I just finished a table top podium for the women’s organization in our church. It is birch ply and trimmed with maple. no stain. So it is a very light color. I finished it with a spray can of satin polyurethane (minwax). I’m really pleased with the result. It is flat and even. But now I have read the fine print on the can and it says that due to ambering it is not recommended for light color or pastel stained wood. For that they recommend an acrylic ( I assume that is a water based finish). I should have known this but I am rather new to this. My question’s are, first can I spray the poly acrylic over the urethane and second would this even do any good as far as preventing ambering? Any comments or suggestions?
Frank
Replies
It may not even be noticeable over the life of the podium. If they ever ask you to refinish it because someone thumped their Bible on it, then do it with a waterborne. I would not fret.
I wouldn't fret either. The ambering quality of poly is pretty slight, and probably not noticeable to most -- unless you compare it side-to-side with a piece that has been finished with water-based poly.
>> question's are, first can I spray the poly acrylic over the urethane
To answer that question, yes, you can spray waterborne over the oil based as long as you let the oil based fully cure about four weeks and scuff sand the surface with 320 paper.
The bad news is that it will not prevent or slow down the yellowing of the oil based undercoat.
As others have said, don't worry about it. The maple itself with amber over time and to most, the ambering is desired outcome of older maple items.
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