Hello, I'm using wipe on poly for the first time and seem to be getting a lot of visible swirl marks after it is dry. Do I need to worry about these or will I be able to buff them out on the last coat? Is there a better way to apply it? Thanks.
Put it on, wait a few minutes, wipe ot off. Wait a few hours and repeat. Repeat. Repeat Etc.... On the last coat, you can leave it "thick" and scuff it (320grit) later before you wax it OR....keep adding coats by wipe-on, wipe-off.
Good luck Rob
Now that is interesting; I have always heard that you should sand between every coat (or every two coats), but have never done it or understood what would be gained from it.
You are the first person I have heard say otherwise.
(Maybe this will start a lively debate)
Um the better way is to not use a circular motion.... Wipe with the grain and lift the rag before coming to a stop.
With Most oil or water based varnishes, it is advisable to lightly sand between coats if the surface had dried and hardened. The sanding provides a better surface that the next coat will adhere to. If the surface is hot too hard or dried, the next coat will tend to stick just fine. Most directions with these products recommend to let the coat dry thoroughly before applying the next and sanding between the coats. Sanding or steel wooling after the last coat can reduce the shine if you want a more satin finish.
Do I do this after the last coat? Will this remove the swirl marks?
What about the swirl marks? Will these come out when I scuff and wax it?
I've said the same, with a caveat.
It depends on how long the last coat has dried. Read the can, most allow a recoating "window" where you don't need to scuff sand. After the window ends, scuffing is required.
Barry
Wipe on or Gel?
If it is a gel I can't help you, never used one. If you are talking a thinned varnish, thin coats, don't try to do the job with only one or two. Four or five is better.
In any case, especially with a varnish, don't bury problems in more coats. hey will sure as hell come back and bite you in the ass later.
It's far easier to get the problem out when it is exposed rather then having to cut through three or four coats to bet at it.
400 wet-dry, wet with paint thinner.
Minwax wipe on poly.
Do it between. By the time you run the last coat on, you should have as level a surface as you can. I've found that making the last coat the thickest is a good plan. Drag a well-wetted rag and _don't touch_ after that. This will give you a thick enough final coat to rub or buff if you want to, and hopefully not cut through and leave ghosts.
Remember that if you don't "tooth" evenly, your next coat can have holes in it as the finish draws back from the super slick areas. Make sure you can see scratches all over the surface.
if you lightly sand it may help. I have never had swirl problems. When I used wipe on rubbed it in to the project not just wiped it on. I also was using it on a walnut project so the color may have had something to do with it.
If you let it dry for a few days (verse hours), sand. If the top "skin" isn't fully set, you'll end up with a layering more in keeping with shellac (though not a total melt/co-join)
Rob
Yup, they should, as long as they're not too deep. If they're deep, sand the whole thing down and re-do it...it;s not as bad as it seems.
Good luck Rob
I've seen this on the water based poly I recently used. The basis is that if the finish fully cures and you apply another coat without sanding, poly won't make a bond with cured poly. You need to sand it to provide some "tooth" for the finish to grab onto.
Cheers, Eric
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