# Dealing with the polyurethane smell?



## JohnMcClure (Aug 24, 2016)

I'm finishing some children's furniture (bunk bed) with Varathane Spar Urethane. 
Wiping it on with a 50/50 mix with mineral spirits. 
They'll want it in their room the moment it's dry to the touch, but I suspect I should leave it in the garage for a few days first to let the smell dissipate. Does anyone have tips on this? 
Would paste wax slow down the smell release, so that it's not as noticeable? 
How long should I expect to have to ventillate it before putting it in the kids' room?
Thanks all!


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

It takes an amazing amount of time for varnish to fully cure, it will outgassing for some time. Putting a fan to blow on it will help some, that will (slightly) accelerate the curing process. It would be a guess how long it takes, and some folks are more sensitive to the odor adding to the variables. In most cases I'll take something in after a week or so.


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## bilyo (May 20, 2015)

It takes a while. And "while" will be different for different people. My wife is sensitive to the smell and I must leave completed pieces in the shop or elsewhere for a week or more. The only solution I know is to change to a less odorous finish. Most water based finishes have less offensive odor. I have not used all paste waxes but I know that Johnson's paste wax would not help. It has it's own odor that my wife doesn't like.


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

maybe set it outside in the sun for awhile might help all depends how sensative your familys noses are maybe next time try no voc :<)))


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

I know it is too late but I would not have used a spar finish. They are generally intended for outdoor use so Tony's suggestion about setting it outside for a while may be your best way to accelerate the process. As to the paste wax, it will actually add another delay to let that smell dissipate, depending upon what type you use. Some are largely petroleum based so you would add a whole new set of chemicals into the air while it dries.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

With the exception of wipe ons, I've pretty much gone to WATER BASE poly for indoor furniture.

Setting wood out in the sun can be a heartbreaking experience ….. I don't recommend it.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

I'm trying to buy low/no VOC products, not just for the smell, but for the dangers of VOCs, especially in kids rooms. It can be 1-6 months before most of the VOCs have off-gassed. If you do move it in early i would at least try and keep windows open as mich as possible and fans going to lessen the concentration.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Would paste wax slow down the smell release, so that it's not as noticeable?

You don't want to slow down the release, but rather speed it up. I would think that 72 hours would be adequate.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

I'm with the crew questioning the use of a spar urethane. That's an oil based product that will take forever to cure and will definitely out-gas quite a lot. No way I'd take that right from initial drying into a kid's room. The amount of VOCs that still have to go somewhere is going to be insane.

Water-based finish or shellac for kid's furniture unless you have a few weeks to wait for it to cure before moving it inside. Definitely not an outdoor finish like a spar urethane.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Next time consider a low odor, fast drying, water base product. We had some left over from redoing the floors so I started using it projects, good stuff. Shellac is another option.


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## JohnMcClure (Aug 24, 2016)

Thank you all. It seems I made a poor choice and should have researched (asked you guys) first. Unfortunately much of the project is already finished and I don't think I should use a different finish on the remaining portions. I'll choose better next time.
I did see a brushable lacquer, guessing that would dry very fast, what do y'all think of that?


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

If that's a solvent based lacquer (NC lacquer) it will dry relatively fast, but not be near as durable as oil based varnish. But if it's a waterborne product labeled lacquer, it will dry fast and be quite durable.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

One other thing to consider if you're using oil-based varnishes in the house: If you have a gas clothes dryer, your laundry will smell like burnt tires during the outgassing period. This is due to the clothes in the dryer subjected directly to the combusted air in the chamber and drum. Air that has carried the fumes passing directly in contact with the flames in the dryer. You will reek of a burnt rubber smell if you wear these clothes, but fortunately the smell is gone if you wash them again. If you smell the fumes of the varnish, that's an indication that you will have stinky laundry.

I'm not sure if this is a problem with electric dryers. And don't ask how I know this!


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## RobS888 (May 7, 2013)

I used spar varnish on a mail box I installed in nov '17. It still smells inside. It is uncovered and south facing, but I can still spell it when I get the mail. So it may take a lot longer.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> I used spar varnish on a mail box I installed in nov '17. It still smells inside. It is uncovered and south facing, but I can still spell it when I get the mail. So it may take a lot longer.
> 
> - RobS888


I think thats where it gets its name, it wants to spar with you by punching you in the nose whenever you get near it.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

The answer is so obvious I'll say it one more time a bit louder  WATER BASED URETHANE!!!

Keep in mind lacquer is a toxic product so use caution.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Lacquer stinks for a long time, it takes 4-6 weeks to fully cure. I did an experiment with a lacquered wood cup turned upside down and every few days flipped it over and sniffed, it was a little over 6 weeks before I couldn't smell the lacquer thinner. It also had very little water resistance, which was the real point of the test.


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## JohnMcClure (Aug 24, 2016)

Great information guys. FWIW since I had already started with the spar urethane, I did as some suggested and left it in the garage for 3 days with the door cracked and a fan blowing. The smell was not noticeable even by my wife, who 8s typically very sensitive to such things.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

If you switch to a 'water base' poly, you will eliminate most of the smell. Almost all the smell. plus cleans up with water.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

What's done is done, time is the only cure. And a full cure takes a lot longer than dry to the touch. The kids will just have to wait. Uncured spar is soft enough to be damaged easily, but will be a sturdy finish when hard. And waterborne is blah.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I agree water-based polys have far less odor, I know shellac will seal in odors but I don't think a coat of it is a good way to go unless your finish is already dry, in addition, according to some people some of the new poly's are not compatible with shellac.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

Definitely don't put anything over the urethane. Let it cure completely and bring it inside. Next time use shellac and your kids would already be jumping on the bed!


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

> Lacquer stinks for a long time, it takes 4-6 weeks to fully cure. I did an experiment with a lacquered wood cup turned upside down and every few days flipped it over and sniffed, it was a little over 6 weeks before I couldn t smell the lacquer thinner. It also had very little water resistance, which was the real point of the test.
> 
> - Woodknack


Hmm. Sniffing the lacquer, were we? I keed, I keed! I know what you mean, with lacquer though. I made a knotty pine bookshelf that sat in the garage for a long time before it went into our bedroom. I love the smell of nitrocellulose lacquer. The wife ain't so happy about it, though.


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## avsmusic1 (Jul 10, 2016)

I'd give it a week to dry - it'll give off 80% of the odor in that time (basically all the really heavy odor) and the finish will be less likely to scrape the moment your kids hop in the bed


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## Puma (Mar 17, 2021)

I'm in the process of building book shelves and I made the mistake of finishing with Exterior spar urethane…bad idea! I'm in the process of trying to cure them (outside in the sun) hoping the smell goes away soon but I think I will have a long wait. I have 2 coats on them and I will probably need 1 to 2 more coats, just thinking making the last coats with Water based Urethane…...thinking that might seal the smell in…..sound like it might work or am I about to FIU….......HELP !


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

I've never tried it but if the spar still smells it is probably still out gassing and curing. It's probably not a good idea to put a water base finish on top of it. It is probably just going to take some time.

Personally, I would not leave it in the sun for very long. . Bad things can happen. Low humidity and a fan are the best option, IMO.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

The room elephant: Since you're doing a wipe on, I presume you thinned the poly. If so, switch to a low odder poly and you'll cut down much of the smell.


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## Banjobob (Mar 17, 2021)

New to lumber jocks. Trying to move away from poly & just used a general finish urethane which didn't seem to have a lot of odor.


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## JohnMcClure (Aug 24, 2016)

Puma, after I posted this thread 2 years ago:
I wiped on 50/50 spar/ms outside, several coats over a day or 2 IIRC. Then left the pieces in the garage for a few days. There may have been a little smell that became noticeable once it went into a bedroom, but that dissipated within another day or two.
FWIW the finish has held up perfectly. 3 kids use the project and it looks as good as ever.


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## Puma (Mar 17, 2021)

Just to be clear, I used Oil Based "Varathane" Ultimate Spar Urethane, brushed on full strength, Looks like I will need a couple more coats, would like to finish with something compatible that not (so) smelly, that will dry harder and faster if possible…....should I consider a wipe on process with perhaps a water based urethane or poly ?


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

> should I consider a wipe on process with perhaps a water based urethane or poly ?
> 
> - Puma


Do a test to be sure of compatibility, but TMK its ok do it.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

Weeks. Sorry. Fan helps as does a hot garage.


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