Question - fine sanding polyeurathane finish

[Dave R.]

Hello group, I'm brand new here.

Not much of a woodworker - my main passion is cars.

Anyway, I'd like to ask for some advice on wood finishing.

BTW - if there are other groups you can suggest for this question, I would appreciate you telling me.

I have some interior room doors and some louvered bi-fold closet doors I am working on. I have stained them and given them 3 coats of Min Wax brand semigloss polyeurathane finish. I have sanded to 220 after first coat, 320 after secong coat and 400 after 3rd coat. After the final coat, I would like to sand just enough to knock down any highs caused by dust particles, without cutting into the semigloss finish too much.

I have access to up to 1500 grit. What I would like to know is what grti to start with and what grit to work up to on this final fourth coat

With that, I'm wide open to comments and or suggestions.

I wish to say Thank You in advance to anyone in the group who can offer me words of wisdom.

Dave Rehberg

[David]

get yourself maroon and gray synthetic steel wool and back them with a sanding block to get your semi-gloss look. You might need to go over it a bit with a white SSW pad if you want a bit more gloss.

Dave

[Ba r r y]

We should be asking YOU about finishing!

800-1000 should be fine, as well as white or maroon synthetic pads, if there are no large dust nibs. You can paste wax back to a semi-gloss finish, if you go too coarse.

Practice on a scrap board!

Remember, polyurethane may take weeks (or even MONTHS, on occasion) to reach full-rubbable hardness, unlike the auto finishes you're used to. If you get a lot of "pilling" on the rubbing media, WAIT...

Barry

[David]

May I be so bold as to suggest for a semi-gloss finish, it's ok to rub with the synthetics after 72 hours?

dave

[Ba r r y]

You live in an ideal finishing environment. You possibly live in the ideal everything environment. That's right, you suck!

I could get used to living in the San Jose -> San Francisco area. It's REALLY nice! I get reminded everytime I watch "Mythbusters", and they have coats on because it's _freezing_ @ 55F! I miss my winter trips to Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas, and Sunnyvale... How are the Santa Clara Embassy Suites and Westin doing these days?

Seriously, watch the pilling. If it doesn't, it's ok to rub. The finish will tell the truth. In Arizona, you can probably rub it out the next morning... In the SF Bay Area a few days, here in the northeast, weeks...

Barry

[David]

:) Hey, if it's below 50 degrees, it's unfit for anything but polar bears! One's blood DOES get thinned out after a few years here.

I think we MIGHT be able to find room in CA for ONE more woodworker.

Dave

[Walt Cheever]

My recommendation would be to apply paste wax (Johnsons or other furniture wax) with fine steel wool, then polish with a soft cloth. It gives a finish that is sensuous to the hand.

Walt C

[Dave R.]

[Dave R.]

[Dave R.]