bumpy finish

[Dan Hanson]

Im finishing some cherry with waterlox. The can said sanding was not nessesary, so I didnt, now after 3 coats it looks rough. Im not expeirenced in wood finishing and now realize I probably should have sanded at least after 1st coat. should I now?
Thanks
Dan

[Prashun Patel]

Did you wipe or brush on the coats. If wiped, then it's customary for it to be rough for the first few coats as the wood absorbs nonuniformly

Try wetsanding now gently with 400grit.

[Dan Hanson]

I used disposable foam brushes. How do you wet sand, with mineral spirts? It does seem like its just starting to build.

[Prashun Patel]

I'd use a better natural bristle brush; the foam can leave bubbles if you're not extremely careful.

You take a piece of wet/dry sandpaper, and either spritz the surface with mineral spirits (or soapy water) and then gently sand the surface.

[Neal Clayton]

agree with sean, those foam brushes are crap. any china bristle brush (the ones at the borg will be labeled 'for oil based paints') will be infinitely better. don't worry about the brush strokes, waterlox dries slow enough that it will level itself just fine.

sand between coats lightly, tack cloth it, and the next coat will even it up.

also it's not uncommon for the first three coats to be entirely absorbed if you didn't use some other sort of sealer. when i do floors with waterlox it typically takes me 5, sometimes i get away with 4. if you want to save a bit of cash you can use shellac or BLO for the first couple of coats instead, then use the waterlox for the last 2 or 3.

[Scott Holmes]

What are you finishing?

You may have misunderstood the directions. No sanded required is BETWEEN coats. Poly varnishes require sanding so it will stick. Waterlox is a quality phenolic resin/tung oil varnish that does not suffer from sticking to itself issues like poly...

The wood needs to be smooth and flat (depending on the project) Light sanding with a sandingblock to keep if flat, open coat 220 paper DRY is most effecient. The wet sanding may gum up the varnish since it will nort be completely cured for 3-4 weeks.

I normally wet sand after the finish is dry & cured as a finial rub out or buff out.

[Dan Hanson]

Its cherry, I did sand it before hand with 220. I think its just starting to build as I can see a couple spots where it went on heavier and those are smoother. So you think Im better off dry sanding so I dont gum it up bad? If I do with say 220 lightly should I then wipe it with a rag dipped in mineral spirts to make sure I get all the dust from sanding?
If I go the dry route is 220 too much?
thanks for all the help guys!
Dan

[Prashun Patel]

Don't sweat it TOO much. It's hard to mess it up too bad at this point. Wet or dry 220 or wet 320 or wet 400, just rub lightly, and then use yr other hand to feel how smooth it is. Don't worry about the look after sanding; go for a fairly smooth feel.

[Dan Hanson]

Sounds good. It really looks nice, the color and depth, its just with the halogen shining on it a few feet away and catching it at the right angle that I see it. Im sure after a light sanding and a couple more coats Im gonna be happy.
Thanks again

[sean m. titmas]

the symptom is a bumpy finish and the remedy is sanding between coats.

however the root of the problem is most likely dust particles in the air and eliminating the dust will in turn result in a better finish. try to eliminate the dust by designating a room or area specifically for finishing. section it off with a visqueen curtain and keep it as dust free as possible with good in and out ventilation. the optimal choice for finishing product would be a lacquer or conversion varnish due to its fast drying time which prevents the airborn dust from sticking to the finish. if another type of finish material, with a longer tack time, is used try making a cardboard tent to immediately cover the wood following the application of the finish to keep it dust free.

[Scott Holmes]

Yes, you want to wipe the sanding dust off with a rag, damp with MS, not wet.

Don't forget the sanding block on flat surfaces, especially if you want a gloss finish. Smooth is a good trait; FLAT is what makes a gloss surface exceptional.

As I telll woodworkers in my finishing classes "a babies butt is smooth; it's not flat."

The last thing you want on a gloss table top; is smooth waves and valleys. FLAT is the answer.