DEFT: Betwen coats - Sanding? Steel wool? Synthetic Abrasives?

[artfulasian]

I'm going to make a bookcase in the near future. To match the finish to other cases I have, I am going to finish it with my favorite finish, Deft.

In the past, I've applied Deft in three coats, using steel wool between coats.

Is there a better way for me to smooth out the finish between coats? What's the best thing to do to smooth out the final coat?

What about these synthetic sanding blocks?

Thanx in advance.

[dadiOH]

I like Deft too, never smooth between coats (I usually apply four) except the next to last. No point in doing so. Depending on the wood, I might sand the first to knock off wood fibers but not usually. _______________

Whatever does the job you need doing. Anything flexible (steel wool, sanding sponges) will conform to the shape to a greater or lesser degree. Sandpaper on a hard block will "plane". Sandpaper on felt is twixt and between. _______________

One point...let the lacquer dry *well* before sanding. That means a couple of days. Otherwise, you'll be smoothing both thick and thin areas to the same level...the "thick" will continue drying (and shrinking) and will wind up lower. Particulary noticeable on open grain wood.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[mac davis]

It should, as I remember, be just like brush or spray on poly..

I wait (that's the hard part) until each layer is hard, then go over it with synthetic steel wool and water... not really trying to put a "tooth" on, but mainly to smooth any imperfections...

I like to go over the final coat (when it's hard) with the same type wool and Johnson's wax...

mac

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[SonomaProducts.com]

I spray a lot of lacquer (I sprayed 4 pieces this last weekend) including Deft when I get stuck on the weekend and have to buy at Home Depot (they used to carry NC lacquer but sadly no more.) The technique I use is as follows. .

1. I spray with Deft, thinned by 25-30%. I know they say don't thin Deft but I do.

1. An hour later, I sand, by hand with a 1/4 sheet of 320 or 400 folded over using my flat hand. Try to go very lightly and very careful on sharp corners. just sand to flatten.

2. Wipe down with cloth dampened with thinner to get most dust off.

1. Spray again with thinned material.

2. Next day (or later) rub out with 0000 steel wool with just little dabs of wax on the wool. Too much wax is a pain to buff out.

1. Let dry until hazy, maybe 15 minutes and buff with a terry cloth hand towel.

The thinning does two things. It speeds up drying and allows me to lay down a wet spray that will flatten nicely withouth laying down so much lacquer that I have a piece that feels like plastic when I'm done. I love lacquer but I don't like it when it's too thick.

[Leon]

Since the last coat is the coat that you are actually going to feel, IMHO no need to sand between coats. Do however lightly scuff the surface with fine steel wool to lend a better surface for the following coat to stick to. If you absolutely feel the need to sand, do it on the next to last coat.

[Prometheus]

I used some foam pads that were about 1/4" thick today that has abrasive on the back (marked "Fine", not a grit size) to sand about 50 cabinet doors before a second coat, and those suckers work great. They are agressive enough to sand through at the corners, so we used green scotchbrite for the detail areas. Worked really well overall, and the doors look great.

[George]

You may want to consider the difference between leveling and scuffing. Between coats is your best time to level by using something like SiC wet/dry on a block and a bit of lube. Be sure to tack off well.

If you feel you have to dull the surface, the woven abrasive types do it well, with nothing left sticking into your fingers. The flexible nature of the abrasive and finger combination will follow contour, not create a plane.

[dadiOH]

It's lacquer...subsequent coats "melt" previous, sanding not needed for adhesion. Ditto with shellac.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[nospambob]

[SonomaProducts.com]

Bingo! You win the prize.In fact, I have a friend who even likes to leave the lacquer dust on the piece so it provides more solids in the next coat, helping to fill the little cracks where it hides. Thats why I wipe the piece rather than blowing it off so the cracks staye filled.