In a recent issue of Fine Woodworking, the author recommended wet sanding with Waterlox to level the surface after putting on a couple of base coats. Is there any advantage to wet sanding with Waterlox ($27/quart) VS mineral spirits ($9/gallon)?
NO. That will leave you with sand in your finish. It works with BLO, where you wipe it off immediately, but Waterlox has varnish resins in it. They could/would dry with the sanded crap embedded in them.
If you're getting brushmarks in your Waterlox, you're rebrushing too late. Use the proper brush size and learn to work very wet if you want to brush. It self-levels quite well.
It's a very liquid medium. I almost always wipe it on. This requires more coats but doesn't leave any brushmarks. Nor does spraying. I recommend either of these methods for Waterlox.
To denib between coats, I use dry 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper. Brown paper bags work well, too. Lightly grasped scraper blades held vertically can work if you're meticulous about it. (File and hone the scraper, but don't burnish up a burr.)
-- Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Thanks for the info.
No brush marks. I am, as you say, working it very wet. I settled on 2 coats as a base before leveling. After leveling, I am wiping it on. Beside the problem you mention (which hadn't occurred to me), it seemed a waste to use such an expensive product as a lubricant. I didn't notice any grit on my test board, but a test board is one thing and a 10 square foot panel is another.
I haven't tried it with Waterlox, but I imagine the author is after a grain filling effect, resulting in a smoother finish than just using solvent.
Don't see how he'd get any grain filling to speak of after the base coats are already on (and presumably?) dry.
I've not used it so don't have any specific experience. I'd guess one advantage would be if it isn't fully cured yet, the additional finish wouldn't be so likely to dissolve the first layer.
I looked at the Waterlox site; they do recommend touchup to knock down high spots but don't mention wet/dry/wetting agent at all that I can tell, leaving you on your own.
Having not ever been anywhere that the products were readily available on the shelf, I wasn't aware that it's actually not a wipe-on finish...
I can't see it would hurt w/ the above caveat. Clearly, as w/ all finishing experimenting, try on a sample board similar to the project instead of discovering a problem on the project itself.
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Because base oats do not always fill the grain completely, there is still indentations at the grain and in particular with red oak.
Jewelcome.
It's extremely well behaved at leveling itself. You're not working in
90+ temps with a fan, are you? "So, if there are no brush marks, what in the blood 'ell are you leveling?" Larry wondered aloud, with huge, variously-colored question marks floating around his head.Yes, another very good reason NOT to do that. What author?
You betcha. Wiped on, Waterlox dries to the touch in under 15 mins. Brushed, it could take half an hour, but not much more.
-- Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Here's the article. I have no idea what he's after but I disagree with it. I do agree, however, when Waterlox states "Waterlox: The last and only finish you will ever need. ;)
It's a direct link so I couldn't tinyurl it. I hope the GT/LT work.
OK, what Michael is calling "leveling", I call denibbing. It most certainly does not need to be done as he does it. I do it dry. I'd love to find the 600 grit paper he uses, though.
I call it leveling when the brush you used on the paint/finish leaves physical hills and valleys which show in the dried product. That has to be physically leveled by scraping or severe sanding and recoating.
He also apparently believes that there need to be about 25 coats of Waterlox on the wood for a protective finish. There don't. 6-8 wiped or 3 brushed coats put on plenty of finish unless you want a piano finish, where I'd use 50 hand-rubbed coats of sprayed lacquer instead of Waterlox. (I prefer satin gloss, so I'm easy.)
LJ--the Waterlox Junkie
-- Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
I saw an article a few years ago that recommended doing this. Except the process outlined was much more involved than what you refer to. It included the base coat and the wet sanding, followed up by about six more coats, each sanded flat with finer and finer grits.
I have used this method and the finish makes a baby's butt look and feel rough.
Deb
I get 600 grit at Autozone. 1000 & 2000 grit, also.
Try the automotive outlets.
Sonny
I guess denibing would be a better term. I used the term used in the article. Temp is low 60's which is barely high enough according to the Waterlox web site.
Michael Pekovich
Thanks, Sonny. I'll check it out. 1200 grit popped up at NAPA a few years ago.
-- Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
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