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| Leave it to the pro. Michael Dresdner, a nationally known wood finishing and woodworking expert, has answered hundreds of common wood finishing questions in Varathane’s Q&A library to help you successfully complete your project. Click on a link to the left for help and solid advice. |
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| Q: I just put down a five coat finish with waterbased polyurethane. After three weeks of wear, there are smears here and there. What do you suggest for cleaning the floors?
A: Waterbased coatings tend to set up quickly, but cure slowly. For that reason, I generally tell people not to wash or clean the floors for at least one month. Unfortunately, applying many coats in too short a time span or too heavily can extend the cure time even longer, so if you applied more than one coat per day, you might consider leaving even more time before cleaning.
I am not sure what you mean by smearing, but if it is surface oil or dirt, any mild soap and water should take it off without too much fuss. On the other hand, if you are talking about marks in the finish due to having used it before it was sufficiently set up, that’s a much more serious problem. Let it cure a couple more weeks, then try cleaning it to see if it is only surface dirt. If not, write back and describe the marks and we’ll take it from there. |  | |
| Q: I applied three coats of oil based Varathane on a parquet floor. The first and second coat did well. However, the third coat has lots of bubbles. What could cause the bubbles and how can I prevent them?
A: Generally, bubbles in oil based coatings are caused by applying too thick a coat, or overworking the finish by scrubbing with the applicator instead of gently smoothing it on. Applying a thinner coat usually solves the problem. | | |
| Q: Is it possible to sand out air bubbles in a final coat of oil based polyurethane, and if so, how long should I wait to try to sand it?
A: Yes, you can sand out bubbles. Wait until the finish is hard enough to sand. If the coat prior to the one with bubbles was completely dry before the last one went on, it will probably be ready to sand in a day or two. You can check by pressing a thumbnail into the finish. When it does not take an impression, you can try sanding. If the finish is too soft, it will let you know immediately by clogging your sandpaper instead of powdering off. | | |
| Q: Can I sand bubbles out of floor finish with a palm sander instead of renting a floor sander, and what grit of paper should I use?
A: Yes, you can sand with a palm sander. I’d use 220 self lubricating paper. Regular sandpaper for wood will clog, but self lubricating will resist clogging. |
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