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I had a unfinished pine table custom built. I loved the natural color so much that I didn't want it to change, but knew I had to protect it. I got the clear satin finish Miniwax polyurethane. I did one coat and loved it...but the guy at the store said I'd need to do 2 coats to be on the safe side. Now my table looks yellow. How do I fix this? Will I have to sand the whole thing and start over? Is there any way I could do a tinted stain on top of it now? Or again, will I have to sand the whole thing? I'm trying to figure out the easiest way out and still achieve the natural color I had to begin with.

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  • The table is going to darken on its own over time, It will be a subtle change one you may not notice, unless you put something on the table and leave it there for a month, and remove it. Then you will see the change. Also, poly usually causes a color change due to the color that is inherent from the way the oil based poly is made. The color change is called "ambering" depending on how it is used in a sentence. Sometimes it is referred to as "amber colored" or "amber". I am not a linguist, but I hope I got the idea across. Since the wood darkens on its own, It may be best to wait and see.
    – Jack
    Feb 10, 2015 at 2:24

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There are almost no finishes that are totally colorless (although poly does have a slight yellow tinge, more than some other finishes). Also, most wood changes color over time with exposure to light and oxygen (typically getting darker).

Frankly 2 coats of polyurethane is only the bare minimum. Particularly if this is a kitchen or dining room table that will get a lot of wear, you will want it to be durable. (Maybe for a side table 2 coats would be OK). If this were my table I would say put a 3rd coat on it and leave it for a few months to see how you feel about it. It's not going to be any easier to strip & sand it now, so you might as well see how it ages.

If you do refinish, maybe try a water-based acrylic, that will be almost colorless. There are many sites online that compare the various types of wood finishes, e.g.: http://www.diynetwork.com/home-improvement/whats-the-difference-between-polyurethane-varnish-shellac-and-lacquer/index.html

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