Frustrations with finish

[Charlie Fox]

i am making some tables out of slab mesquite, and have been applying coat after coat of General Finishes Armor Seal semi gloss (at a bout 5 or 6 coats right now). after all the initial soaking, as i get build up i get a lot of streaking, both in luster/look and i can feel the ridges a little, so i have to sand and steel wool quite a bit to get them smooth again. i have been very attentive to a good stirring before use. i have been wiping on, but also used a sponge applicator to no avail. also tried a top coat with a GF gel topcoat, but since there is a decent build up when i wipe the excess off i think i am leaving too little behind and wiping it all off, but there are still streaks anyway if i wipe off less. after reading around a bit i found a suggestion to use a gloss coat of the same finish but thinned with MS, the idea being the thinner formula will level off better.

this last thin coat "may" have done the trick, maybe will put 2 or 3 more coats on then buff it out with polishing compound.

or, i also considered a final sanding and then a nice, even coat of minwax urethane from a spray can. i think i'd get a good surface, but am a bit hesitant spraying minwax over GF.

any ideas? all i want is a smooth table top and it just seems impossible.

david

[sheldon pettit]

spraying will always give the best results in a clean environment David, if the mudwax is also a oil modified poly, then no, there will be no problems just sand and apply.

[Charlie Fox]

thanks - and i of course assume that if i need a second coat or heaven forbid even a 3rd that i need to sand again? been using 320 followed by 0000 SW.

[sheldon pettit]

thanks - and i of course assume that if i need a second coat or heaven forbid even a 3rd that i need to sand again? been using 320 followed by 0000 SW.

if you already have 6 coats on it, i would suggest you sand that as smooth as possible before spraying without cutting through to the wood of course, and apply one good wet coat of spray to the top especially, then when good and dry you can sand 320 and apply one or two more if you want or need, in the same way ok? i wouldn't use any steel wool till the last coat if your reason is to lower the sheen or other such.

[Scott Holmes]

Charlie,

General Finishes Armor Seal semi gloss is between 40% and 80% mineral spirits (MS). Therefore it's a wiping varnish. If I were to guess; the manufacturer is closer to the 80% MS, this would increase profit.

Since wiping varnish is about 3 or 4 wipe-on coats to achieve the same dry film thickness as 1 properly applied brush on coat. I would say you are going to need more varnish to acheive high gloss filled surface.

I would not recommend changing to a different varnish in the middle of the finishing schedule. Poly already suffers from adhesion problems and hoping that to different polys can play nice only adds to the possiblity of adhesion issues.

As for steelwool...

I say never use steel wool between coats.

Reason #1 you will leave shards of steel wool behind; then you will top coat it. Now you have steel wool IN your finish, when water vapor get to it, and it will, it will RUST - IN YOUR FINISH.

Reason #2 Many steel wool products have oil to keep them from rusting so now you have oil on your surface... bad idea.

Reason #3 Poly does not stick well to itself or anything else for that matter that is why they tell you to sand between coats. Steel wool abrades the finish; it does not give enough "tooth" for poly to adhere well. 220 sand paper 320 at the finest.

[Charlie Fox]

arrrrrrgh. so frustrating. i do wipe thoroughly with MS after using steel wool. Scott we are close, just 15 miles away or so, what would you charge for an hour or two of tutoring if i drive there with the project? these types of tables will be my main project for several years so this is a rather focused area i need to understand.

[sheldon pettit]

I totally agree that steel-wool should never be used in-betwen coats of finish, only after the final coat if one wishes to adjust the level of sheen, As to modified alkyd poly's, i have no fear or using different brand over each other as to those i've tested, which should be common practice to do so, as to sheeting or delamination or peeling. Then again this is after each has cured, not the same day or week etc., 30 days and with good abrasion by sanding between them. Though i do think it's a great idea to go to Scott's since your so close if he's wiling to do so!!

[Scott Holmes]

Charlie, I sent you a Private Message (PM) give me a call. PM are up at the top of the screen under notifications next to your name.