Can we just take a moment to applaud this guy for going so above and beyond go help us? Also I messed up my poly coat and I have some new tips to fix it. Thanks!
Thanx Mr Trewill. It actually saves me time (and I learned a lot by doing it). I was getting soooooo many questions on how to fix mistakes on my how to apply videos that it made sense. Happy New Year. best . . . paul
*5 stars on fast drying water based poly * you are so right , I repeatedly got brush marks ,having to work so fast .on a 20 x 30 redwood burl coffee table )I finally sanded it all off to bare wood , then with fingers crossed tried it again, that failed as well . I then sanded the polly * near off *it has this raw wood look to it with the poly being sanded with 600 t5hen 1000 grit .I'm debating to leave it that way , although thinking back on how much beauty was revealed to me while coating it with the water based poly , its hard to give up on the project . You are the one in a million guys on UA-cam telling it like a seasoned pro (which I'm convinced you are , and humble at that as well), I'm inspired again , Im going watch your other vid's . I have a feeling they will give me the encouragement to carry on - Thank you so much , the table was given to me by my best friend who is no longer with us . sincerely- billy
Sometimes I can't believe how fortunate I am to be living at a time like this where so much really good information is available just by typing a few words into a keyboard. I am especially thankful for good souls like Paul that take the time to share their knowledge with others. Just want to say thanks, and that it is appreciated!
Hey WM. Well said, my friend. I couldn't agree more!! I know a little about woodworking but nothing about cars, plumbing, electric, baking bread, etc, etc, etc, etc. UA-cam is my GO-TO. Thank you for your feedback. best . . . paul
We are a blessed generation. My brother in law calls youtube, UA-cam University. I agree that it is so wonderful having people like Paul and others that don't mind sharing their expertise with the world.
@@hshawn00 I agree See Me Fly, as a very serious DIYer I use UA-cam ALL THE TIME!! While I've saved thousands of dollars there's a personal gratification that comes with knowing that with a little guidance one can do almost anything!! best . . . paul
Hi there @@paulsDIYsolutions - you nailed it from the beginning with "you're probably here because..." Hmmmm yes indeed, I do wish I'd found you before I used poly straight out of the can. It's just a small project so I reckon I can fix it now I've fine sanded it - with the help of your videos of course. But I did want to say that sometimes I do buy the idea that we're doomed because youngsters all have their noses buried in screens these days & nobody teaches them how to use tools etc. Yet having watched a few of your videos now, I agree with this comment that we are actually blessed. Maybe not so many kids have a grandpa close by with a garage like yours anymore, but now literally thousands of us have access to you instead! And you are going to be not just one family's but in fact the whole internet's favourite Grandpa "forevermore" thanks to UA-cam. 😅 Many heartfelt thanks for taking the time to help us out with your knowledge & best wishes from New Zealand.
Hey Eric. Thanx. I do make a little on the ads. Enough to keep me in my Makers Mark!! Any way I've gotten soooo much from other UA-cam content. Right now I'm doing a complete brake job on my Ram pickup. I'm not a mechanic but I just follow the vids and BAM!! I'm a mechanic. Love UA-cam!! best . . . paul
I've just started my passion for woodworking about 2 years ago I talked about it so much for about 5 years saying " I could build that, or I want that pallet flag on my shed" I finally started doing it.
Hi Jimmy. Sorry I responded but it looks like it never went through. Anyway I'm excited for you. Woodworking is a great hobby. It's challenging, engaging and fulfilling all at the same time. Welcome to the club, buddy!! best . . . paul
Great video! I just completed my first project, a dining room table top I bought in 1985 that was rough from 3 kids and years of wear & tear. I was very pleased until the polyurethane coat, it was streaky and uneven. I used one of those foam brushes. Now that I know the proper technique, I'm excited to get er done! Thanks!
I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you for taking the time to pass your wisdom to younger generations. We are slowly losing the how to and senior secrets, as I call them, because of the new generations taking easy way out (paying someone else to do it.) I wish there was someone like you teaching stuff like canning and sewing or what not. The knowledge of these things are dieing with the older generation and it's sad. So thank you again for your time and effort. (Sorry for long post)
You must hunt and salt your meat for preservation. Or grow all your food, or built your own house from scratch. Point is yes its great to have this ageless knowledge but times change and so do methods of doing things. I'm sick of older people looking down on the new generations because they advanced. I'd rather play a person who made their whole business around a task then to do it myself and risk messing it up.
Relax. She was just saying that she thanked him and some of younger generation needs to learn from the older generation. She said nothing about new ways suck. She didnt say not to learn new ways. Take a break!! Damn
@@whatdidyouzay5688 In the future or not so future there may not be an opportunity for you to rely on somebody who can supply all your needs with money...just sayin
The world of finishes seems so daunting to me. Probably why I've avoided delving into it for decades. But recently I've turned my hand to finer pieces using nicer woods, and it is such a crying shame when the finish is less (1 out of ten is also less) than perfect. Excellent information. Glad you turned up in my search. I look forward to applying your techniques, especially doing it right the first time. Thank you and Merry Christmas
Hey Guy. If only the manufacturers of these finishes would spend some time educating!! Anyway it's pretty easy once someone gives you a little basic info. The key is "Lay It On Thin". Thickness is built in layers not globs. Let me know how it works out. Merry Christmas to you as well. best . . . paul
Hey Chooper. The truth is I was educating myself with that video. Turns out I was giving a lot of untested and often bad advice before I started experimenting. But thanx for thinking I could get dumber (I think that came out right). LOL best . . . paul
Thanx Hannah. I couldn't agree more!! As a flawed DIYer I learned a lot from others with area specific knowledge. Incredible!! Thanx for your feedback. best . . . paul
To prevent small bubbles. You can also heat the surface before painting. I have also used a heat gun after applying poly coats. Just passing over it a few times, not really heating the surface. You can see the bubbles disappear.
Hey RcH. Thanx for your feedback. Someone just the other day recommended using a torch to pop bubbles. Here's the problems that I have with all methods of heating polyurethane. First with an open flame it's a potential fire hazard. Polyurethane has a low flashpoint of 105 degrees. So I would stay away from a torch. Blow dryers or heat guns move air which pushes dust onto the surface and secondly it can actually create waves in the finish if brought too close. I made this video cause people would routinely ask what to do after application errors. To me the best strategy with all finishes is to avoid imperfections by proper application. My video "Bubble-Free Polyurethane Application Technique" has over 1,000,000 views with a 95% approval rating. It works!! ua-cam.com/video/X_GWXcydu5k/v-deo.html best . . . paul
I really appreciate the quality control of your experiment! I screwed up a 2nd coat of oil poly by not mixing the satin enough, and doing it in the sun...big no no! Dried too fast. Too thick. So I sanded down the gloppy areas by hand with 400, 600, and 1000. Cleaned duat with light mineral spirits. Then I made a 50/50 mix with mineral spirits and wiped on...very carefully. Two coats in, and it looks great! Not perfect, but I think the Sapele will glow through nicely. Thank you!!
Hey Maceo. Glad to haer it came out okay. Finishing is an art and once you learn the basics the rest is practice. Soon it's second nature. You are on your way. Congrats!! Thanx for watching and your feedback (always appreciate hearing results). best . . . paul
I’m refinishing 3 oak tables, two end tables and a coffee table. The end tables turned out beautifully, no problem. The coffee table had dips in the finish so I started again just on the top of the table, the rest was fine. I thought perhaps I had put the finish on too thickly. I used a good quality stripper, cleaned off all of the finish, then I sanded it down to the bare wood again, making sure to use a damp rag to get rid of any debris. I re-stained it and my first coat of “finish”, I applied sparingly, and I’ve got exactly the same problem with the dips, only worse. These are dents, not bubbles. It almost makes me think that it’s getting sucked into the wood. I do not want to start from scratch again, but I don’t know how to solve this problem. My plan at this point is to sand it lightly and see if I can eradicate those dips. Any idea what’s going wrong? UPDATE: Saw another video where you thinned the final finish 3 parts finish to one part thinner. Just waiting for it to dry now. Cross your fingers.
Great video!!! I've been around wood working all 55 years of my life.... My grandfather built all his own wood furniture, my dad did a lot of the same. I however, only recently started to get into woodworking. I have a table right now, that has a veneer surface, and the finish was satin. It was getting to be dull in spots, satin in other spots, paper plates with anything hot on them was leaving paper film behind when you lifted it off the table.... I decided to refinish it. I was familiar with sanding veneer, and the hazards of sanding it too much... I'm happy to say, I managed to sand all the finish off keeping the wood grain intact. and successfully stained the veneer. Yay me!! lol BUT, refinishing it with polyurethane isn't going exactly right. I made a mistake and used water based for the first 2 coats. Can I just sand it lightly so that all the trapped bubbles are gone, but not any of the veneer or stain, and switch to oil based at this point? What will that do? Or should I just sand it down to the veneer again, hopefully keeping the grain intact...again, and start over with oil based?
Hey CR. Welcome to the club. The old saying oil and water don't mix is true in liquid state but doesn't hold true for most of today's quality finishes after they have cured. Oil (or water) are just the carrying agents to keep the resins in liquid form until they dry completely (cure). Curing can take 2-3 weeks depending on temperature and humidity. If you've watched my video you should have learned that sanding is an option for small bubbles but not the larger ones. This has to be your judgement call. Good luck. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions I watched it yesterday :-) I only have small bubbles ... but I just have a lot of em. Hahaha. I will try to sand them out, but wow... I will have to wait at least 2 to 3 weeks before continuing with the oil based poly. Oh well... I need to clean the garage, so I guess this is as good a time as any. Thanks for responding!!!
@@crtrue6432 I would wait. Mainly because I would be concerned about the water evaporating under a coat of oil. Never tried it so not sure if or what would be consequences. Anyway it's always nice to have a clean dust free garage.
Thank you so much! My boyfriend and I sanded off our poly attempts 6 times then we watched your video and viola! It is PERFECT after watching your video!
Very helpful video for beginners like me. I am in the middle of a project and your solutions for bubles and proper stain way to work , will save me time and money. Thank You.
Hey Julio. It'll also save you some aggravation (my personal DIY peeve). I've used UA-cam hundreds of times before starting projects!! Glad to be sharing the few things I know. Thanx for your feedback. best . . . paul
Hi Paul, just watched this video as well as the one on how to properly apply poly. My husband just applied two coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat (Satin, water based) to a vintage dining room table that he had previously stained with an oil-based stain (we allowed it to dry 4-7 days). He is very discouraged by the brush marks in the poly...thus my search for a solution...and I found your videos. He tried sanding down the poly layer on one leaf using our orbital sander and 220 grit (there are three leaves and this one is the "test" leaf), but the sander removed the stain, and he doesn't want to have to sand/strip and restain to remove the brush marks. Also, the veneer is sanded as far as it can go (it's an oak parquet table and had a lot of scratches), so completely resanding at this point is quite risky. So we have to figure out how to remove the brush marks without a full sand. He is very reluctant to fully strip the table top again as well. I tried hand sanding the second leaf and it seems to reasonably flatten most of the brush marks without removing stain (not looking for perfection at this point). We are debating how to proceed. One option is to use an extender or add water to the finish and put on a third coat using your technique but laying it down thick enough to "fill" any remaining ridges from the brush marks; then possibly a fourth coat. We also are considering spraying it with a fine mister as soon as it's applied to help it level. Another option is to switch to oil-based poly that has a longer working time and hope that it fills in any ridges that we can't sand off by hand. Any thoughts on this challenge? What direction would you go? Stick with the water-based? Or switch to oil? Also, what brand is your nice finish brush and where can I find one like that?
Hey Wilbur. The problem is polyurethgane is NOT a filler or leveler. It will NOT fill or hide the brush marks of a previos coat. Sorry to say I would strip of the old finish, restain and reapply. That said, you could experiment and use a clear wood filler like Aqua Coat. I'm not sure that would work as I have never tried it but if it did it would be easier than my suggestion. best . . . paul
Paul, I would really appreciate your help in locating a source for the Ox hair/China bristle brush that you use in your demo video and the manufacturer. I just completed a project that I wished that I have been able to put your technique to use. Your video was awesome in the way you explained what you were doing and how and why you did it. Great video. I am very anxious to give it a try. John
Hey John. First off thank you for your positive feedback. Always nice to hear from viewers. Check out Gordon Brush Co www.gordonbrush.com/brushes/paint-brushes? The company I used went out of business this past summer, they would send me samples so I could choose to endorse them. I have yet to try Gordon's brushes so I cant personally recommend them but they seem to have a nice selection. Check out Badger, Matey and Onyx brushes. If you do try them please let me know so I can pass along a recommendation to others who ask. best . . . paul
Sorry Ouimetco, I don't agree, the right brush is an important part of a good finish. It holds a generous amount of product, it disburses it evenly and it helps avoid brush marks.
Thank you so much for these! My son was spelling on his model car on my kitchen table when I wasn't home and spilled paint thinner all over it. Followed some bad popular advice and was about to literally throw away my table, especially as it's veneers which adds another layer of difficulty. Then I gave it one final search in desperation found your videos and I'm heading to the hardware store now for some stripper, mineral spirits, a better brush, & a proper sandpaper grit. I hope to return soon with a tale of success! Wish me luck!
Hey Luca. Yeah, doesn't make sense, right? I know they can't thin the product to where it becomes acceptable to work with because of VOC emission laws but you'd think they could mention things like that with some sort of disclaimer. Oh, well. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Hey Paul. Unfortunately, it makes s(p)ense. They want our money. But, lucky us, there are people like you who share their precious experience wirh us
paulsDIYsolutions Paul do you have a email where i can send you a picture? I don't know where to start with a oil spill on my table. Im devastated. Please help!!!
Thanks, Paul for the excellent video on how to correct my mistakes. I followed your advice and found that my results were amazing, considering the original result. Keep sharing your knowledge so the rest of us can survive!
@@paulsDIYsolutions Lol... I use to watch news in the days realized I wasnt getting anything out of it but a bunch of politics so I just come out here on the tube & learn some things👍👍
Hey Dabst. Yeah right! Why don't they put that info on the can?? Everybody applies it like paint (in fact there are videos demonstrating painting it on!!). Glad to be of little help. Thanx for the feedback and watching Danst.
Anytime, do four thinned oil based polyurethane coats equal four regular coats? I have a applied four 3:1 oil polyurethane (high gloss)/mineral spirits and have a pretty good shine. It is a red oak transition strip so i am trying to maintain high gloss to match the red oak high gloss floor.I do have some small dust nibs in the 4th coat. How do I get those out without losing the luster? Super fine 3m rubbing pad? Rub with brown paper bag? Thanks!
Hey Jon. Sounds like you think like me. LOL. What problems can I run into before I start!! I always read the negative reviews first. Thanx for the feedback. best . . . paul
Hey Paul, I wanna thank you for taking the time to help people like myself with poly. Issues. I recently built a table. In a herringbone pattern. So naturally the grains are going two different directions. And yes, I have streaks and puddle issues. My daughter found your video, since this is a project her and I are doing. I’m gonna watch your other video on how to poly. Next. We started doing the 3-1 mix. And for what was hopefully going to be the last coat. I got a little over zealous. And well let’s just say, here we are.
Hey Adam. Yeah sorry to hear that. Ur not alone the fixing video gets an average of 7000 hits per month. FYI I just released a more detailed poly application video called "The Ultimate Guide to Bubble Free Polyurethane Application". It's long but much more detailed and thorough than the original poly video. I talk a lot about crossing grain direction. Check it out. Let me know if you have questions. best . . . paul
Great informative video... As Sandpaper’s are “measured” by the numbers...So,on floors, the broad consensus, that is recommend, seems to start with 36grit, and then, progress to 60, 80, 100,, and ending on 120grit... I see that you recommend going one step further, and end using 180-200grit...I can agree, that that procedure, can be a “best practice”...That’s a great model for our prep work, however, can most bubbles, runs, puddles, etc., truly be attributed to how the finish mediums are applied...or perhaps the cans, or plastic gallon jugs, are being shamed, instead of being gently “stirred”?... puddles, runs, have to be mainly caused by the person, that is the applicator, isn’t paying close attention, or isn’t using the feathering techniques?!? Thank you for all of your time, and expertise in making such an informative video, to help us DIY guys, and even Pro’s that need help!!!.. “A Home Run!”
Hey Kennth. Thanx for you input. Floors are a different animal. I always direct people who ask questions about floor procedures to check directly with "floor pros". Other than stair treads my work has always been on cabinetry and furniture. I would agree with virtually all your comments. best . . . paul
Hey man wanted to thank you for your time and knowledge. With how busy our world is today I believe everyone needs guidance to slow down and follow directions. I really wanted to point out that there are a couple key components to a bubble free finish that you mentioned on this video but not on the "bubble free" video. First off was how much you need to re-dip your brush. It was quite obvious once I watched this video however maybe add a caption in the video that says, "dip once in 3-1 mix for smaller surfaces, and everytime for larger." I ran into an issue where when I dipped every time on a smaller surface it introduced minute runs due to overlap. The second was the feather process. In the "bubble free" video you feather every stroke without wiping the excess after each pass. However, in this video you wiped after each brush stroke removing excess urethane and in return avoiding runs. I am in no way critiquing your knowledge, I just wish to improve to viewers understand. Again I thank you for you time to make this video. I certainly walked away with more knowledge than I had prior!
Hey Josh. Good points. UA-cam removed all post production text annotations last January so I can't add any anymore. The Fixing video was done before posting to UA-cam. I am going back and redoing all older videos cause I really like the extra notations on the videos. Another major key is a good brush. Cheap brushes don't control the flow rate and you are right on smaller surfaces I tend to try to remove excess poly before feathering. Thanx for the feedback. best . . . paul
New subscriber! Just enjoyed watching 3 of your videos, then realized I had not subscribed yet. Great information! Given enough time I will probably watch all of them. Thanks for sharing your knowledge which is vast, given the amount of time you have spent doing woodworking.
I have used a fine steel wool to smooth out drips and bubbles on oil based polyurethane. Then I add another thin coat over the smoothed out surface. It works very well and there is no need to remove all of the Polyurethane.
Big hi from way down under. Been using polyurethane on my wood turning projects with a lot of success. I love the deep gloss shine. Tried my 1st Rimu side table today. Easy peazy eh…. No, nup, nope. Not in a million years lol. Looks like I’ve sanded too smooth, rolled then brushed, applied too thick? Manufacturer states thin 15% max. Too hot 31c. Got disheartened but now I’ve come across what you have shown here, I’m eager to get out and give it another crack tomorrow. Cheerz so much for the guidance. Gregg NZ.
Hey Gregg. Cold up here! I gave up on manufacturer recommendations years ago. Up here they thickened it terrib ly to comply with EPA VOC guidelines. It's like molasses. How can anyone be expected to get a nice smooth finish that doesn't resemble plastic? I think you'll be happy with the results. Are you using oil based polyurethaner? best . . . paul
I was having problems with my dining room table. bubbles and streaks. I now see what I've been doing wrong! #1 shook the polyurethane can to mix it, #2 brushed too hard and went back and forth #3 never mixed it with mineral spirits. will try my last coat your way and hope all my problems disappear! thanks.
paulsDIYsolutions hi Paul. Regarding similar issue with brush stokes. I never thinned my polyurethane so have brush stokes. Will putting a thinned coat blend them in. How can I remove the brush strokes. Thank you in advance.
@@fzintzun Hey fzintzun. No, polturethane is not a filler and won't hide defects. You could strip them out or very aggressive sanding but It's probably best to just live with them at this point. best . . . paul
You're welcome jacmitchell. Hopefully you can rework it a little without going to the extreme. Let me know if you need any additional guidance. best . . . paul
After watching these videos on sanding etc, I'm very afraid to put a second coat on my counter tops. Everything turned out really nice. My finish does feel a bit like sandpaper in spots. you can feel the grit, but i don't see bubbles. Maybe I don't know what I'm looking at or there isn't enough light in the room but other than grit, my finish looks great. I used a foam brush. I didn't know what i was doing i did it as if i were painting. I only looked at these videos to see if i needed to put a second coat on my counter tops. This is going to be a rental property and I just wanted to protect my cabinets from oil, grease, and splashes. I'm trapped between 1) Leaving it alone 2) Making it more smooth 3) Applying a second coat to "better" protect it. (I don't want to mess this up!!!) When i look a little closer, i see i missed a few spots on some of my cabinet doors--near the creases. Do i really need to add a second coat to protect my counter top and cabinets? Will one coat do? I mean I had these cabinets for 10 years with no coat at all. I liked them without the coat. The coat just makes them shine and look new. But i don't want a year to pass and they look horrible because i only put one coat and you can then see the wear.
Hey K. The second coat option is up to you. I find it hard to believe that there was no finish on them for ten years? Must have been something to protect them? Raw wood would be covered in stains from spills and wipes, etc. The grit you are feeling is probably dust nibs. Happens on most finishes in an open environment. Dust is in the air as we speak. Those can be removed by using the paper from a brown grocery bag in place of sandpaper. The paper is rough enough to knock down the nibs and fine enough so as not to dull the sheen. The dry spots may have been misses or more commonly they occur with the first coat in areas where the polyurethane is being sucked in. Since you applied the polyurethane full strength (unthinned) one coat may be enough for the cabinet faces but I recommend at least two coats on the counters where use is heavy. If you decide to go that route (second coat) do a light sand with a 220 grit, thin the polyurethane 3 parts poly to 1 part mineral spirits and apply this time with a good brush and following my Bubble Free Polyurethane Application Technique video. I'm here if you have additional questions or concerns. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Thanks very much. 3 questions about the second coat: 1) Do I need a sander or can I use my hand? 2) What am I trying to achieve by sanding? Is it to remove bubbles and bumps? Is it just something I need to do? In that case it appears I need to sand every corner not just rough spots 3) Do I need to thin the coat? ( I have nothing against it.) If I don't have bubbles now why thin it? One thing I can think of is if I don't want to darken the finish more. But on the other hand a thinner coat means less protection. Thanks abundantly!!!
Hey K. Hand sanding is fine. Use a 180 to 220 grit paper. Sanding between coats does two things: It removes any dust nibs (the little bumps you talked about and it scratches the surface enough to allow a proper grip of the next coat. You were lucky to avoid brush marks and bubbles. The EPA required finish manufacturers to reduce volatile compounds so liquid finishes have thickened up creating havoc in finishes. Thinning and applying thin coats ALMOST assures a good even coat that doesn't look "plasticy". Applying most coats does not darken the finish. P.S. The last coat is not sanded. best . . . paul
Put two layers of finish on my woodtable, it was smooth and beautiful. Decided to go for one last thick layer of waterbased poly for extra protection. Puddles everywhere. Completely ruined. I put so much effort and patience in this project.. Can't believe I have to sand it all and start all over. Don't make my mistake..
Hey Ali. Yeah it happens. I blame manufacturers for not educating people on how to apply properly. Also EPA has required manufacturers to use less thinners making this stuff like molasses!! If you are going to sand you should wait 2-3 weeks for the urethane to cure (harden all the way through) otherwise you'll gum up your sandpaper and end up with a sticky mess. I would personally use stripper to remove finish. Quicker, more effective and a lot less effort. Don't feel bad if I had a nickel for every one of my screw up's!! best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Hi Paul, duly noted I keep that in mind. Then I guess I'll have to be patient and wait before refinishing the table. Thank you very much for you help. You're amazing!
I like sanding))))). I finished a maple top for a table that was belonged to my neighbour because he asked me to do this. It was a top with a big surface and he prepared it badly. I sanded it for a few hours (5 or 6 probably) and after that used 100% Tung oil. It took me a month or more (don't remember) to finish my job because i put about 8 layers with sanding in between. The last coat after drying period I sanded with 400 than 800 than 1500 and finished with 2000. The surface was like a mirror. My neighbour was more than happy.
Hey Val. NICE!!! You have the key ingredient of a great woodworker. PATIENCE. Sanding is the key to a great finish!! Thanx for sharing. best . . . paul
I like sanding! And am looking forward to seeing the rest of video as really appreciate your intro regarding testing yourself and coming up with your expert conclusions. Also so I get it right the first time, will go to the other videos after. So, I am at 'let's get started', and will do just that, watch the rest of the tutorial, so I can fix the flaws I have after I listen :-) . Thankyou.
Thanks for the video, good info. I very much agree with you about the manufacturers not putting enough good info about the ideal application of the products. I bought my poly and hardener in a specialised paint shop and the cans were without any info about the application, but I did inform myself as much as I could when being there - but still did not get precise enough instructions on how to do it. It all also varies depending on many other factors like was the wood painted, what kind of wood, what kind of protection you want with the poly etc. Would you maybe have a recipe for an amateur (with some experience) that is fixing micro bubbles in polyurethane finish on el.guitar headstock which was painted with dark metallic paint? When letting the poly dry I noticed a drop of poly forming on the tip of the headstock, more precise on the edge of the tip, and I wanted to get rid of it in the most amateur way, by touching it and hoping it would behave "like water", silly me and ended with many micro bubbles forming on that wart-like formation of drying poly (the front and the back side of the headstock turned out fine). I know I can sand down the poly, but I am afraid to accidentally go trough the paint and get to the wood (it already happened twice and I spent quite some time fixing that). Now I was hoping that this would be the last poly layer before final sanding, buffing and polishing as this was the 5-6th layer of poly and I applied the poly quite thick, maybe too thick (using a brush) and then sanded like crazy. How can I tell when to stop sanding so as not to damage the paint under? It is so hard to judge that and even harder when it is on the edge as you can really go fast trough the finish ... as I have learned in the process. The other question would be on the topic of what to use to cover the "spot" when sanded, do I use just poly, do I ad hardener, to I ad thinner? Do I apply generously and then sand more or just a thin, more diluted layer and sand less? Thanks in advance!
Hey Gorman. Did you thin the polyurethane before application? How mant coats have you laid down? The tiny bubbles should sand out. I would do a light 220 sanding (minimal pressure). That should assure you don't cut through the polyurethane. The key to getting a good coat is to apply it in ultra thin layers. Thickness and the resulting durability is built up in multiple thin layers. I would consider using a wipe on polyurethane for you last coat and on your future guitar projects). I have a video on making and applying wipe on. For this you would use your current brand polyurethane just thinned to 50%. The wart like depression could be a problem. Hopefully it's not terrible and you can live with it because it typically means removal to bare wood to even it out. No easy fix, sorry. Hope this helps. Best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions thanks Paul, there are 5-6 thick layers of poly, did dilute it just 10% and there were always brush marks to sand down, and the occasional mistake :D I sanded the edge of the tip of the headstock with 600 and 800 and actually got rid of the wart (it was a drop/bugle, not a depression although a small depression did form along side the wart, but fixed that as well) without mishaps and later sanded the whole headstock with 1000 and 1500 in the end. There are still a few shiny spots, but they are almost invisible and I don't want to risk another mishap and sand down to the wood. I did a lot of beginner mistakes, but now I know a few things more. I had a bad mix, too thick, which looked good but it hardened to quickly. But I sanded between all poly layers and the headstock looks quite solid. There are some micro white dots where the wart was and some along the upper edge, but will go ahead with buffing and polishing to see what happens and if they will still be visible after the buffing then I will take your advice and go with 50% thinner. I have a 3:1 poly, do you think I should I also ad hardener? Thanks Oh and another thing, what do you think is the best way to buff and polish the poly? These are small surfaces.
I have been binge watching all of your videos because they are just the best help with finishes. I don't know if you will see this but I keep running into an issue. I have been following your bubble free application steps in every way. However I cannot get a single coat without a ton of super tiny bubbles. I can sand them smooth almost no effort. Yet no matter what I do, I cannot get the final coat bubble free. I have bought the best brush I can find, soaked in paint thinner, mixed poly 3oz to paint thinner 1oz. Lightly and gently applied with the brush and then feathered. It's seems that the feathering only adds bubbles. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for all your wonderful advice
Het Xentrees. Sounds like you're doing everything right. I do hear this but rarely. Hard to tell without being there. Maybe the initial lay down is too slow and the polyurethane is starting to set up by the time you get to feathering. Also feathering is just a brush drag without any pressure. Not sure where you are at but the weather may be a factor. I'm in the midwest and we've been in a drought so it's extremely dry and low humidity which will cause finishes to set up really fast. Just random thoughts. Sorry I can't be more definitive. best . . . paul
From most your videos, and my own experience this week, it really seems like water based poly is not worth the hassle. Oil has worked so much better, and the fumes are not nearly as bad as I thought they would be. The way it makes the wood pop, walnut in my case, is incredible.
Great video! Unfortunately I saw it after seeing other videos where people used rollers to apply the polyurethane. After 3 coats I knew I was in big trouble. I found your video on removing small bubbles and I will try sanding tomorrow before putting the final coats the right way. By the way, I use undiluted vinegar instead of mineral spirits ti clean my surface after sanding using a dust mop and it works well for large surfaces.
Hey Stephen. Hope that works and it's worth a try. The problem you may run into is the surface may have a "roller" type appearance. You know, the tiny bumps that a roller leaves behind with paint. If that's the case you may have to wait 3-4 weeks for the polyurethane to cure (dry all the way through) and then sand it off. Sanding deep before curing results in a gummy mess. As far as the vinegar, any liquid will attract dust but because of the alcohol in vinegar and petroleum in mineral spirits it dries quicker so makes for a less saturating wipe. Let me know how things go. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Hi Paul. Unfortunately I read your reply after I sanded a third of the room. I didn't have too much stick to the paper. Maybe keeping the ceiling fan on 24h and the window open with a fan blowing the air out made the Varathane dry faster. Tomorrow I will sand again.
@@paulsDIYsolutions So I finished the job and things worked out pretty well. I sanded out the bubbles and put down three more coats using the brushing technique you show in your video. I used a long handle on my brush so I could stand up while working. The finish is much smoother but to my surprise I can see brush marks. I was careful not to over brush. Maybe it was my brush or brush cleaning technique? I used a 100% polyester brush from Bennett and soaked my brushes in mineral spirits overnight in between coats.
@@stephencrockett7203 You're getting there Stephen. Can't tell from your previous comments if you were using water based or oil based polyurethane. Here's the deal on that though, if you were using an oil based polyurethane your brush should have been a natural bristle brush not polyester. If you were using a water based polyurethane you should have been soaking in water not mineral spirits. Oaky enough critique. Your finish is better and you're still within the parameters of the "finishing learning curve". Good job. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Hi Paul ot was oil based high gloss Varathane. I have more of the floor to varnish so I will look for a better brush. I saw some which are white china bristol... Are those any good?
This might be a silly comment, but I do nails and your videos on painting/finishing have a lot of parallels. The way the polyurethane gummed up when you sanded reminds me of gel that doesn't "cure" properly. Similar concept with the bubbles created in using gel on nails, you have to "burp" the brush to get the air out, use quality brushes, and apply it in thin coats. And not touching it and moving it around too much, just like a stain, or a paint, it totally screws things up!
Your videos are very well done an answer a lot of questions for me. Thank you for your help, starting over and and eliminating the problem hopefully. Thank you
Hey Danial. Glad to be of some help. You're not alone. Unfortunately it can't be applied like paint. The video was made because I kept getting the "Oops, what do I do now questions". I blame manufacturers for not properly educating. UA-cam to the rescue!! I use it all the time. best . . . paul
Ill have to try this. I just installed toung and groove pine walls and ceilings in my dining room and decided to use Polycrylic so I wouldnt darken the pine to much. I completely sanded the entire room first. And the walls have a few drips. I didn't want to have to completely sand it down again after already doing 3 coats. So im going to try to fix the drip spots than apply 2 more coats on. Walls are already hard do to gravity but this Polycrylic sucks compared oil based because its just so thin and runny compared to real poly. Thanks for video
Hey Staples F. The key to vertical application is apply with a really good brush thats almost dry. it takes a few extra coats but minimizes running. A good brush holds a lot of material, releases it evenly according to pressure applied and does't leak material. You are 100% when you talk about water based though. It has a place but not very often. best . . . paul
Thanx Joseph. I was getting a lot of "What do I do now?" type questions so I felt I had to experiment a little. Glad to be of some help. Happy Holidays. best . . . paul
Hi Paul, We were in the final stretch of refinishing an oak table top. We removed the finish and stain and had carefully sanded it down. It is oak with each quarter having the grains running from the corner into the center. We then put on a dark walnut stain and applied it a couple of times to get the deep rich color we wanted. We then did a final sanding carefully with the grain using a 220 grit. It was completely smooth. Then we wiped it down removing all dust. We then applied the polyurethane. But, it seems that as the polyurethane dried, it seemed to separate leaving lots of little openings all over the top! Once it dried completely, we sanded it with a 400 grit getting it as smooth as possible but the surface was not entirely even. Again, we applied another coat of the polyurethane and it is drying the same way again. have you ever heard of this happening?
Hey Cheryl. I have a friend who refinishes furniture for a living. He was describing something very similar and was n't sure what it was or why it happened. I will be seeing him in a few days so let me discuss it with him and get back to you. best . . . paul
Any input is welcome. At this point. I’m ready to strip it and sand it all over again 😢 so anything you find out is appreciated. We just can’t figure out why this happened.
Hello, I watched your video today. It was great information and a appreciate all your effort in your experiments. I have always struggled with bubbles in Minwax Polycrylic Finish. I was finishing a desk today and like always bubbles! After watching your video I got the idea to add 10% total volume of Denatured Alcohol. The bubbles would pop and fade out right away and the final finish was much nicer and smooth. Maybe this might help someone else. Thank you for your help.
Hey dd dd. Polycrylic is Minxax's marketing strategy for water based polyurethane. The problem with water based poly is the dry time. It sets up in 5 minutes or less and doesn't give the bubbles a chance to pop or brush marks time to level. I'm not a chemist but I'm pretty sure adding alcohol would speed up the dry time since alcohol evaporates faster than water. It might just accentuate the problem. Not sure? If you try let me know how it works out. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions hello Paul. You are correct the alcohol does shorten the dry time but it lowers the viscosity of the product so much that the brush strokes and bubbles go away even faster. I was able to put on 3 coats of the Poly in less than 3 hours and the finish looks great. The only few defects were dust particles that landed on the finish as it set. I was very happily surprised.
Hey dd. Thinning with water also reduces the viscosity, which is explained in my video "Bubble Free Polyurethane Application Technique". ua-cam.com/video/X_GWXcydu5k/v-deo.html best . . . paul
Hey bol8lod. You're welcome. Thanx for your positive feedback. Trust me, it saves me a lot of work by not having to answer all "oops, it didn't turn out so what do I do" questions as well. best . . . paul
Water based urethanes bubble much more for two reasons, A) the medium vs the water easily traps air because it is the right constitution (meaning PH, viscosity, density) to optimally hold surface tension that can hold air bubbles. B) Air contact plus moisture is what drives curing for these urethanes, and because there is a pocket of air the evaporation from the urethane itself help solidify the bubble from the inside faster than the outside, holding the bubble in place rather than it popping once it reaches the surface. So you not only get the tiny bubbles, but raised tiny bubbles across the surface, you might notice some that have popped, but still leave creators into the urethane. To avoid this, or take out the bubbles, brush the surface while still wet, until you have eliminated the most of the bubbles, or take a heat gun and glaze the top while still wet, which will pop the bubble quickly and then everything will smooth out. You must work extremely fast. Must be done practically immediately, so for bigger surfaces like a door or table top, I recommend brushing them out as it goes down. Something I do often when using oil based urethanes, is to mix 1/3 mineral spirits into the urethane, and use that as a sealer coat. It will penetrate far better, and dry really fast. I can then sand that coat the next day, and even though it is a "dull" luster coat, when I wipe a second coat on, it will stand and have a much more even sheen. This also helps me to get three coats on within three days. The fastest way to remove all of the urethane is to use a stripper in conjunction with a card scraper, (NEVER a pull scraper, like with the long handle and the replaceable blade/edge) with putty knives it is too easy to damage/gouge the top surface. A major difference between water based urethanes and oil based, is weird. I say that because of the time it take a water base urethane to go from "dry" to "fully cured" is actually longer than an oil based urethane. It can take two weeks before a water base urethane become fully hard enough to see sanding results that you can achieve with an oil based urethane within only a weeks time. So if you are ever in a situation where you know you will be polishing the final coats, it actually is faster to use the oil based.
Hey Chris. While I'm not sure of the actual chemistry thank you for that (1st paragraph), I agree 100% with everything you said and I'm happy to report that the steps are all outlined in detail in my videos. I have found that over 40 years of applying finish coating that if one does follow the steps a heat gun is a non-essential. Thank you for the explanation. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions I will have to watch them! Just like you, I have a lifetime of using these things... (35 years or more, depending on when you want to start the counter, I grew up watching my father do a lot of this stuff) and love seeing experienced people trying to help other avoid these pitfalls. So many of these problems I don't deal with, like you stated, avoiding the problems is easier than dealing with it... lol. I often don't see problems because of the habits I have formed from long ago. I subscribed and will be watching!
I have a good tip …. For the runs of water based poly get a rag with water and clean it off while it’s within a hour or two depending how fast drying water poly u got . No need for sanding
Hi Melissa. Glad that worked for you but I would not recommend it for a really fine finish. That procedure would have to leave some crater marks. best . . . paul
Thanks for your well described and documented video basically on puddles and bubbles. I’m using an straight oil based poly applied to a vertical surface with brush, runs are my major concern in an application like this, so my problem is brush marks and places where the poly didn’t cover the previous coat. I’m finishing a vertical four sided 9” square column/box 3’ long and I get excess buildup around the corners when I’m applying the finish to the sides. I chose to apply the finish vertically as I didn’t want to get runs down the sides if I use my normal horizontal application method. Just finished the second coat, and thinking of a good sanding and changing the application to a reduced oil poly using a wiping application. Do you think I can recover the surface by this method? Working on a vertical surface is a whole different critter, I do horizontal surfaces just fine. In the future not this time, I’m just about to the point where I’ll spray a vertical surface situation but need to research more about this application. Thanks
Hey HH. Sorry for the delay. I responded immediately but must not have hit the right reply button. The key on vertical applications is to apply in very, very thin coats and have a good brush. A good brush holds a lot of material, disperses it evenly and won't drip or run even if used upside down (for short periods). A good oil brush has about 70-80% stiff china bristles and 20-30% soft ox hair or badger bristles (stiffness for structure and softness for holding, evenness of flow and smoothness of finish). Hope that helps. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions I gave up on doing the vertical for the last coat. Laid it down and used a foam brushing extremely slow, it’s perfect just coat one side wait six hours then the next side. Just takes longer but no hurry. I saw many application methods but the slow foam brush method works the best for me. Thanks again.
@@paulsDIYsolutions So I sanded it back, diluted my water-based poly so it wasn't so viscous and gave it a good mix, then applied a very thin coat with a fully soaked brush (to avoid bubbles). This is easily the best looking coat I've put down and I've been through half a 250 mL pot of polyurethane. Thanks again!
SOOO many wood refinishing vids out there. I've discovered the hard way some helped, and others have messed me up. Glad I bumped into yours, Paul! After 7 coats of Minwax water-based "oil modified" poly, I still have brush marks using Purdy nylon brush and biggest issues are puddling where my brush strokes overlapped and areas that still look relatively dry. I didn't know about sanding sealer when I started, so I suspect the dry looking areas are from some more porous wood pieces on the butcher block kitchen table. I seem to have fixed some of those spots by smooshing extra poly into them on previous coats. Should I just do that again, sand out the overlap puddles to make them even with the rest of the surface, then apply another coat using your correct thinning and brushing method? Hoping that makes sense. Thanks in advance!
Hey J. How to correct and faulty finish is not up my alley, sorry. I would strip it and start over. There are a few possibilities as to "why" the finish is faulty. The three main reasons are the poly was put down too thick, the poly wasn't thinned properly and a bad brush. Let's start with the brush. A good brush holds a lot of material, releases it slowly and evenly (even in vertical applications), won't drip, leave puddles or run. Finally polyurethane should be thinned 3:1 and applioed in very thin coats. I cover all this in my video "How To Apply Polyurethane Without Bubbles, Puddles, Runs or Brush Marks | Updated" (link below). Sorry, but it's really difficult to try to correct a faulty finish. best . . . paul
Thanks for the quick reply, Paul!! Starting over crossed my mind, but thankfully, the problems are minor enough as to only be noticeable to us. I suspect the biggest problems are that a few of the wood pieces are quite porous, and I did not know to use sanding sealer on them; and the coats are too thick since I did not know to dilute the poly early on. Even after asking Minwax, they told me to not dilute more than 10%. If I decide to go for one more fix, I will do the smashing and sanding I mentioned, then dilute 3:1 and use your brushing techniques. I will also go to Sherwin-Williams instead of Home Depot to make sure I get good advice on a good brush for this. Thanks again, Paul!
@@paulsDIYsolutions Any specific brush recommendations? I've been using this Wooster nylon "wall & trim" one on the previous coats, but it doesn't seem to hold a lot of poly. Maybe that's cuz I'm only diluting 10% as Minwax said. www.homedepot.com/p/Wooster-3-in-Pro-Nylon-Flat-Brush-0H21280030/203433140
I have a very unexpected result. I am refinishing a softer hardwood, elm, I expect. Everything went well..... other than ridges following the grain when sanding. I sanded to bare wood, used a prestain. It took lots. Applied a single coat of stain and had to do some light sanding and thin recoat of the entire surface. Some dust in the stain. Lots of drytime every time. I'm in eastern Canada, in winter. My garage does have heat, on the cold end and very dry air. The fast drying minwax poly went on fine. (all cans are new). I did a light sanding by hand with a 320. I did not have as much poly left for the second coat as I thought. I sprinkled it evenly over the table to make sure everything would get some. I used a clean foam brush. Wherever the drops landed, white dots developed exactly where the poly was. lots of rubbing etc did not help. Not fully sure what to do next...... I assume since the can was almost empty, there was more solvent in the bottom of the can, and this disolved through the stain. Any thoughts on if this is recoverable, or if I need to go nutts and sand it all down again..... I certainly hope not. Or, use a solvent to take it down. My current plan is to sand it with 220 or 320 and level it. Then try reapplying poly. thoughts?
Hey Eastcoast. Sorry I can't be of a help. There's way too many mistakes. I would do a start over but this time watch my how-to videos before you start. Here are a few: How to remove paint from wood | Beginner Guide | Part 1 How to stain wood | Beginners Guide | Furniture Refinishing How To Apply Polyurethane Without Bubbles, Puddles, Runs or Brush Marks | Updated best . . . paul
I did end up doing it over..... just on the top. hoping the bottom will not be affected.... sanded and stripped all the way down to bare wood. Well on the way to being done. fingers crossed.@@paulsDIYsolutions
It turned out very well. It's a large dining room table. I do need to find other legs, the ones I Amazoned are dull. I did have some issues with the final urethane having 4 or 5 dribbles overnight, but fixable.@@paulsDIYsolutions
Hello. I just started watching your videos and am learning a lot about finishing my projects! I have a question on applying poly to a dining room table that has multiple wood grains going in different directions. I successfully removed the old varnish, applied stain, but now am struggling with applying the poly due to the various directions of the wood grains. Any tips you could provide would be appreciated! Thank you!
Hey Paul! Thanks so much for these videos. I'm about to do my first staining and finishing job and these have been super helpful! I noticed the Illinois license plate. I am also from Illinois. Since you have been such a help to me, I figured that I'd offer my services and offer to help you with filming/editing if you have any desire. If not, no worries!
@@paulsDIYsolutions I wasn't asking you to pay me :) If we are close enough, I would help for free. If you have an email that you don't mind making public, I will send you an email. I wish there were a way to message on here.
I'm finishing a walnut butcher block table top, and just three of the dozens of blocks of the table have bubbles. Each affected blocks has the same color and grain, so it looks like they came from the same stock. A few question or 2 about fixing this: since only some areas are affected, could I sand, perhaps by hand, just the affected blocks? I had used a quick drying oil-based finish. Should I thin this as you suggest, or go to a non-quick drying oil based finish? Your video is fantastic - really appreciate the time and thought you have put into it!
Hey Don. Thanx. If the bubbles are small (pinhead sized) you can sand them out. Larger will leave poc marks. As you found out "fast dry" sets up too quick and doesn't give the urethane time to level and correct itself. I would switch to a slower drying product, thin 3:1 and lay it down thin. In my application video I recommended applying the final coat full strength. Because of ever cahnging EPA guidelines urethanes are more like paste so I now suggest all coats are thinned 3:1. best . . . paul
Thank you for your video! My husband is making me a farmhouse table from actual old farmhouse planks. They're rough and rugged and have a lot of "character" flaws. He sanded it a bit in the beginning, stained it, used some wood putty (wrong color) to fill in some gaps, and I'm not sure what he did next, but he started lacquering it. I'm not sure if he used water-based or oil. He's got some pretty good, deep puddles in spots. My question is, how do we fix this? Looks like we have to strip it and pretty much start all over? But how do we get an even surface suitable for dining after we do all that? What's the best way? Sanding and wood putty won't probably cut it for some parts. I feel like we will have to "rebuild" missing wood pieces. Is that possible? And what's the best way to do that? There's some significant chips and holes in spots. Since this is a dining table surface, I want it to be relatively even. It doesn't have to be perfect, but just easy to clean. What do you recommend? I also saw another video recommending to mix oil based polyu and mineral spirits 50/50 and apply several coats. How many coats do you think for a satin finish? Thanks so much!
Hey Bianca. A lot of questions that are hard to answer without seeing the piece. Polyurethane is NOT a filler. It will not level the surface. You could use an epoxy pour to level it but that will be far from a satin finish. My wife's aesthetic is eclectic and we have a farm harvest table that is far from perfect (nicks, gouges, scratches,etc) but it is level. Sounds like a job for a stripper and then some 60 grit sandpaper on a belt sander. Not sure why there are gaps but more than likely he didn't run it through an edge joiner before assembling. All these things are part of the learning curve so kudos to your husband. We've all been there. best . . . paul
Hey David. I learned an awful lot as well by doing the video. I was getting a lot of questions on how to fix mistakes and I was actually giving what turned out to be questionable advice. The good news is if it's addressed before it cures its pretty easy to strip off. Glad it helped. best . . . paul
You mentioned that manufacturer don't provide adequate instructions and that it's probably because it won't fit on the can. True. The evil lawyers in their never ending suit/counter-suit practice have ruined it for all of us. Nuff o that rant.... Great video!
Hi Paul 4/4/2024 So many thanks for all the advice. I am 3 or 4 coats that look great on three sides and am on 4th side and have minor overflow with a couple pooled bubbles on edges and mini bubbles in two small areas. Will the first coat cover/minimize noticeability or should I sand down a bit of clear coat errors or all the way through stain and reapply. I will submit pictures if possible
Thank you so much for this! I used chalk paint on an old cheap table and applied urethane with a fine foam roller that was recommended in another video. He said to trust the the bubbles ( which were legion) would disappear. This was oil-based. I got nervous when the showed no sign of changing after maybe 15 minutes and went over it all with a brush. Bubbles are gone but there are light spots where they were. Any ideas? I love your manner and knowledge - thanks again!
Hey Diane. Here's where the smaller than the head of a pin comes into play. Polyurethane is not a filler (it won't cover up voids) but it will if they are small enough. If they are small you can do a light snad with a 180 grit sandpaper and apply another coat thinned 3:1. They should disappear. If they are larger you are probably in the accept it as a learning experience or in a start-over mode. best . . . paul
Good day, Thank you for this detailed video. I have a problem when using varnish, where I used furniture wax or water based, both dry so quickly making lumps!!! Note: I varnish painted wood. Thank you in advance for your reply and time. Regards
Hey Maha. You're welcome. Thanx for your input. Most of today's furniture wax and polishes contain silicone. Silicone is virtually impossible to remove. It creates havoc with all finishes. best . . . paul
You mentioned that you don't dilute the polyurithane for the last coat, I saw how do you apply the 2 first coats which are with the polyurithane diluted. My question is how do you apply the last coat without leaving any marks of the brush.
Hi Nancy. Have you put down any coats yet? There should be no brush marks in any layer. I recommend in my technique "Laying it on Thin". That translates into very, very thin applications of thinned top coats. The thinner the coating the less chance for brush marks, puddles, runs and bubbles. Make sense? Let me know. best . . . paul
Can we just take a moment to applaud this guy for going so above and beyond go help us? Also I messed up my poly coat and I have some new tips to fix it. Thanks!
Thanx for the applause MP. Happy to be of some help. best . . . paul
100%
Whats the tip do tell 🤔
For real though.
It's rare to see someone put this much effort in helping others. Thank you so much. I really learned a lot!
Thanx Mr Trewill. It actually saves me time (and I learned a lot by doing it). I was getting soooooo many questions on how to fix mistakes on my how to apply videos that it made sense. Happy New Year. best . . . paul
*5 stars on fast drying water based poly * you are so right , I repeatedly got brush marks ,having to work so fast .on a 20 x 30 redwood burl coffee table )I finally sanded it all off to bare wood , then with fingers crossed tried it again, that failed as well . I then sanded the polly * near off *it has this raw wood look to it with the poly being sanded with 600 t5hen 1000 grit .I'm debating to leave it that way , although thinking back on how much beauty was revealed to me while coating it with the water based poly , its hard to give up on the project . You are the one in a million guys on UA-cam telling it like a seasoned pro (which I'm convinced you are , and humble at that as well), I'm inspired again , Im going watch your other vid's . I have a feeling they will give me the encouragement to carry on - Thank you so much , the table was given to me by my best friend who is no longer with us . sincerely- billy
Sometimes I can't believe how fortunate I am to be living at a time like this where so much really good information is available just by typing a few words into a keyboard. I am especially thankful for good souls like Paul that take the time to share their knowledge with others. Just want to say thanks, and that it is appreciated!
Hey WM. Well said, my friend. I couldn't agree more!! I know a little about woodworking but nothing about cars, plumbing, electric, baking bread, etc, etc, etc, etc. UA-cam is my GO-TO. Thank you for your feedback. best . . . paul
We are a blessed generation. My brother in law calls youtube, UA-cam University. I agree that it is so wonderful having people like Paul and others that don't mind sharing their expertise with the world.
@@hshawn00 I agree See Me Fly, as a very serious DIYer I use UA-cam ALL THE TIME!! While I've saved thousands of dollars there's a personal gratification that comes with knowing that with a little guidance one can do almost anything!! best . . . paul
IKR? We live in the 21st century and walk around with access to most of human knowledge, literally, in our pockets. Including most of the true stuff!
Hi there @@paulsDIYsolutions - you nailed it from the beginning with "you're probably here because..." Hmmmm yes indeed, I do wish I'd found you before I used poly straight out of the can. It's just a small project so I reckon I can fix it now I've fine sanded it - with the help of your videos of course. But I did want to say that sometimes I do buy the idea that we're doomed because youngsters all have their noses buried in screens these days & nobody teaches them how to use tools etc. Yet having watched a few of your videos now, I agree with this comment that we are actually blessed. Maybe not so many kids have a grandpa close by with a garage like yours anymore, but now literally thousands of us have access to you instead! And you are going to be not just one family's but in fact the whole internet's favourite Grandpa "forevermore" thanks to UA-cam. 😅 Many heartfelt thanks for taking the time to help us out with your knowledge & best wishes from New Zealand.
Paul, you spent an incredible amount of time putting this together. All for nothing in return. Thank you so much.
Hey Eric. Thanx. I do make a little on the ads. Enough to keep me in my Makers Mark!! Any way I've gotten soooo much from other UA-cam content. Right now I'm doing a complete brake job on my Ram pickup. I'm not a mechanic but I just follow the vids and BAM!! I'm a mechanic. Love UA-cam!! best . . . paul
Thank you for creating and sharing this video Paul! I learned a lot. You're a good teacher with so much patience and wisdom.
Hi Maribelle. Thank you for the kind words. The patience part makes me a good woodworker. The wisdom part is questionable. best . . . paul
I've just started my passion for woodworking about 2 years ago I talked about it so much for about 5 years saying " I could build that, or I want that pallet flag on my shed" I finally started doing it.
Hi Jimmy. Sorry I responded but it looks like it never went through. Anyway I'm excited for you. Woodworking is a great hobby. It's challenging, engaging and fulfilling all at the same time. Welcome to the club, buddy!! best . . . paul
Great video! I just completed my first project, a dining room table top I bought in 1985 that was rough from 3 kids and years of wear & tear. I was very pleased until the polyurethane coat, it was streaky and uneven. I used one of those foam brushes. Now that I know the proper technique, I'm excited to get er done! Thanks!
Happy to be of some help Leann. I'm here if you have questions. Thanx for your feedback. best . . . paul
I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you for taking the time to pass your wisdom to younger generations. We are slowly losing the how to and senior secrets, as I call them, because of the new generations taking easy way out (paying someone else to do it.) I wish there was someone like you teaching stuff like canning and sewing or what not. The knowledge of these things are dieing with the older generation and it's sad. So thank you again for your time and effort. (Sorry for long post)
You must hunt and salt your meat for preservation. Or grow all your food, or built your own house from scratch. Point is yes its great to have this ageless knowledge but times change and so do methods of doing things. I'm sick of older people looking down on the new generations because they advanced. I'd rather play a person who made their whole business around a task then to do it myself and risk messing it up.
Relax. She was just saying that she thanked him and some of younger generation needs to learn from the older generation. She said nothing about new ways suck. She didnt say not to learn new ways. Take a break!! Damn
@@whatdidyouzay5688 In the future or not so future there may not be an opportunity for you to rely on somebody who can supply all your needs with money...just sayin
Check out School of Traditional Skills for the old-timey kitchen and homemaking skills
The world of finishes seems so daunting to me. Probably why I've avoided delving into it for decades. But recently I've turned my hand to finer pieces using nicer woods, and it is such a crying shame when the finish is less (1 out of ten is also less) than perfect.
Excellent information. Glad you turned up in my search. I look forward to applying your techniques, especially doing it right the first time.
Thank you and Merry Christmas
Hey Guy. If only the manufacturers of these finishes would spend some time educating!! Anyway it's pretty easy once someone gives you a little basic info. The key is "Lay It On Thin". Thickness is built in layers not globs. Let me know how it works out. Merry Christmas to you as well. best . . . paul
Thank You for dumbing yourself down in order to find the answers to these questions.
Hey Chooper. The truth is I was educating myself with that video. Turns out I was giving a lot of untested and often bad advice before I started experimenting. But thanx for thinking I could get dumber (I think that came out right). LOL best . . . paul
Your videos are the perfect example of why I love UA-cam. Sharing the expert knowledge!
Thanx Hannah. I couldn't agree more!! As a flawed DIYer I learned a lot from others with area specific knowledge. Incredible!! Thanx for your feedback. best . . . paul
To prevent small bubbles. You can also heat the surface before painting. I have also used a heat gun after applying poly coats. Just passing over it a few times, not really heating the surface. You can see the bubbles disappear.
Hey RcH. Thanx for your feedback. Someone just the other day recommended using a torch to pop bubbles. Here's the problems that I have with all methods of heating polyurethane. First with an open flame it's a potential fire hazard. Polyurethane has a low flashpoint of 105 degrees. So I would stay away from a torch. Blow dryers or heat guns move air which pushes dust onto the surface and secondly it can actually create waves in the finish if brought too close. I made this video cause people would routinely ask what to do after application errors.
To me the best strategy with all finishes is to avoid imperfections by proper application. My video "Bubble-Free Polyurethane Application Technique" has over 1,000,000 views with a 95% approval rating. It works!!
ua-cam.com/video/X_GWXcydu5k/v-deo.html
best . . . paul
Tried the heat gun and it worked kinda. Made it better but still have bubbles
I really appreciate the quality control of your experiment! I screwed up a 2nd coat of oil poly by not mixing the satin enough, and doing it in the sun...big no no! Dried too fast. Too thick. So I sanded down the gloppy areas by hand with 400, 600, and 1000. Cleaned duat with light mineral spirits. Then I made a 50/50 mix with mineral spirits and wiped on...very carefully. Two coats in, and it looks great! Not perfect, but I think the Sapele will glow through nicely. Thank you!!
Hey Maceo. Glad to haer it came out okay. Finishing is an art and once you learn the basics the rest is practice. Soon it's second nature. You are on your way. Congrats!! Thanx for watching and your feedback (always appreciate hearing results). best . . . paul
So underrated! You put in a lot of time and effort into this and I very much appreciate it! Keep up the great work
Thanks Richard. Appreciate your positive feedback. best . . . paul
I’m refinishing 3 oak tables, two end tables and a coffee table. The end tables turned out beautifully, no problem. The coffee table had dips in the finish so I started again just on the top of the table, the rest was fine.
I thought perhaps I had put the finish on too thickly.
I used a good quality stripper, cleaned off all of the finish, then I sanded it down to the bare wood again, making sure to use a damp rag to get rid of any debris. I re-stained it and my first coat of “finish”, I applied sparingly, and I’ve got exactly the same problem with the dips, only worse.
These are dents, not bubbles. It almost makes me think that it’s getting sucked into the wood. I do not want to start from scratch again, but I don’t know how to solve this problem. My plan at this point is to sand it lightly and see if I can eradicate those dips.
Any idea what’s going wrong?
UPDATE: Saw another video where you thinned the final finish 3 parts finish to one part thinner. Just waiting for it to dry now. Cross your fingers.
Hi Milly. Hope that works. I have to ask: What do you mean by dips?
Great video!!! I've been around wood working all 55 years of my life.... My grandfather built all his own wood furniture, my dad did a lot of the same. I however, only recently started to get into woodworking. I have a table right now, that has a veneer surface, and the finish was satin. It was getting to be dull in spots, satin in other spots, paper plates with anything hot on them was leaving paper film behind when you lifted it off the table.... I decided to refinish it. I was familiar with sanding veneer, and the hazards of sanding it too much... I'm happy to say, I managed to sand all the finish off keeping the wood grain intact. and successfully stained the veneer. Yay me!! lol BUT, refinishing it with polyurethane isn't going exactly right. I made a mistake and used water based for the first 2 coats. Can I just sand it lightly so that all the trapped bubbles are gone, but not any of the veneer or stain, and switch to oil based at this point? What will that do? Or should I just sand it down to the veneer again, hopefully keeping the grain intact...again, and start over with oil based?
Hey CR. Welcome to the club. The old saying oil and water don't mix is true in liquid state but doesn't hold true for most of today's quality finishes after they have cured. Oil (or water) are just the carrying agents to keep the resins in liquid form until they dry completely (cure). Curing can take 2-3 weeks depending on temperature and humidity. If you've watched my video you should have learned that sanding is an option for small bubbles but not the larger ones. This has to be your judgement call. Good luck. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions I watched it yesterday :-) I only have small bubbles ... but I just have a lot of em. Hahaha. I will try to sand them out, but wow... I will have to wait at least 2 to 3 weeks before continuing with the oil based poly. Oh well... I need to clean the garage, so I guess this is as good a time as any. Thanks for responding!!!
@@crtrue6432 I would wait. Mainly because I would be concerned about the water evaporating under a coat of oil. Never tried it so not sure if or what would be consequences. Anyway it's always nice to have a clean dust free garage.
Thank you so much! My boyfriend and I sanded off our poly attempts 6 times then we watched your video and viola! It is PERFECT after watching your video!
Hey Laura. Glad to hear. Happy to be part of your success!! best . . . paul
This video helped me top coat a dinning room table that is on its third generation. Thanks for making the video Paul.
Hey Joel. That's when furniture was still made by individual craftsmen. Well worth the restoration effort. best . . . paul
Just clicked off a vid where the guy watched some vids and looked at a pamphlet and now wants to instruct people...
GLAD this man is doing this!
Thanx Billy. best . . . paul
Thank you! You just saved my project!
Happy to be of some help FAA. PS love your youtube handle Fight Against Abuse.
Thank you so much for the videos, I'm brand new to furniture refinishing and you have helped me tremendously!!
Hey Cindy. Glad to be of some help and welcome to the woodworking club!!! I'm here if you have other concerns or questions. best . . . paul
So sorry, it auto-corrected to “Shamed”...it was typed in, to say “Shaken”, instead of being gently stirred!
Very helpful video for beginners like me. I am in the middle of a project and your solutions for bubles and proper stain way to work , will save me time and money. Thank You.
Hey Julio. It'll also save you some aggravation (my personal DIY peeve). I've used UA-cam hundreds of times before starting projects!! Glad to be sharing the few things I know. Thanx for your feedback. best . . . paul
6:34 is when the treatment for bubbles starts
Hey Jay. Actually the treatment of bubbles start when you open the polyurethane can. best . . . paul
Thanks. I wish UA-camrs just got on with the video.
Omg thank you 😂😂😂
Hi Paul, just watched this video as well as the one on how to properly apply poly. My husband just applied two coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat (Satin, water based) to a vintage dining room table that he had previously stained with an oil-based stain (we allowed it to dry 4-7 days). He is very discouraged by the brush marks in the poly...thus my search for a solution...and I found your videos. He tried sanding down the poly layer on one leaf using our orbital sander and 220 grit (there are three leaves and this one is the "test" leaf), but the sander removed the stain, and he doesn't want to have to sand/strip and restain to remove the brush marks. Also, the veneer is sanded as far as it can go (it's an oak parquet table and had a lot of scratches), so completely resanding at this point is quite risky. So we have to figure out how to remove the brush marks without a full sand. He is very reluctant to fully strip the table top again as well. I tried hand sanding the second leaf and it seems to reasonably flatten most of the brush marks without removing stain (not looking for perfection at this point). We are debating how to proceed. One option is to use an extender or add water to the finish and put on a third coat using your technique but laying it down thick enough to "fill" any remaining ridges from the brush marks; then possibly a fourth coat. We also are considering spraying it with a fine mister as soon as it's applied to help it level. Another option is to switch to oil-based poly that has a longer working time and hope that it fills in any ridges that we can't sand off by hand. Any thoughts on this challenge? What direction would you go? Stick with the water-based? Or switch to oil? Also, what brand is your nice finish brush and where can I find one like that?
Hey Wilbur. The problem is polyurethgane is NOT a filler or leveler. It will NOT fill or hide the brush marks of a previos coat. Sorry to say I would strip of the old finish, restain and reapply. That said, you could experiment and use a clear wood filler like Aqua Coat. I'm not sure that would work as I have never tried it but if it did it would be easier than my suggestion. best . . . paul
Thanks for the reply. Really appreciate your videos and help!
@@paulsDIYsolutions
Paul, I would really appreciate your help in locating a source for the Ox hair/China bristle brush that you use in your demo video and the manufacturer. I just completed a project that I wished that I have been able to put your technique to use. Your video was awesome in the way you explained what you were doing and how and why you did it. Great video. I am very anxious to give it a try. John
Hey John. First off thank you for your positive feedback. Always nice to hear from viewers. Check out Gordon Brush Co
www.gordonbrush.com/brushes/paint-brushes?
The company I used went out of business this past summer, they would send me samples so I could choose to endorse them. I have yet to try Gordon's brushes so I cant personally recommend them but they seem to have a nice selection. Check out Badger, Matey and Onyx brushes. If you do try them please let me know so I can pass along a recommendation to others who ask. best . . . paul
John D Oswalt it’s not the brush bud. It’s the product.
Sorry Ouimetco, I don't agree, the right brush is an important part of a good finish. It holds a generous amount of product, it disburses it evenly and it helps avoid brush marks.
Thank you so much for these! My son was spelling on his model car on my kitchen table when I wasn't home and spilled paint thinner all over it. Followed some bad popular advice and was about to literally throw away my table, especially as it's veneers which adds another layer of difficulty. Then I gave it one final search in desperation found your videos and I'm heading to the hardware store now for some stripper, mineral spirits, a better brush, & a proper sandpaper grit. I hope to return soon with a tale of success! Wish me luck!
Good luck Sarah. Strippers are a little ore difficult since the EPA banned methyl chloride but you can do this. best . . . paul
What's the update?
Manufacturers don't write precise instructions so WE FAIL AND POSSIBLY BUY MORE of their product/s.
Hey Luca. Yeah, doesn't make sense, right? I know they can't thin the product to where it becomes acceptable to work with because of VOC emission laws but you'd think they could mention things like that with some sort of disclaimer. Oh, well. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Hey Paul. Unfortunately, it makes s(p)ense. They want our money. But, lucky us, there are people like you who share their precious experience wirh us
We gotta stick together on this Luca!!
Enjoy and learn alot from all of your hard work in producing these vital videos. Thank you
Thanx Herb. Glad to be of some help. Thanx for watching and feedback. best . . . paul
Good work, Paul. Thanks mate.
You are welcome Jared. Glad to be of some help. best . . . paul
paulsDIYsolutions Paul do you have a email where i can send you a picture? I don't know where to start with a oil spill on my table. Im devastated. Please help!!!
paulsdiysolutions@gmail.com
Thanks, Paul for the excellent video on how to correct my mistakes. I followed your advice and found that my results were amazing, considering the original result. Keep sharing your knowledge so the rest of us can survive!
Hey Kerry. Glad to be of some help. Thanx for watching and commenting. best . . . paul
Call me a sick SOB but I love sanding.
SOB!!
i have some work for you then. lol
Can't thank you enough for this video! You helped me save a table that was passed on to me by my father that he bought at my age. I almost ruined it!
You're welcome Jax. Special table deserves special care. Your dad would be proud. best . . . paul
Are you Wolf Blitzer's brother?
Hey Old Timer. It was hard growing up with him, mom always liked Wolf better!! best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Lol... I use to watch news in the days realized I wasnt getting anything out of it but a bunch of politics so I just come out here on the tube & learn some things👍👍
Hi, thank you for helping me deal with/prevent bubbles! The thinned polyurethane 3:1, and feathering after application is an absolute game changer!
Hey Dabst. Yeah right! Why don't they put that info on the can?? Everybody applies it like paint (in fact there are videos demonstrating painting it on!!). Glad to be of little help. Thanx for the feedback and watching Danst.
Anytime, do four thinned oil based polyurethane coats equal four regular coats? I have a applied four 3:1 oil polyurethane (high gloss)/mineral spirits and have a pretty good shine. It is a red oak transition strip so i am trying to maintain high gloss to match the red oak high gloss floor.I do have some small dust nibs in the 4th coat. How do I get those out without losing the luster? Super fine 3m rubbing pad? Rub with brown paper bag? Thanks!
@@danst9640 Brown paper bag!
You the man! Thank you
Just what I needed. Thank you! Now off to the video about how to avoid the problems to begin with.
Hey Jon. Sounds like you think like me. LOL. What problems can I run into before I start!! I always read the negative reviews first. Thanx for the feedback. best . . . paul
You are my best teacher ever,you always help me
Thank you Noella hope to be helping you for many years!!
You saved my stair project. Oak stained with espresso, 3x floor stain Minwax. Small bubbles, thanks for solution!
Hey RX. Glad to be of some help. Thanx for the feedback. best . . . paul
So much info already in the first 5 min. Thank you for the dedication that has solved my finishing problem. 🙌🏻
Hey Scav. Glad to be of some help. Thanx for the feedback. best . . . paul
Hey Paul, I wanna thank you for taking the time to help people like myself with poly. Issues. I recently built a table. In a herringbone pattern. So naturally the grains are going two different directions. And yes, I have streaks and puddle issues. My daughter found your video, since this is a project her and I are doing. I’m gonna watch your other video on how to poly. Next. We started doing the 3-1 mix. And for what was hopefully going to be the last coat. I got a little over zealous. And well let’s just say, here we are.
Hey Adam. Yeah sorry to hear that. Ur not alone the fixing video gets an average of 7000 hits per month. FYI I just released a more detailed poly application video called "The Ultimate Guide to Bubble Free Polyurethane Application". It's long but much more detailed and thorough than the original poly video. I talk a lot about crossing grain direction. Check it out. Let me know if you have questions. best . . . paul
Wow, thank you for replying so quickly.
Do you have an email address where I can reach at?
Hey Adam. Best to chat right here. Questions help everyone who might need similar advice. . . paul
Love ur channel Paul ! I just left my table top hanging for a year due to imprefection mentioned in the video seems like its time to get back to it.
Hey Rao. Been there, Done that!! You got this. Keep me in the posted on your progression. best . . . paul
Great informative video... As
Sandpaper’s are “measured” by the numbers...So,on floors, the
broad consensus, that is recommend, seems to start with 36grit, and then, progress to 60, 80, 100,, and ending on 120grit... I see that you recommend going one step further, and end using 180-200grit...I can agree, that that procedure, can be a “best practice”...That’s a great model for our prep work, however, can most bubbles, runs, puddles, etc., truly be attributed to how the finish mediums are applied...or perhaps the cans, or plastic gallon jugs, are being shamed, instead of being gently “stirred”?... puddles, runs, have to be mainly caused by the person, that is the applicator, isn’t paying close attention, or isn’t using the feathering techniques?!? Thank you for all of your time, and expertise in making such an informative video, to help us DIY guys, and even Pro’s that need help!!!..
“A Home Run!”
Hey Kennth. Thanx for you input. Floors are a different animal. I always direct people who ask questions about floor procedures to check directly with "floor pros". Other than stair treads my work has always been on cabinetry and furniture. I would agree with virtually all your comments. best . . . paul
Hey man wanted to thank you for your time and knowledge. With how busy our world is today I believe everyone needs guidance to slow down and follow directions. I really wanted to point out that there are a couple key components to a bubble free finish that you mentioned on this video but not on the "bubble free" video. First off was how much you need to re-dip your brush. It was quite obvious once I watched this video however maybe add a caption in the video that says, "dip once in 3-1 mix for smaller surfaces, and everytime for larger." I ran into an issue where when I dipped every time on a smaller surface it introduced minute runs due to overlap. The second was the feather process. In the "bubble free" video you feather every stroke without wiping the excess after each pass. However, in this video you wiped after each brush stroke removing excess urethane and in return avoiding runs. I am in no way critiquing your knowledge, I just wish to improve to viewers understand. Again I thank you for you time to make this video. I certainly walked away with more knowledge than I had prior!
Hey Josh. Good points. UA-cam removed all post production text annotations last January so I can't add any anymore. The Fixing video was done before posting to UA-cam. I am going back and redoing all older videos cause I really like the extra notations on the videos. Another major key is a good brush. Cheap brushes don't control the flow rate and you are right on smaller surfaces I tend to try to remove excess poly before feathering. Thanx for the feedback. best . . . paul
Wow you really watched these videos. I need to really slow myself down and watch again. Haste really does make waste.
New subscriber! Just enjoyed watching 3 of your videos, then realized I had not subscribed yet. Great information! Given enough time I will probably watch all of them. Thanks for sharing your knowledge which is vast, given the amount of time you have spent doing woodworking.
Hey John. You're welcome. Glad to be a part of your journey. Thanx for watching and subscribing. best . . . paul
I have used a fine steel wool to smooth out drips and bubbles on oil based polyurethane. Then I add another thin coat over the smoothed out surface. It works very well and there is no need to remove all of the Polyurethane.
Hey Jann. Yep. It depends on the size of the flaws. best . . . paul
Big hi from way down under. Been using polyurethane on my wood turning projects with a lot of success. I love the deep gloss shine. Tried my 1st Rimu side table today. Easy peazy eh…. No, nup, nope. Not in a million years lol. Looks like I’ve sanded too smooth, rolled then brushed, applied too thick? Manufacturer states thin 15% max. Too hot 31c. Got disheartened but now I’ve come across what you have shown here, I’m eager to get out and give it another crack tomorrow. Cheerz so much for the guidance. Gregg NZ.
Hey Gregg. Cold up here! I gave up on manufacturer recommendations years ago. Up here they thickened it terrib ly to comply with EPA VOC guidelines. It's like molasses. How can anyone be expected to get a nice smooth finish that doesn't resemble plastic? I think you'll be happy with the results. Are you using oil based polyurethaner? best . . . paul
You rock man! I am building amps and poly was clumping up. So thank you!
Hey LHR. Thanx. The key is thinning each and every coat and applying it in ultra thin layers!! best . . . paul
Great information Paul! Thanks for all the time you have spent on this. Really helpful for me.
Hey Bear. ou're welcome. Thanx for watching and commenting. best . . . paul
I was having problems with my dining room table. bubbles and streaks. I now see what I've been doing wrong! #1 shook the polyurethane can to mix it, #2 brushed too hard and went back and forth #3 never mixed it with mineral spirits. will try my last coat your way and hope all my problems disappear! thanks.
Hey Ron. Make sure you do a light sanding with a 180 or 220 grit before re-coating. Don't sand the final coat. best . . . paul
paulsDIYsolutions hi Paul. Regarding similar issue with brush stokes. I never thinned my polyurethane so have brush stokes. Will putting a thinned coat blend them in. How can I remove the brush strokes. Thank you in advance.
@@fzintzun Hey fzintzun. No, polturethane is not a filler and won't hide defects. You could strip them out or very aggressive sanding but It's probably best to just live with them at this point. best . . . paul
Thank you! First timer and thought I had to start all over.
You're welcome jacmitchell. Hopefully you can rework it a little without going to the extreme. Let me know if you need any additional guidance. best . . . paul
After watching these videos on sanding etc, I'm very afraid to put a second coat on my counter tops. Everything turned out really nice. My finish does feel a bit like sandpaper in spots. you can feel the grit, but i don't see bubbles. Maybe I don't know what I'm looking at or there isn't enough light in the room but other than grit, my finish looks great. I used a foam brush. I didn't know what i was doing i did it as if i were painting. I only looked at these videos to see if i needed to put a second coat on my counter tops. This is going to be a rental property and I just wanted to protect my cabinets from oil, grease, and splashes.
I'm trapped between 1) Leaving it alone 2) Making it more smooth 3) Applying a second coat to "better" protect it. (I don't want to mess this up!!!)
When i look a little closer, i see i missed a few spots on some of my cabinet doors--near the creases. Do i really need to add a second coat to protect my counter top and cabinets? Will one coat do? I mean I had these cabinets for 10 years with no coat at all. I liked them without the coat. The coat just makes them shine and look new. But i don't want a year to pass and they look horrible because i only put one coat and you can then see the wear.
Hey K. The second coat option is up to you. I find it hard to believe that there was no finish on them for ten years? Must have been something to protect them? Raw wood would be covered in stains from spills and wipes, etc. The grit you are feeling is probably dust nibs. Happens on most finishes in an open environment. Dust is in the air as we speak. Those can be removed by using the paper from a brown grocery bag in place of sandpaper. The paper is rough enough to knock down the nibs and fine enough so as not to dull the sheen. The dry spots may have been misses or more commonly they occur with the first coat in areas where the polyurethane is being sucked in. Since you applied the polyurethane full strength (unthinned) one coat may be enough for the cabinet faces but I recommend at least two coats on the counters where use is heavy. If you decide to go that route (second coat) do a light sand with a 220 grit, thin the polyurethane 3 parts poly to 1 part mineral spirits and apply this time with a good brush and following my Bubble Free Polyurethane Application Technique video. I'm here if you have additional questions or concerns. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Thanks very much. 3 questions about the second coat: 1) Do I need a sander or can I use my hand? 2) What am I trying to achieve by sanding? Is it to remove bubbles and bumps? Is it just something I need to do? In that case it appears I need to sand every corner not just rough spots 3) Do I need to thin the coat? ( I have nothing against it.) If I don't have bubbles now why thin it? One thing I can think of is if I don't want to darken the finish more. But on the other hand a thinner coat means less protection. Thanks abundantly!!!
Hey K. Hand sanding is fine. Use a 180 to 220 grit paper. Sanding between coats does two things: It removes any dust nibs (the little bumps you talked about and it scratches the surface enough to allow a proper grip of the next coat. You were lucky to avoid brush marks and bubbles. The EPA required finish manufacturers to reduce volatile compounds so liquid finishes have thickened up creating havoc in finishes. Thinning and applying thin coats ALMOST assures a good even coat that doesn't look "plasticy". Applying most coats does not darken the finish. P.S. The last coat is not sanded. best . . . paul
Put two layers of finish on my woodtable, it was smooth and beautiful. Decided to go for one last thick layer of waterbased poly for extra protection. Puddles everywhere. Completely ruined. I put so much effort and patience in this project.. Can't believe I have to sand it all and start all over. Don't make my mistake..
Hey Ali. Yeah it happens. I blame manufacturers for not educating people on how to apply properly. Also EPA has required manufacturers to use less thinners making this stuff like molasses!! If you are going to sand you should wait 2-3 weeks for the urethane to cure (harden all the way through) otherwise you'll gum up your sandpaper and end up with a sticky mess. I would personally use stripper to remove finish. Quicker, more effective and a lot less effort. Don't feel bad if I had a nickel for every one of my screw up's!! best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Hi Paul, duly noted I keep that in mind. Then I guess I'll have to be patient and wait before refinishing the table. Thank you very much for you help. You're amazing!
I like sanding))))). I finished a maple top for a table that was belonged to my neighbour because he asked me to do this. It was a top with a big surface and he prepared it badly. I sanded it for a few hours (5 or 6 probably) and after that used 100% Tung oil. It took me a month or more (don't remember) to finish my job because i put about 8 layers with sanding in between. The last coat after drying period I sanded with 400 than 800 than 1500 and finished with 2000. The surface was like a mirror. My neighbour was more than happy.
Hey Val. NICE!!! You have the key ingredient of a great woodworker. PATIENCE. Sanding is the key to a great finish!! Thanx for sharing. best . . . paul
I like sanding! And am looking forward to seeing the rest of video as really appreciate your intro regarding testing yourself and coming up with your expert conclusions. Also so I get it right the first time, will go to the other videos after. So, I am at 'let's get started', and will do just that, watch the rest of the tutorial, so I can fix the flaws I have after I listen :-) . Thankyou.
Hey pg. Hopefully there will be NO NEED to correct mistakes because there will be NONE!!! best . . . paul
Thanks for the video, good info. I very much agree with you about the manufacturers not putting enough good info about the ideal application of the products. I bought my poly and hardener in a specialised paint shop and the cans were without any info about the application, but I did inform myself as much as I could when being there - but still did not get precise enough instructions on how to do it. It all also varies depending on many other factors like was the wood painted, what kind of wood, what kind of protection you want with the poly etc.
Would you maybe have a recipe for an amateur (with some experience) that is fixing micro bubbles in polyurethane finish on el.guitar headstock which was painted with dark metallic paint? When letting the poly dry I noticed a drop of poly forming on the tip of the headstock, more precise on the edge of the tip, and I wanted to get rid of it in the most amateur way, by touching it and hoping it would behave "like water", silly me and ended with many micro bubbles forming on that wart-like formation of drying poly (the front and the back side of the headstock turned out fine). I know I can sand down the poly, but I am afraid to accidentally go trough the paint and get to the wood (it already happened twice and I spent quite some time fixing that). Now I was hoping that this would be the last poly layer before final sanding, buffing and polishing as this was the 5-6th layer of poly and I applied the poly quite thick, maybe too thick (using a brush) and then sanded like crazy. How can I tell when to stop sanding so as not to damage the paint under? It is so hard to judge that and even harder when it is on the edge as you can really go fast trough the finish ... as I have learned in the process.
The other question would be on the topic of what to use to cover the "spot" when sanded, do I use just poly, do I ad hardener, to I ad thinner? Do I apply generously and then sand more or just a thin, more diluted layer and sand less?
Thanks in advance!
Hey Gorman. Did you thin the polyurethane before application? How mant coats have you laid down? The tiny bubbles should sand out. I would do a light 220 sanding (minimal pressure). That should assure you don't cut through the polyurethane. The key to getting a good coat is to apply it in ultra thin layers. Thickness and the resulting durability is built up in multiple thin layers. I would consider using a wipe on polyurethane for you last coat and on your future guitar projects). I have a video on making and applying wipe on. For this you would use your current brand polyurethane just thinned to 50%. The wart like depression could be a problem. Hopefully it's not terrible and you can live with it because it typically means removal to bare wood to even it out. No easy fix, sorry. Hope this helps. Best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions thanks Paul, there are 5-6 thick layers of poly, did dilute it just 10% and there were always brush marks to sand down, and the occasional mistake :D I sanded the edge of the tip of the headstock with 600 and 800 and actually got rid of the wart (it was a drop/bugle, not a depression although a small depression did form along side the wart, but fixed that as well) without mishaps and later sanded the whole headstock with 1000 and 1500 in the end. There are still a few shiny spots, but they are almost invisible and I don't want to risk another mishap and sand down to the wood. I did a lot of beginner mistakes, but now I know a few things more. I had a bad mix, too thick, which looked good but it hardened to quickly. But I sanded between all poly layers and the headstock looks quite solid. There are some micro white dots where the wart was and some along the upper edge, but will go ahead with buffing and polishing to see what happens and if they will still be visible after the buffing then I will take your advice and go with 50% thinner. I have a 3:1 poly, do you think I should I also ad hardener? Thanks
Oh and another thing, what do you think is the best way to buff and polish the poly? These are small surfaces.
Thank you so much I just had a bunch show up on a table in doing for my daughter for her bday in 3 days
Hey Melissa. Sorry to hear that. You are not alone that video has 450,000 views!! Hope your bubbles are small enough to sand out. best . . . paul
I have been binge watching all of your videos because they are just the best help with finishes. I don't know if you will see this but I keep running into an issue. I have been following your bubble free application steps in every way. However I cannot get a single coat without a ton of super tiny bubbles. I can sand them smooth almost no effort. Yet no matter what I do, I cannot get the final coat bubble free. I have bought the best brush I can find, soaked in paint thinner, mixed poly 3oz to paint thinner 1oz. Lightly and gently applied with the brush and then feathered. It's seems that the feathering only adds bubbles. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for all your wonderful advice
Het Xentrees. Sounds like you're doing everything right. I do hear this but rarely. Hard to tell without being there. Maybe the initial lay down is too slow and the polyurethane is starting to set up by the time you get to feathering. Also feathering is just a brush drag without any pressure. Not sure where you are at but the weather may be a factor. I'm in the midwest and we've been in a drought so it's extremely dry and low humidity which will cause finishes to set up really fast. Just random thoughts. Sorry I can't be more definitive. best . . . paul
I really appreciate this tutorial. Deeply informative and easy to absorb. Thanks!
Thanks Woodwork for Goodwork. Appreciate the positive feedback from everyone but someone in the know makes it extra special. best . . . paul
From most your videos, and my own experience this week, it really seems like water based poly is not worth the hassle. Oil has worked so much better, and the fumes are not nearly as bad as I thought they would be. The way it makes the wood pop, walnut in my case, is incredible.
Thanx for the feedback John. I couldn't agree more. The only advantage to water based is it is a tinge less amber.
That may be the best take away for me from this video & reading everyone's comments & Paul's answers. Newbie here!
@@kathrynjones3368 Welcome to the woodworking club Kathyrn. Thanx for your feedback. Always nice to hear from others. best . . . paul
Great video! Unfortunately I saw it after seeing other videos where people used rollers to apply the polyurethane. After 3 coats I knew I was in big trouble. I found your video on removing small bubbles and I will try sanding tomorrow before putting the final coats the right way. By the way, I use undiluted vinegar instead of mineral spirits ti clean my surface after sanding using a dust mop and it works well for large surfaces.
Hey Stephen. Hope that works and it's worth a try. The problem you may run into is the surface may have a "roller" type appearance. You know, the tiny bumps that a roller leaves behind with paint. If that's the case you may have to wait 3-4 weeks for the polyurethane to cure (dry all the way through) and then sand it off. Sanding deep before curing results in a gummy mess. As far as the vinegar, any liquid will attract dust but because of the alcohol in vinegar and petroleum in mineral spirits it dries quicker so makes for a less saturating wipe. Let me know how things go. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Hi Paul. Unfortunately I read your reply after I sanded a third of the room. I didn't have too much stick to the paper. Maybe keeping the ceiling fan on 24h and the window open with a fan blowing the air out made the Varathane dry faster. Tomorrow I will sand again.
@@paulsDIYsolutions So I finished the job and things worked out pretty well. I sanded out the bubbles and put down three more coats using the brushing technique you show in your video. I used a long handle on my brush so I could stand up while working. The finish is much smoother but to my surprise I can see brush marks. I was careful not to over brush. Maybe it was my brush or brush cleaning technique? I used a 100% polyester brush from Bennett and soaked my brushes in mineral spirits overnight in between coats.
@@stephencrockett7203 You're getting there Stephen. Can't tell from your previous comments if you were using water based or oil based polyurethane. Here's the deal on that though, if you were using an oil based polyurethane your brush should have been a natural bristle brush not polyester. If you were using a water based polyurethane you should have been soaking in water not mineral spirits. Oaky enough critique. Your finish is better and you're still within the parameters of the "finishing learning curve". Good job. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions Hi Paul ot was oil based high gloss Varathane. I have more of the floor to varnish so I will look for a better brush. I saw some which are white china bristol... Are those any good?
This might be a silly comment, but I do nails and your videos on painting/finishing have a lot of parallels. The way the polyurethane gummed up when you sanded reminds me of gel that doesn't "cure" properly. Similar concept with the bubbles created in using gel on nails, you have to "burp" the brush to get the air out, use quality brushes, and apply it in thin coats. And not touching it and moving it around too much, just like a stain, or a paint, it totally screws things up!
Not to mention the prep work is the same. And you have to sand/file away the same, and clean up the dust too :)
Hey A.L Thanx for sharing. All this time I coud have been doing my nails vs fooling with wood. best . . . paul
Your videos are very well done an answer a lot of questions for me. Thank you for your help, starting over and and eliminating the problem hopefully. Thank you
Hey Danial. Glad to be of some help. You're not alone. Unfortunately it can't be applied like paint. The video was made because I kept getting the "Oops, what do I do now questions". I blame manufacturers for not properly educating. UA-cam to the rescue!! I use it all the time. best . . . paul
you are what youtube should be, excellent work sir
Hey Patrick. Nice compliment thank you. best . . . paul
Thank you for making this video. This is definitely the best video and I feel much more confident on fixing our issues now!
You're welcome. Glad to be of some help. best . . . paul
Ill have to try this. I just installed toung and groove pine walls and ceilings in my dining room and decided to use Polycrylic so I wouldnt darken the pine to much. I completely sanded the entire room first. And the walls have a few drips. I didn't want to have to completely sand it down again after already doing 3 coats. So im going to try to fix the drip spots than apply 2 more coats on. Walls are already hard do to gravity but this Polycrylic sucks compared oil based because its just so thin and runny compared to real poly. Thanks for video
Hey Staples F. The key to vertical application is apply with a really good brush thats almost dry. it takes a few extra coats but minimizes running. A good brush holds a lot of material, releases it evenly according to pressure applied and does't leak material. You are 100% when you talk about water based though. It has a place but not very often. best . . . paul
OMG!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!
Thank you for doing all that work and research for us!!!
Thanx Joseph. I was getting a lot of "What do I do now?" type questions so I felt I had to experiment a little. Glad to be of some help. Happy Holidays. best . . . paul
Thanks for sharing your knowledge sir. It's videos like this why I like UA-cam 👍
My pleasure Mike. Glad to be of some help. Thanx for the feedback. best . . . paul
Hi Paul, We were in the final stretch of refinishing an oak table top. We removed the finish and stain and had carefully sanded it down. It is oak with each quarter having the grains running from the corner into the center. We then put on a dark walnut stain and applied it a couple of times to get the deep rich color we wanted. We then did a final sanding carefully with the grain using a 220 grit. It was completely smooth. Then we wiped it down removing all dust. We then applied the polyurethane. But, it seems that as the polyurethane dried, it seemed to separate leaving lots of little openings all over the top! Once it dried completely, we sanded it with a 400 grit getting it as smooth as possible but the surface was not entirely even. Again, we applied another coat of the polyurethane and it is drying the same way again. have you ever heard of this happening?
Hey Cheryl. I have a friend who refinishes furniture for a living. He was describing something very similar and was n't sure what it was or why it happened. I will be seeing him in a few days so let me discuss it with him and get back to you. best . . . paul
Any input is welcome. At this point. I’m ready to strip it and sand it all over again 😢 so anything you find out is appreciated. We just can’t figure out why this happened.
How many coats have you laid down?
@@paulsDIYsolutions we did 2 coats.
I can send you pics if you want to give me your email address
Hello, I watched your video today. It was great information and a appreciate all your effort in your experiments. I have always struggled with bubbles in Minwax Polycrylic Finish. I was finishing a desk today and like always bubbles! After watching your video I got the idea to add 10% total volume of Denatured Alcohol. The bubbles would pop and fade out right away and the final finish was much nicer and smooth. Maybe this might help someone else. Thank you for your help.
Hey dd dd. Polycrylic is Minxax's marketing strategy for water based polyurethane. The problem with water based poly is the dry time. It sets up in 5 minutes or less and doesn't give the bubbles a chance to pop or brush marks time to level. I'm not a chemist but I'm pretty sure adding alcohol would speed up the dry time since alcohol evaporates faster than water. It might just accentuate the problem. Not sure? If you try let me know how it works out. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions hello Paul. You are correct the alcohol does shorten the dry time but it lowers the viscosity of the product so much that the brush strokes and bubbles go away even faster. I was able to put on 3 coats of the Poly in less than 3 hours and the finish looks great. The only few defects were dust particles that landed on the finish as it set. I was very happily surprised.
Hey dd. Thinning with water also reduces the viscosity, which is explained in my video "Bubble Free Polyurethane Application Technique".
ua-cam.com/video/X_GWXcydu5k/v-deo.html
best . . . paul
Thanks a lot for doing and sharing your knowledge and findings. Saves us lot of work and time
Hey bol8lod. You're welcome. Thanx for your positive feedback. Trust me, it saves me a lot of work by not having to answer all "oops, it didn't turn out so what do I do" questions as well. best . . . paul
Water based urethanes bubble much more for two reasons, A) the medium vs the water easily traps air because it is the right constitution (meaning PH, viscosity, density) to optimally hold surface tension that can hold air bubbles. B) Air contact plus moisture is what drives curing for these urethanes, and because there is a pocket of air the evaporation from the urethane itself help solidify the bubble from the inside faster than the outside, holding the bubble in place rather than it popping once it reaches the surface. So you not only get the tiny bubbles, but raised tiny bubbles across the surface, you might notice some that have popped, but still leave creators into the urethane. To avoid this, or take out the bubbles, brush the surface while still wet, until you have eliminated the most of the bubbles, or take a heat gun and glaze the top while still wet, which will pop the bubble quickly and then everything will smooth out. You must work extremely fast. Must be done practically immediately, so for bigger surfaces like a door or table top, I recommend brushing them out as it goes down.
Something I do often when using oil based urethanes, is to mix 1/3 mineral spirits into the urethane, and use that as a sealer coat. It will penetrate far better, and dry really fast. I can then sand that coat the next day, and even though it is a "dull" luster coat, when I wipe a second coat on, it will stand and have a much more even sheen. This also helps me to get three coats on within three days.
The fastest way to remove all of the urethane is to use a stripper in conjunction with a card scraper, (NEVER a pull scraper, like with the long handle and the replaceable blade/edge) with putty knives it is too easy to damage/gouge the top surface.
A major difference between water based urethanes and oil based, is weird. I say that because of the time it take a water base urethane to go from "dry" to "fully cured" is actually longer than an oil based urethane. It can take two weeks before a water base urethane become fully hard enough to see sanding results that you can achieve with an oil based urethane within only a weeks time. So if you are ever in a situation where you know you will be polishing the final coats, it actually is faster to use the oil based.
Hey Chris. While I'm not sure of the actual chemistry thank you for that (1st paragraph), I agree 100% with everything you said and I'm happy to report that the steps are all outlined in detail in my videos. I have found that over 40 years of applying finish coating that if one does follow the steps a heat gun is a non-essential. Thank you for the explanation. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions I will have to watch them! Just like you, I have a lifetime of using these things... (35 years or more, depending on when you want to start the counter, I grew up watching my father do a lot of this stuff) and love seeing experienced people trying to help other avoid these pitfalls. So many of these problems I don't deal with, like you stated, avoiding the problems is easier than dealing with it... lol. I often don't see problems because of the habits I have formed from long ago. I subscribed and will be watching!
Excellent video, saved my butt from my polyurethane runs!!
Hey Nick. Glad to be of some help. best . . . paul
I have a good tip …. For the runs of water based poly get a rag with water and clean it off while it’s within a hour or two depending how fast drying water poly u got . No need for sanding
Hi Melissa. Glad that worked for you but I would not recommend it for a really fine finish. That procedure would have to leave some crater marks. best . . . paul
Best correction video I’ve watched
Hey True. Sorry to read you had to watch but thanx for watching. best . . . paul
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Hey Skip. My pleasure. Thanx for watching and your feedback. best . . . paul
Full of wonderful tips! Thank you so much, I’ve learned a lot with this video and going to watch all your others!
Thanx Shirine!! Glad to be of some help. best . . . paul
Agreed! I am also
Thanks for your well described and documented video basically on puddles and bubbles.
I’m using an straight oil based poly applied to a vertical surface with brush, runs are my major concern in an application like this, so my problem is brush marks and places where the poly didn’t cover the previous coat. I’m finishing a vertical four sided 9” square column/box 3’ long and I get excess buildup around the corners when I’m applying the finish to the sides. I chose to apply the finish vertically as I didn’t want to get runs down the sides if I use my normal horizontal application method.
Just finished the second coat, and thinking of a good sanding and changing the application to a reduced oil poly using a wiping application. Do you think I can recover the surface by this method?
Working on a vertical surface is a whole different critter, I do horizontal surfaces just fine.
In the future not this time, I’m just about to the point where I’ll spray a vertical surface situation but need to research more about this application.
Thanks
Hey HH. Sorry for the delay. I responded immediately but must not have hit the right reply button. The key on vertical applications is to apply in very, very thin coats and have a good brush. A good brush holds a lot of material, disperses it evenly and won't drip or run even if used upside down (for short periods). A good oil brush has about 70-80% stiff china bristles and 20-30% soft ox hair or badger bristles (stiffness for structure and softness for holding, evenness of flow and smoothness of finish). Hope that helps. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions I gave up on doing the vertical for the last coat. Laid it down and used a foam brushing extremely slow, it’s perfect just coat one side wait six hours then the next side. Just takes longer but no hurry.
I saw many application methods but the slow foam brush method works the best for me.
Thanks again.
I'm here because you can see my brush strokes from a previous coat under my current coat. Thanks for the advice I think I'll just sand it back.
Hey Michael. You're welcome remember to "Lay It On Thin". best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions So I sanded it back, diluted my water-based poly so it wasn't so viscous and gave it a good mix, then applied a very thin coat with a fully soaked brush (to avoid bubbles).
This is easily the best looking coat I've put down and I've been through half a 250 mL pot of polyurethane.
Thanks again!
@@michaeltyers7336 Hey Michael. It's not hard once someone explains a little. Glad to be a part of that learning curve. best . . . paul
SOOO many wood refinishing vids out there. I've discovered the hard way some helped, and others have messed me up. Glad I bumped into yours, Paul!
After 7 coats of Minwax water-based "oil modified" poly, I still have brush marks using Purdy nylon brush and biggest issues are puddling where my brush strokes overlapped and areas that still look relatively dry. I didn't know about sanding sealer when I started, so I suspect the dry looking areas are from some more porous wood pieces on the butcher block kitchen table. I seem to have fixed some of those spots by smooshing extra poly into them on previous coats. Should I just do that again, sand out the overlap puddles to make them even with the rest of the surface, then apply another coat using your correct thinning and brushing method?
Hoping that makes sense. Thanks in advance!
Hey J. How to correct and faulty finish is not up my alley, sorry. I would strip it and start over. There are a few possibilities as to "why" the finish is faulty. The three main reasons are the poly was put down too thick, the poly wasn't thinned properly and a bad brush. Let's start with the brush. A good brush holds a lot of material, releases it slowly and evenly (even in vertical applications), won't drip, leave puddles or run. Finally polyurethane should be thinned 3:1 and applioed in very thin coats. I cover all this in my video "How To Apply Polyurethane Without Bubbles, Puddles, Runs or Brush Marks | Updated" (link below). Sorry, but it's really difficult to try to correct a faulty finish. best . . . paul
Thanks for the quick reply, Paul!! Starting over crossed my mind, but thankfully, the problems are minor enough as to only be noticeable to us. I suspect the biggest problems are that a few of the wood pieces are quite porous, and I did not know to use sanding sealer on them; and the coats are too thick since I did not know to dilute the poly early on. Even after asking Minwax, they told me to not dilute more than 10%. If I decide to go for one more fix, I will do the smashing and sanding I mentioned, then dilute 3:1 and use your brushing techniques. I will also go to Sherwin-Williams instead of Home Depot to make sure I get good advice on a good brush for this. Thanks again, Paul!
@@paulsDIYsolutions Any specific brush recommendations? I've been using this Wooster nylon "wall & trim" one on the previous coats, but it doesn't seem to hold a lot of poly. Maybe that's cuz I'm only diluting 10% as Minwax said. www.homedepot.com/p/Wooster-3-in-Pro-Nylon-Flat-Brush-0H21280030/203433140
Really enjoyed your video. Its straight forward and enjoyable to watch. Thank you
Hi Danielle. Thanx for the positive feedback. Hope you found a solution. best . . . paul
You explain it all so well, that I am now hooked on getting to do some staining the proper way!! (I have never DONE any kind of wood work) THANK U
Hey Fred. We all have to start somewhere. Who knows I may be watching your videos soon. Thanx for the feedback. best . . .paul
I have a very unexpected result. I am refinishing a softer hardwood, elm, I expect. Everything went well..... other than ridges following the grain when sanding. I sanded to bare wood, used a prestain. It took lots. Applied a single coat of stain and had to do some light sanding and thin recoat of the entire surface. Some dust in the stain. Lots of drytime every time. I'm in eastern Canada, in winter. My garage does have heat, on the cold end and very dry air. The fast drying minwax poly went on fine. (all cans are new). I did a light sanding by hand with a 320. I did not have as much poly left for the second coat as I thought. I sprinkled it evenly over the table to make sure everything would get some. I used a clean foam brush. Wherever the drops landed, white dots developed exactly where the poly was. lots of rubbing etc did not help. Not fully sure what to do next...... I assume since the can was almost empty, there was more solvent in the bottom of the can, and this disolved through the stain. Any thoughts on if this is recoverable, or if I need to go nutts and sand it all down again..... I certainly hope not. Or, use a solvent to take it down. My current plan is to sand it with 220 or 320 and level it. Then try reapplying poly. thoughts?
Hey Eastcoast. Sorry I can't be of a help. There's way too many mistakes. I would do a start over but this time watch my how-to videos before you start. Here are a few:
How to remove paint from wood | Beginner Guide | Part 1
How to stain wood | Beginners Guide | Furniture Refinishing
How To Apply Polyurethane Without Bubbles, Puddles, Runs or Brush Marks | Updated
best . . . paul
I did end up doing it over..... just on the top. hoping the bottom will not be affected.... sanded and stripped all the way down to bare wood. Well on the way to being done. fingers crossed.@@paulsDIYsolutions
Not sure what your project is but if you can't see the bottom I wouldn't bother. Let me know how it turns out, please. best . . . paul
It turned out very well. It's a large dining room table. I do need to find other legs, the ones I Amazoned are dull. I did have some issues with the final urethane having 4 or 5 dribbles overnight, but fixable.@@paulsDIYsolutions
Hello. I just started watching your videos and am learning a lot about finishing my projects! I have a question on applying poly to a dining room table that has multiple wood grains going in different directions. I successfully removed the old varnish, applied stain, but now am struggling with applying the poly due to the various directions of the wood grains. Any tips you could provide would be appreciated! Thank you!
Hey Paul! Thanks so much for these videos. I'm about to do my first staining and finishing job and these have been super helpful! I noticed the Illinois license plate. I am also from Illinois. Since you have been such a help to me, I figured that I'd offer my services and offer to help you with filming/editing if you have any desire. If not, no worries!
hey Mark. Wish there was enough UA-cam revenue to hire a producer. God knows I lack the skills!! Thanx anyway. best . . . paul
@@paulsDIYsolutions I wasn't asking you to pay me :) If we are close enough, I would help for free. If you have an email that you don't mind making public, I will send you an email. I wish there were a way to message on here.
Thank you for responding and so quickly, too.
Hey Patricia. I'm going to have to make more videos you keep you busy. You must have hit them all! Thanx. best . . . paul
I'm finishing a walnut butcher block table top, and just three of the dozens of blocks of the table have bubbles. Each affected blocks has the same color and grain, so it looks like they came from the same stock. A few question or 2 about fixing this: since only some areas are affected, could I sand, perhaps by hand, just the affected blocks? I had used a quick drying oil-based finish. Should I thin this as you suggest, or go to a non-quick drying oil based finish? Your video is fantastic - really appreciate the time and thought you have put into it!
Hey Don. Thanx. If the bubbles are small (pinhead sized) you can sand them out. Larger will leave poc marks. As you found out "fast dry" sets up too quick and doesn't give the urethane time to level and correct itself. I would switch to a slower drying product, thin 3:1 and lay it down thin. In my application video I recommended applying the final coat full strength. Because of ever cahnging EPA guidelines urethanes are more like paste so I now suggest all coats are thinned 3:1. best . . . paul
Thank you for your video! My husband is making me a farmhouse table from actual old farmhouse planks. They're rough and rugged and have a lot of "character" flaws. He sanded it a bit in the beginning, stained it, used some wood putty (wrong color) to fill in some gaps, and I'm not sure what he did next, but he started lacquering it. I'm not sure if he used water-based or oil. He's got some pretty good, deep puddles in spots. My question is, how do we fix this? Looks like we have to strip it and pretty much start all over? But how do we get an even surface suitable for dining after we do all that? What's the best way? Sanding and wood putty won't probably cut it for some parts. I feel like we will have to "rebuild" missing wood pieces. Is that possible? And what's the best way to do that? There's some significant chips and holes in spots. Since this is a dining table surface, I want it to be relatively even. It doesn't have to be perfect, but just easy to clean. What do you recommend? I also saw another video recommending to mix oil based polyu and mineral spirits 50/50 and apply several coats. How many coats do you think for a satin finish? Thanks so much!
Hey Bianca. A lot of questions that are hard to answer without seeing the piece. Polyurethane is NOT a filler. It will not level the surface. You could use an epoxy pour to level it but that will be far from a satin finish. My wife's aesthetic is eclectic and we have a farm harvest table that is far from perfect (nicks, gouges, scratches,etc) but it is level. Sounds like a job for a stripper and then some 60 grit sandpaper on a belt sander. Not sure why there are gaps but more than likely he didn't run it through an edge joiner before assembling. All these things are part of the learning curve so kudos to your husband. We've all been there. best . . . paul
I mess up and you save me thanks for your time
Hey Rick. happy tp be of help. best . . . paul
Awesome information, techniques and I like the varied methods for different issues to fix. Will be watching all of your videos SIR PAUL!
Hey David. I learned an awful lot as well by doing the video. I was getting a lot of questions on how to fix mistakes and I was actually giving what turned out to be questionable advice. The good news is if it's addressed before it cures its pretty easy to strip off. Glad it helped. best . . . paul
Thanks so much for the research and details. Excellent.
Hey Ed. MY experiment I had to do it. It was actually hard to make bubbles. LOL Thanx for watching and your feedback Ed. best . . . paul
Great videos Paul! Thank you for taking the time and having the patience to pass your knowledge on.
You are welcome John. I have a lot of time these days. LOL. best . . . paul
You mentioned that manufacturer don't provide adequate instructions and that it's probably because it won't fit on the can. True. The evil lawyers in their never ending suit/counter-suit practice have ruined it for all of us. Nuff o that rant.... Great video!
Hey Ray. Yeah. Way too much in this country to get on soap boxes about. best . . . paul
Hi Paul 4/4/2024 So many thanks for all the advice. I am 3 or 4 coats that look great on three sides and am on 4th side and have minor overflow with a couple pooled bubbles on edges and mini bubbles in two small areas. Will the first coat cover/minimize noticeability or should I sand down a bit of clear coat errors or all the way through stain and reapply. I will submit pictures if possible
Hi Paul rewatched video and have my fix answer thanks again.
Very instructive. Thank you.
Hey Joe. Thanx for your fedback! Glad i could be a small pert of your woodworking journey. best . . . paul
Thank you so much for this! I used chalk paint on an old cheap table and applied urethane with a fine foam roller that was recommended in another video. He said to trust the the bubbles ( which were legion) would disappear. This was oil-based. I got nervous when the showed no sign of changing after maybe 15 minutes and went over it all with a brush. Bubbles are gone but there are light spots where they were. Any ideas?
I love your manner and knowledge - thanks again!
Hey Diane. Here's where the smaller than the head of a pin comes into play. Polyurethane is not a filler (it won't cover up voids) but it will if they are small enough. If they are small you can do a light snad with a 180 grit sandpaper and apply another coat thinned 3:1. They should disappear. If they are larger you are probably in the accept it as a learning experience or in a start-over mode. best . . . paul
This is gold! Thanks for your hard work
Thanx jsgccan. Reminds me of a line from Sienfeld. Loved that show. best . . . paul
Good day,
Thank you for this detailed video.
I have a problem when using varnish, where I used furniture wax or water based, both dry so quickly making lumps!!!
Note: I varnish painted wood.
Thank you in advance for your reply and time.
Regards
Hey Maha. You're welcome. Thanx for your input. Most of today's furniture wax and polishes contain silicone. Silicone is virtually impossible to remove. It creates havoc with all finishes. best . . . paul
You mentioned that you don't dilute the polyurithane for the last coat, I saw how do you apply the 2 first coats which are with the polyurithane diluted.
My question is how do you apply the last coat without leaving any marks of the brush.
Hi Nancy. Have you put down any coats yet? There should be no brush marks in any layer. I recommend in my technique "Laying it on Thin". That translates into very, very thin applications of thinned top coats. The thinner the coating the less chance for brush marks, puddles, runs and bubbles. Make sense? Let me know. best . . . paul
Solid information. 🎉
Thanx Mr Gregg. Appreciate you watching and your feedback. bvest . . . paul