I’m finishing this table and have about 16 coats on it. I sanded it down with 320 wet after the 12th coat and started putting the last thin coats on. I had a couple of small areas that I had to sand again after 14th coat due to a little buildup or drip. Those places are small and not realy obvious but can be seen from an angle. Those places keep showing through from an angle after two additional coats have been applied. Am I going to have to resand the entere table down to a dull finish again?
Will additional coats eventually cover those spots? Will rubbing out with rottenstone and oil correct the problem? I am using high gloss if I change to satin will that clear it up? Appriciate any help.
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If those marks are buried by subsequent coats of finish, they will always be there no matter what you do to the following coats. The only way to get them is to sand them out.
Let me say that 12 coats of wipe-on is really pushing it. That's equal to about 5-6 coats of brush on. Why do you think you need so many coats.
One last question, is it possible to sand out just the problem spots? This is a large table. Thanks
There is a book by Micheal Dresdner called the wood finishing book. Its really good and has a great chapter on rubbing out finishes to gloss. Too lengthy to copy now, however the gist being after your finish is sufficiently cured at least a week,the longer the better. I would give it two weeks. Wet sand, lightly, start at 320, I would start at 400, and work down to 1200. Then start with rubbing compound, then polishing compound, Then a non abrasive finishing compond. Buy then your looking at yourself. Making sure the finish is cured and that you don't generate heat when you're rubbing out the finish by using soapy water as a lubricant are the two most important aspects of rubbing out a piece that I've been able to glean from this author and by experiance.
thanks, i'll hold off a week.
If you can still see those areas after a couple of coats to wipe on varnish, then you really should go back and fix the problem since Howard is right that they won't go away on their own. Satin might make defects a little less visible, but won't make them go away.
Assuming the wiping varnish was the same thickness as you would get by mixing equal parts of brushing varnish and thinner, and if each coat of wipe on varnish was applied with a wet film equal to the thickness of a brushed on coat, it would take 2 coats of wipe for the dried film to be the same. But wipe on finish is also applied in much thinner films. Therefore it takes at least 3 and more likely 4 coats of wipe on varnish to equal one coat of brushed on varnish. Consequently, the twelve wiped on coats are roughly the same dried thickness as 3 to 4 brushed on coats, generally entirely ample but not crazily excessive.
Wow! That's a lot of coats. I would put the piece away for a month and let it cure before touching it again. Although the surface may appear to be dry, underneath is far from being cured.
The coats went on over a period of about 10 days, nibs lighyly sanded after each coat. I mix minwax 50/50 with mineral sprits. goes on pretty thin. Have never brushed on poly, seems would be too thick.
Obective was to build up so could rub out with oil & rottenstone to glass like finish. After nine coats sanded down with 320 wet and intended to only apply two more very thin coats. Made mistake of following a magazine advice (Fine WoodWorking article, Aug 2004) and applied the final coat after about one hour. Thats what caused problems and I should have sanded out again then instead of trying to just fix the bad spots.
Now will just have to completly sand again with 320 wet until have all shiny off! Thought someone might have a magic solution.
Thanks for your help.
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