Wood working question..

[BellyUpFish]

Hey guys-

I'm trying to get a smooth, glassy like finish on a piece of 1/4 ply.

I sanded it multiple times and I've put a couple coats of clear semi-gloss polyurethane on it and it feels "fuzzy."

Is poly the wrong product or do I just need more sanding and coats?

 

[ddawg16]

I always plan on a min of 4-5 coats

Steel wool on the 1st coat or two...then 400 grit paper between coats.

I assume you're using a foam brush?

Slow and easy. Make sure everything is real clean.

 

[Chris705]

Clean Between sanding with the tack rags.....

 

[Voi]

Hey guys-

I'm trying to get a smooth, glassy like finish on a piece of 1/4 ply.

I sanded it multiple times and I've put a couple coats of clear semi-gloss polyurethane on it and it feels "fuzzy."

Is poly the wrong product or do I just need more sanding and coats?

If it's a waterborne polyurethane you're probably just raising the grain.

What is the veneer species on the side you're trying to finish? Rotary or plain sawn?

 

[BellyUpFish]

I was just using a cheap bristle brush.

I'll sand and apply a few more coats.

 

[BellyUpFish]

If it's a waterborne polyurethane you're probably just raising the grain.



What is the veneer species on the side you're trying to finish? Rotary or plain sawn?

That's what it feels like, like it raised the grain.

No idea on the species. Just a cheap piece of 1/4 ply from HD.

 

[rlitman]

I'll sand and apply a few more coats.

At this point, that's your only option.
Ordinarily I'd suggest you use a wax free shellac sanding sealer before the first waterborne coat.

 

[Angelfire]

Assuming your poly is waterborne, here's what I typically do in the rare instances I use waterborne. I sand right on up to about 250. Then I wipe the wood with a wet rag and let dry, then sand again. Usually this is enough to prevent further raising. Often, I'll put a spit coat of shellac on it anyway just as a failsafe, then proceed to the finish. Since you already have started the finishing, I'd just sand after every coat with 200 until it smooths out. Then I'd probably be hitting it with 400 or better between coats until you get the depth you're after. Most folks do around 2-3 coats of something and call it good. For fine furniture, that number can rise into the teens very easily. All depends on what you're after. Personally, I prefer to get a nice, clear sheen but not overly thick that causes a "plastic" look if that makes any sense.
Cheers.

 

[2level]

I'd stay away from steel wool and use 400 between coats. Lighty 'float' the 400 paper over the surface, if stained, to keep from ruining the stain job. For a glassy finish, try 4-7 thin to med coats. A good brush (the denser foam brushes work good too) and an even application are key, along with no dust in the air or surface.

 

[legenddc]

I usually sand it very lightly by hand with 400 grit after I stain it if it feels rough. After that I use 400 grit by hand between layers of Poly.

 

[Cyberbear]

I once owned and operated a custom woodworking shop for 27 years. I've actually used very little polyurethane because of all the inherent problems and amount of time and labor involved, unless the customer insisted on that type of finish.
The first impediment is using cheap HD plywood, I'm guessing you chose Douglas fir, which is extremely difficult to achieve furniture grade results with. No matter what is used, the grain must be raised after initial sanding, otherwise the poly will accentuate the "fuzz" from sanding. Also, DF is a coarse grained wood with obvious hard and soft places within the grain itself, which requires a lot of effort to make flat. I usually coat such wood with a diluted coat of poly to act as a sanding sealer, after my initial sanding and grain raising. Once the final finish coat of poly is down, cover the project with a cardboard box, or something similar, to keep the dust in the air from ruining the finish.
I can only guess why you chose poly as the desired finish, but I've always opted for lacquer sanding sealer and bar-top clear finish. Today this is considered "old school" but it's always worked well and has won me awards for my woodworking projects. Also, a sprayed on finish will make things much simpler.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Excellent advice guys. I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

 

[Corsair4360]

My experience even with baltic birch, which is much denser than Douglas Fir is that at least 4 coats are necessary to get to a glossy finish, sanding very gently after each coat.

Doug Fir is not easy to finish, as Cyberbear noted it is a interesting contrast of hard dense (summer wood) and spring wood which is very much not dense or hard. It will finish up nice, but multiple coats are required.

 

[JMartel]

Once you put your final coat on, don't sand any more. Leave it for a week for it to cure, and then you can buff a wax on top to make it even smoother and shiny.