Finished my first lid--need advice on wax

[Junkmail789]

I used the minwax polyshade stuff for the lid to a hope chest. My question is what do I do for the last coat? Do I just buff the polyshade with steel wool and leave it? Or do I not buff and apply minwax paste finishing wax and buff? Or do I do both?

I used Polyshade on pine if that makes any sort of difference.

Thanks,

Matt S.

[Mike G]

Wax isn't a bad idea on any finish. In addition to anything it may add to appearance it helps protect the finish from life's little abrasions and scratches that eventually build up dull a finish.

As too whether to buff the finish with steel wool or not, or even do the full rubbing out process, in terms of protection it doesn't do anything either way so it would be entirely up to you and what you want the finish to look like.

[Sam Hopkins]

Polyshade is just varnish with color. I've been doing the procedure below and it seems to work well for me. I saw it on a fine woodworking video:

Put on first coat of varnish and wait a day If first coat still smells like varnish put on second coat without sanding. If varnish does not smell sand lightly with 320 to rough the surface and put on second coat. Wait 2 days (more is better) and sand with 220 grit to a almost level surface. I say almost because you don't want to cut through the varnish as it's still thin. Put on third coat. Wait for 2 days and wet sand with 400 grit paper to a level surface and put on forth coat. Wait as many days as you can. A month is good. The longer you wait the harder the varnish becomes. Wet sand with 600 grit and then wet sand with

0000 steel wool.

Always use gloss varnish for all the coats. If you want a satin finish use gloss for all coats and use satin for the last coat only. Satin varnish contains flattening agents. As you add more and more coats of a satin varnish it becomes flatter and flatter and muddies the finish. For polyshade I use polyshade to get my color and then I use clear varnish for my last 4 coats.

Sam