0

I'm refinishing an oak table top. Got it sanded down smooth, stained, then applied 3 coats of Benjamin Moore Stays Clear acrylic polyurethane, lightly sanding between coats. But after the 2nd coat I didn't sand much because I was afraid it would damage the finish. My 3rd coat went on like glass, but now that it's dry, the wood grain is quite raised. Is there anything I can do at this point to get the wood grain smooth again? I think, after reading, that I should have sanded more in between coats, but that's water over the dam now. Thank you for any help.

2 Answers 2

1

A common mistake with water based poly is application that is not thick enough.

Give it a light sanding then apply a final heavy coat (or two) and it should come out beautifully.

1

I sand between coats. Making sure the acrylic is dry. Cleaning the dust off before reapplying is very important. If you want a glass smooth finish, use 400-600 wet sandpaper between coats. When it looks good a very light sanding and a final coat will make it look better than a pro job. I can say this because pro's don't have the extra time for a few additional coats. The extra coats give more depth to the finish. A thick coat has more of a chance for bubbles or brush marks where several thin coats lightly sanded between looks like glass.

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.