# What do you do after your last coat of finish (urethane/poly) is applied?



## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

For polyurethane, or urethane, or other finishes of that type (including GF Arm-R-Seal topcaots etc), what do you do after you apply the last topcoat?

Do you buff? Very very fine sand? Wax? Leave as is?

Also Arm-R-Seal says to not apply wax for 30 days (before its fully cured). People follow that in practice?

Just curious on best practices.

Thx


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## mrbob (Nov 3, 2016)

OOOO steel wool with paste wax, buff, then just a coat of wax, buff.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

While steel wool and paste wax is the traditional method, I don't do that anymore. 
I have found that wet sanding with 1500 grit provides a nicer finish, and there's no wax residue to contend with.

Just a spray bottle of tap water, and a soft sanding sponge is all you need.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

mrbob has the plan. That's what I do, though I don't use polycrapithane on anything but table tops.
Bill


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Rub it out with a brown paper sack and wax.


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

What does this do, if I may ask? Even out and smooth the finish? Make it more glossy? Make it more satin-y?



> While steel wool and paste wax is the traditional method, I don t do that anymore.
> I have found that wet sanding with 1500 grit provides a nicer finish, and there s no wax residue to contend with.
> 
> Just a spray bottle of tap water, and a soft sanding sponge is all you need.
> ...


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

Same question here, how does this advance the finish? Also, are you then stuck in a cycle of having to reapply wax periodically? Thanks.



> Rub it out with a brown paper sack and wax.
> 
> - bondogaposis


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## mrbob (Nov 3, 2016)

> Same question here, how does this advance the finish? Also, are you then stuck in a cycle of having to reapply wax periodically? Thanks.
> 
> Rub it out with a brown paper sack and wax.
> 
> ...


Brown paper bags have a ruffness to them that will smooth the finish a bit.
If you wax once nothing sez you have to do it again, personal preference.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

I usually strip it and apply a few coats of lacquer…. :>/


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Don't do anything. After applying however many coats needed, I'll let it cure overnight. Once fully dry, I'll give it a very light once over with some 600 grit sandpaper,, wipe on a final coat of poly and call it done.

Cheers,
Brad


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

Also unsure how much wipe on poly (actually urethane (Arm-R-Seal)) to apply. So thick that it appears glassy smooth, or wiped off so that you see the texture of the grain?

Tough to figure out without any teaching etc.

I have not dared to leave so much on that it appears glassy while wet.


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## mrbob (Nov 3, 2016)

> Also unsure how much wipe on poly (actually urethane (Arm-R-Seal)) to apply. So thick that it appears glassy smooth, or wiped off so that you see the texture of the grain?
> 
> Tough to figure out without any teaching etc.
> 
> ...


All depends on the look you want.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

I grew up helping my dad finish wood projects, and he always left the final coat intact without any special treatments. The problem is you will always have some degree of dust knibs or overspray here and there.

The final rubbing out process makes a piece of furniture smooth to the touch, and welcoming to the hand. 
Both the wax -n- wool and the wet sanding method work, but I'd rather not deal with the wax.

In response to gargey's question if this makes it glossy? I usually spray lacquer in a semi-gloss or satin finish. Wet sanding the final coat doesn't change the sheen much. It just softens the look a bit. Semi-gloss will look more like satin, and satin will look more like a low-luster hand-rubbed finish.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

600 or 800 dry sand, very light just to smooth nibs or whatever. Then gray scotchbrite mounted on a drill sanding pad to even out the sheen. The depending on the desired end sheen, nothing, white scotchbrite, brown paper, again drill mounted. This is for tops only. Other surfaces get less of the same just to get a nice feel. Best to let cure 30 days. Never use wax. Use Meguiars auto cutting and polishing liquids if needed and finish with their sybthetic sealant - no buildup, streaks, or other problems caused with furniture wax. No concern with silicone - the finish is complete.

I I don't use oil-based poly on furniture anymore for several reasons. Prefer to spray water-based poly for that. I do still use some on turnings


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Rubbing w/ a brown paper sack removes any final dust nibs that might have settled in the finish and waxing adds a bit of protection to the finish. You can renew it periodically if you want to or not, it doesn't lock you into anything.


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## ArtMann (Mar 1, 2016)

One thing a final coat of wax does is it leaves a silky smooth surface that is a pleasure to touch. If you do wax, you will need a rigorous maintenance schedule that follows. Once a year, get an old T shirt or other soft cotton fabric and wipe or buff the object to remove dust and finger prints.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> Also unsure how much wipe on poly (actually urethane (Arm-R-Seal)) to apply. So thick that it appears glassy smooth, or wiped off so that you see the texture of the grain?
> 
> Tough to figure out without any teaching etc.
> 
> ...


Best description I've heard anyone give was something like;

Think of some teenage kid working at Denny's late at night cleaning tables wishing they were anywhere but there. Get a rag (I use cut up old t-shirts), load it up with poly (or whatever) and slobber a bunch on, swirl it around, go back and forth and all around and get it everywhere, then wipe.

Cheers,
Brad


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## Carloz (Oct 12, 2016)

After the last coat of finish i open a bottle of beer.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

> Rubbing w/ a brown paper sack removes any final dust nibs that might have settled in the finish and waxing adds a bit of protection to the finish. You can renew it periodically if you want to or not, it doesn t lock you into anything.
> 
> - bondogaposis


The brown bag trick is what I usually do, though I use alkyd varnish instead of urethanes.


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## BB1 (Jan 29, 2016)

I too use a brown paper bag. I was told paper bags have some wax within the paper and the "grit" is like a fine sand paper. The combination seems to give a really nice smooth finish. I'm pretty new to this so am sure there are many more advanced techniques. This has been working for me.


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## pmayer (Jan 3, 2010)

I buff out with the back of sandpaper which is a trick that my dad taught me a few decades ago. I guess that's about the same as a brown paper bag. If you'd done a good job at sanding between coats of poly, once you get a 4th or 5th coat on there shouldn't be much to buff out, but buffing with paper knocks down the remaining nubs and makes it silky smooth. I used to use wax, but after you accumulate a few pieces of furniture you realize that you don't want to wax all of them every year, so I ditched that approach.


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