I tend to use very fine sandpaper when doing the in between coat sandings. Again wait for the primer to dry to give the coat another sanding. I'd like to smooth out the surface before the final coat. If you’re dry sanding, wipe off the polyurethane sanding dust with a damp paper towel. For example, when refinishing furniture with lacquer or polyurethane, silicone on the surface can cause the new finish to pull away from the contaminated spots—a condition called fisheye. At this point you’re ready to either move on to a coat or 2 of wipe on poly, or you can skip that and start rubbing out the finish you want, which is covered below as well. Then apply the next coat. Sand the previous coats to make sure there is a perfectly flat and even base for the final coat. After drying, sand first coat lightly with 220 paper on a sanding block. If the finish “balls up” or seems wet, let it dry some more. I just put on my 4th coat and despite meticulously sanding any bump and imperfections between each coats, a good amount of little lumps appear on each coat. Sand the surface once more, then apply your final clear coat. How Do You Smooth the Final Coat of Polyurethane? How do I apply a second coat of polyurethane? Apply two to three additional coats of full-strength polyurethane, sanding between each coat. Both activities introduce bubbles into the mixture in the can, and it's likely that you'll transfer some of these to the surface you're finishing. What type of sander should I use: ... Random Orbit Floor Sander , or just a hand held orbital ? Allow 3-4 hours dry time before you sand. Also, for polyurethane stain, you can use very light sandpaper. Using The Right Type Of Sandpaper: Wet sandpaper differs from dry sandpaper in that it does not fall apart when wet. Apply a THIN coat of Minwax® Fast-Drying Polyurethane using a high-quality natural or foam brush. Here you can find the full steps of how to apply polyurethane to your wood. Always allow polyurethane to dry 24 to 48 hours before sanding, to give the surface time to … hardwood-floor sanding polyurethane hardwood-refinishing. Apply a second coat following the directions above. After final coat, allow 24 hours before normal use. I will know when it's enough by feel, I'll run my hands over the piece checking for 'rough' spots. And the final layer won’t need any sanding at all (provided that it’s been spread on evenly). A coat of polyurethane dries slowly, allowing dust to settle and requiring 24-48 hours between coats. After a coat has dried, use 220 or 240 grit sandpaper or extra fine steel wool to lightly sand surface. Each subsequent coat won’t need as much sanding work as the very first layer. If the sanding was minimal, you can get away with just re-coating the sanded area. Benefits of Polyurethane They do not realize that there may indeed be another option. Sanding produces a white film over the finish, but will disappear as you apply the next coat. Choosing The Right Type Of Lubricant: Your options range from plain water to mineral spirits. share | improve this question | follow | asked Apr 21 '15 at 20:54. Then dampen a clean cotton cloth in water and rub automotive rubbing compound onto the surface in a circular motion -- the compound will remove any slight scratches left by the sandpaper. Just don't finish your work outdoors, where you can't control dust, bugs, and other flying finish-ruiners. NOTE: Before sanding, test on an inconspicuous part of the surface to ensure that the poly is completely dry. The final coat of polyurethane is then applied (third coat of "product" but only second coat of "poly"). Two axioms for furniture finishers are that you shouldn't shake the can before applying polyurethane and you shouldn't wipe the brush along the side of the can. Wipe off polyurethane dust with a soft cloth, then wipe with a tack cloth, and begin applying second coat. Wet sanding is a great way to improve a good paint job and can even be used to help improve the quality of a poorly laid paid layer. Final words: Should you Sand Between Coats of Stain? Read Also: How to Sand Table Legs-In 7 Effective Ways [Like a Pro] Apply a primer to recoat the drywall coating=> Check on Amazon=> You can apply a second coat of polyurethane around 15 to 30 minutes after application. When applying polyurethane, always brush in the same direction of the grain and spread the substance as thinly as possible. Continue following these steps for two to three times. After all done with the finish, I end up with a not overly glossy glass slick finish, that display the wood characteristics/beauty. I believe it's either bubbles or dust. This is my first YouTube video!I've been building a trestle table for the last few months and this is the last step. You don’t have to sand between coats of poly as long as you get the next coat on within 12 hours – which means yes, sometimes you will be up at really strange hours coating yours floors with poly and your neighbors may wonder if you’re up to no good. A poor sanding job will never look right no matter how much product you apply. But if you have let the finish dry for more than 12 hours, sand the finish lightly with 220 grit sandpaper. I like how it looks after the last coat, with just a little bit of sheen, but I can feel the dust and brush marks with my hand. This will ensure good adhesion of the succeeding coat. I am staining and finishing oak doors for the first time. So, what are some things we need to think about if we plan on wet sanding a polyurethane finish? Brush marks often show up on pieces of furniture treated with polyurethane finish, usually despite the best efforts of the craftsman. Polyurethane Stain. For surfaces such as the floor, you can apply up to 3 layers. When applying polyurethane, brush along the grain, stretching the polyurethane into as thin a coat as possible. Homer Homer. Then I'll hand rub in a third coat of tung oil. Create a homemade sealer by thinning the polyurethane with mineral spirits and use this for your first coat. Follow up with 2 coats of undiluted polyurethane straight from the can. The biggest problem you can have is if your sandpaper is too rough. So we “rub out” the final coat to make it smooth and flat. My first problem is getting an even coat. This will ensure good adhesion of the succeeding coat. Issue sanding between coats of polyurethane. Hi, I recently bought a Gerton Ikea desk top which I found out after was unfinished, and jumped through some hoops to get it so I decided I would try to finish it myself, even though I am in a small apartment. Many people would argue that sanding is the only real way to go when potentially painting over top of polyurethane. 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