there are small hazy looking "circles" (about the size of a pencil eraser head) all over the table. It also appears that I may have put too thick of a coat, as this layer seems to have 'leaned' or drooped toward the center of the table (almost like wind blew it slightly). You can only see these imperfections in the glare, but I am thinking that I may have used too much mineral spirits. These spots were not present at all on the first 2 coats of 100% poly. 

So now, I am debating sanding with steel wool again and adding another coat with only about 10% mineral spirits (not because it needs another coat… more so to 'redo' it with a super thin layer), OR using some sort of furniture paste wax (like Minwax paste) or applying a high end car polish with the steel wool to gloss it up. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!


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## jimmyv (Mar 15, 2010)

wow... i cannot believe i put 48 sq ft. I meant 32 sq ft, of course. derrr. :wacko:


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## ~WoodChuck~ (Jan 17, 2009)

the only way to fix this is to sand out the finish and apply another coat, and like you stated thin out a little less. Just enough to make it flow better. Do not overwork the poly. Buffing with compound probably will not work because it will not be coarse enough.


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## jimmyv (Mar 15, 2010)

well, actually... i was able to buff it out. in most circumstances, you would be totally correct. i thought i was down to only that option. (re-sand and put another fresh coat) but i got ahold of a polishing compound product called Howard's Burnishing Cream. It comes in a squeeze bottle and you just pour/rub/buff with a cloth. 
http://www.touchoforanges.com/reshowprodwo.html

btw... it's very expensive on that site. I got it at Dixieline for $8.49.

The result is amazing. It takes a lot of elbow grease, but it took my hazy, rough-to-the-touch poly and buffed it out to a mirror like gloss and it's as slicker than glass. I don't work for Howard's. I have no affiliation to that brand. I'm just saying... it was amazing. I am very pleased. 

Thanks!:smile:


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## ~WoodChuck~ (Jan 17, 2009)

did you buff by hand or mechanically?


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## BIP (Dec 21, 2009)

Another trick with oil-based poly is to put some paint thinner in a spray bottle, mist the surface and then "wet-sand" with aluminum-oxide abarsive, 1200 or 2000 grit. Alot less elbow grease.


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## my-woodwork-future (Mar 17, 2010)

*Can you spray polyurethane with a 1.5 HVLP gun.*



jimmyv said:


> I have read through a variety of articles on polishing the final coat of poly, but I have yet to find something that I feel addresses my specific need. I have refinished a 4x8 dining room table top. Sanded through a thick, atrociously applied coating of some kind of polyurethane until I achieved bare, raw wood. It took me 3 days of hard work just to get the wood bare. It is a 1 inch thick slab of solid oak with a 4 inch wide (also 1 inch thick) full border of solid mahogany. Then I applied a 2 tone stain, which came out perfectly and made the table look like a million bucks. I had just got done coating an entire oak bedroom set with poly and the final results were nearly flawless, so I figured I was on the home stretch with the poly on this project too. But since this table is such a large, single surface (48 sq ft), I have found that it is difficult to cover the entire surface before the poly turns gummy and I am no longer able to touch it without making an unsightly 'mark' or 'blotch' in it. So, after 2 coats of 100% poly (Minwax fast drying semi-gloss), I used 0000 steel wool to smooth it out (after 1st coat as well) and it did the job perfectly.
> 
> On the 3rd coat, I mixed approx 30% Mineral Spirits into the poly. When I applied with a foam brush, I was shocked at how much easier this made application. I was able to slowly and patiently run the brush all the way down the length for a very smooth looking and "flat wet" coat. I was very pleased and figured I was done. Upon returning to the table the next day to see how it had dried, I noticed that although it dried quite flat, there are small hazy looking "circles" (about the size of a pencil eraser head) all over the table. It also appears that I may have put too thick of a coat, as this layer seems to have 'leaned' or drooped toward the center of the table (almost like wind blew it slightly). You can only see these imperfections in the glare, but I am thinking that I may have used too much mineral spirits. These spots were not present at all on the first 2 coats of 100% poly.
> 
> So now, I am debating sanding with steel wool again and adding another coat with only about 10% mineral spirits (not because it needs another coat… more so to 'redo' it with a super thin layer), OR using some sort of furniture paste wax (like Minwax paste) or applying a high end car polish with the steel wool to gloss it up. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!


 I am not too sure about wood products, thus I was an automotive painter or refinisher retired over 10 years and looking to work on wood now..and at the moment I am looking for info to see if is possible to spary polyurethane with one of my automotive spray guns with a 1.5 or bigger tip and also to know what would it be the density for best reduction proportion or number of seconds on a Zahn #2 cup that is recommended, if possible? Thanks


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## jimmyv (Mar 15, 2010)

~WoodChuck~ said:


> did you buff by hand or mechanically?


by hand. LOTS of buffing! I have to make sure the rag is dry at every moment. So I always have 2-3 three clean towels on hand for every single patch, then use one right after the other to ensure I am never smearing the product around after it has dried to a haze. It sounds laborious (cause it is :laughing, but it's worth it. 

I think using an orbital would be very nice, but it seems like the buffing pad would get gummed up on the first small patch and then I'd have to change it. Not really interested in buying 30-something pads. :blink:


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## sleepersilverado (Jan 12, 2010)

I am glad i found this thread. I have been hassling with the same Polly for a while. Actually on three different pieces i recently built. I have absolutely no idea how to finish and have been trying different things. For the most part i have been successfully but it has taken me a lot of sanding and about 3X the amount of time of someone who knows what they are doing. 

My problem as of late has been similar. I go to spray my last coat and it lays down like glass, but when it dries it has little white veins in it that like you said you can only see in the glare if you get close. I have been thinking there is bound to be a way i could Polish it but did not have a clue. I am going to try both techniques on a scrap piece. I gave up since i have sanded/scuffed and re sprayed about 3 times now.

I thought the problem was i had thinned it too much. I used napathan because form a lot of reading i came to the conclusion that was the best thing to use. It worked fine on the first piece. So i sprayed with 100% Polly one last time with the same results then gave up. The only thing i have changed between the first piece and the last two was the gun. Deal is it only happened on the flat surfaces.

To my-woodwork-future: yes you can use one of your guns. I had my best results from a devilbiss i borrowed from my buddy that he painted cars with. I don't know what size the tip was though. I am gonna change back to that gun and see if my results change. I believe the detail gun i am using now has a 1.0

BIP can you elaborate a little more on the aluminum oxide abrasive. Where do you purchase this at?


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