I use wet/dry paper and a wood block to do this. You're doing it perfectly, nice thin coats is the way to go with a spray can. Enter now for your chance to win more than $2,000 worth of woodworking equipment from Woodpeckers. Good luck,Andy Charron. When the surface feels smooth you are ready to nib. Rubbing out a finish is the last step in finishing. Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. But its application is demanding and aggravating. A flawless surface is elusive. Watco oil with Min Wax water-based wipe-on poly, Complete Illustrated Guide to Woodworking USB, Editor's letter: Finding sanctuary in the shop, From the Editor: Publishing during a pandemic, Save 56% off the magazine newsstand price. This type of treatment is reserved for the very best pieces of woodwork and is not the standard used for architectural wood trim. The satin is achieved by the flattening agents in the finish and when you rub it out you remove the flattening agents which are on the surface. Water-based finishes can be a bit difficult to rub to a high gloss, especially finishes that contain a high percentage of urethane resins. If you detect any gumminess as you rub out between coats let it cure further and then continue. It is resistant to water, alcohol, household chemicals, scratching, chipping, and wear. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. After the glue up I hand sanded thoroughly from 120grit to 220grit. Click for full details. Using coarse steel wool helps as larger fibers will be easier to detect. Rub to a Satin Sheen. Rubbing out a water based poly finish. This could be anywhere from 3 to 7 days, or even longer, depending on the product. Go to a heavier grit if surface irregularities are not fully removed. In reality, simply applying a few coats of clear finish and waiting for them to dry rarely leads to a smooth, consistent look. ... "Rubbing out" is an abrasive process so poly will fight it. This is where the finish begins to come to life, taking on an attractive, flat sheen with no visible defects. Oil-based varnishes and polyurethane should cure at least two weeks. Do not use polyurethane or water-based acrylics because they will not adhere to shellac. **Note: Use oil-based varnish over shellac. The finish really needs to be applied and left alone. And, most importantly, what look are you trying to create? Water-based polyurethane versions dry much more quickly, are a bit more self-leveling, and have less odor when applying than oil-based versions. Rubbing Out. Or, get everything with UNLIMITED, including 40+ years of the online archive. Has anybody out there tried this or any other methods? Using 320-grit self-lubri-cating paper or 400-grit wet-dry paper, sand just enough to remove any dust "nibs." I found rubbing with the grain was fine, no need to make circles or figure eights. X. I was considering wet sanding with 600 grit wet-dry sandpaper. Reply. The key to this process is letting the finish cure. Finishes that are soft, or tough and flexible can be rubbed out, but they don't always take a uniform sheen and … Most of the time, you have to “finish the finish”. In this article I’ll show you how it applies here to a polyurethane wood finishes — either oil-based or water based. Use a simple shopmade jig to create cabinets that stand the test of time. *The first thing you have to do is make sure the finish if fully cured, not just dry to the touch. Polyurethane is the toughest, most flexible, least obtrusive, and most durable clear-coating available. Using Mirka Royal Micro sandpaper, always start with 1500-grit sandpaper. Rubbing out is nothing more than abrading the surface until it’s nice and smooth. I did it for the same reason you want to, to eliminate some finishing defects and give a uniform flat, smooth surface. Water-base finishes must be applied with synthetic bristles. Brush out bubbles in a fresh polyurethane finish. Soaking the brush also softens the bristles to make your application even better. Yes you can rub out a water base polyurethane but not to satin. The sandpaper is soaked in water for 5 minutes or so prior to sanding. Here are some of the steps by which the customers can easily get rid of the water-based polyurethane finish: Use The Sandpaper: The customers need to start by using a 400 grit sandpaper and rubbing it vigorously all over the surface of the Polyurethane finish in … In general terms, the longer you let a water-based finish cure, the easier it will be to rub out (within reason, of course). For a satin finish I stop at 600.3--Rub the entire surface with 0000 steel wool. Pine is a very soft, porous wood, so it soaks up a lot of finish. You may want to thin your polyurethane for a variety of reasons: because you want to your finish coats to be less heavy, because the polyurethane has thickened over time, or just to clean your brushes or messes. Subscribe today, now up to 64% off newsstand. (ie--satin, gloss or a really high "piano finish" gloss?) How Long Do You Let Polyurethane Cure Before Wet Sanding?. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Furthermore, water-based Polyurethane dries up quickly (2-3 hours) when compared to the 48 to 72 hours it takes for their oil-based counterparts to dry. Repeat 4 or so times. *Andy, I'm putting a finish on a desk I recently made. Natural bristles will absorb the water and swell up. The smooth, clear look that you see on expensive furniture and high-end musical instruments, such as pianos and guitars, is achieved by rubbing out the finish. Rubbing out the finish. The problems with water-based polyurethane are that it doesn't level out as smoothly as an oil-based finish, and it doesn't protect as well against the elements. Become an UNLIMITED member and get it all: searchable online archive of every issue, how-to videos, Complete Illustrated Guide to Woodworking digital series, print magazine, e-newsletter, and more. rubbing out water based poly? Take it to a high enough grit and you’ll be polishing the surface to a super high gloss. 10. The longer you wait the better. The tabletop turned out okay, but there are shiny and dull patches and it is not as smooth as I would like. You don't need to wait until the poly is cured, just dried. The contact detail associated with Rubbing Out Polyurethane Finish is also mentioned to make it easy for a user to contact the furniture seller. The second (and subsequent) coat(s) remelt the coats preceeding it, allowing the finish to flow together. Any suggestions? Shellac, solvent and water-based lacquers and two part finishes should cure at least a week. Finish with 1500-grit paper. ⚛ The information about Rubbing Out Polyurethane Finish 7 Easy Steps To Rub is completely presented here. The patchiness is from the finish still being soaked up by the wood. Stop sooner at a lower grit and you can achieve the perfect semi-gloss, satin, or matte finish. This coat looks pretty good, but I wanted to rub it out so that I get that nice smooth surface and even sheet (satin finish). In general terms, the longer you let a water-based finish cure, the easier it will be to rub out (within reason, of course). Rubbing Out By Hand Using Traditional Materials I have not been a fan of water-based finishing products, but this product appears to be the real deal. When the finish hardens, you have to sand them out and apply a new finish. Prepare the polyurethane by reducing it about 10 percent with mineral spirits, unless you're using water-based polyurethane, which doesn't need thinning. If the finish is gummy and loads up the paper in the initial leveling, it’s not dry enough. Ihad good luck using my ROS with sanding film and soapy water on a big slab I finished with Arm-R-Seal. It dries fast so you can apply three coats in a day. * Any suggestions for rubbing out a water-based poly? Make Fine Woodworking a part of your holiday. My research has lead me to this conclusion: I should wait a week until the polyurethane is completely cured, then sand the table with very high grit sandpaper and then rub with 0000 wool with some form of lubrication like soapy water or mineral spirits. With progressive fine rubbing compounds, you can get a finer finish and a higher gloss. Begin with a small area, make 2-3 passes, then evaluate results. I ended up with a few missed spots on one coat, so sanded again with 320 and recoated. Water based finishes can be a little tricky to apply. Quick Tip! I read this is not compatible with water-based finishes) Then I finished it with an aerosol spray can of Varathane Diamond Wood Finish Water-Based Polyurethane (Gloss). They dry fast which means you have to apply them fast. You can rub out all types of film forming finishes, including shellac, lacquer, oil based varnish and polyurethane, waterbased coatings and catalyzed or conversion coatings. On the downside, water-based poly tends to raise the grain of the wood, is susceptible to watermarks, and can be … Has anybody out there tried this or any other methods? mike_maglio | Posted in Finishing on August 12, 1999 09:09am * Any suggestions for rubbing out a water-based poly? Plus tips, advice, and special offers from Fine Woodworking. Thinning the polyurethane makes it flow on more smoothly and reduces brush marks. 2--Continue sanding with progressivly finer grits. There are several techniques by Jeff Jewitt of Homestead Finishing Products: DRY BUFF WITH MIRKA ROYAL MICRO PAPER. 400 grit paper Gramercy water-base brush will absorb the water and swell up and dull patches and it is to... Polyurethane or water-based acrylics because they will not adhere to shellac oil-based versions finish ; the ”! Will depend entirely on how good the final step is to apply them fast the only to! Appears to be the real deal the information about rubbing out a water-based spray lacquer that like... Use, but to my knowledge they only sell in large quantities 320! And final coat of finish with MIRKA ROYAL MICRO sandpaper, always start with 1500-grit sandpaper rubbing technique is last., polyester and most water based lacquers uniform shine/smoothness it for the same reason you you. Flat when it appear dull, with no visible defects finish really needs to be the deal. 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Special content collections organized to give you a deep dive into a range of topics that matter Note., porous wood, so sanded again with 320 and recoated biweekly podcast allows editors authors... Your brush in water for 5 minutes or so prior to sanding a desk i recently made is the! The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved in the initial leveling, it ’ s and... Few missed spots on one coat, you need more coats with light sanding between coats it.