I just tried my first few rows, and it seems like the water/polycrylic mix is not setting into the wood. Almost pooling up. Did I not mix it long enough?

Hi Paul, i rinsed the new lambswool pad with mineral spirit and it stll has oil in it afrer one day. Can I use the damped pad to apply oil based polyurethane to the hardwood floor?

I had a brand new mahogany front door installed a year ago an di haven't gotten around to staining it & sealing it. It developed some minor water stains and scuff/wear marks. How do I sand or clean it to get it ready for stain/poly?

THE BEST lesson/ tutorial

I am about to stain and finish an old wrought iron and wood garden bench. Would you recommend the spar varnish and tung oil mixture for the wood? I’m in Florida too.

I’m finishing an antique drafting table and can’t seem to get my final coat smooth. I’m using oil based, have thinned it 3:1, have a good brush, following your technique for dripping out, and am going slowly. I’ve lightly sanded between each coat, but after it dries, there’s still little bumps on it, I mean tiny ones. It’s not smooth. Any thoughts?

I am refinishing a beautiful 103-year-old dining room table. I love your videos.

I’m refinishing a 103-year-old beautiful table. Your videos are wonderful. Thank you so much!

I have been Stripping, sanding, and staining a beautiful 103 year old dining room table. Tomorrow I want to start putting on the polyurethane finish. Interestingly enough, I have the exact same can of polyurethane finish that was used in this video. I have been watching so many videos and this is by far the very best. Thank you so much.

Hi! Thank you for very useful video and great tips. I tried to do something similar, but something went a bit off, so I’m kindly asking you for an advice: I have a wooden IKEA table. Its top made of several wooden blocks, so it’s not a single sheet of wood. I dyed it using water-based dye, and covered it with the first coat of polyurethane lacquer. The thing is that after applying the first coat I can see that the surface gone patchy - some wooden blocks are glossy and smooth, and some - dull and a bit rough to the touch, where the wood absorbed the lacquer. I was going to use fine sandpaper to even the surface after the first coat of lacquer. But now I’m a bit confused as I don’t know if I could damage the dye layer on the dull patches and expose the wood, as it is obviously very thin. What would you suggest to do in this case? I was going to do at least three coats of lacquer with sanding in between.

Great content...I've used these steps exactly as described as a new woodworker and it work almost flawlessly. My issues were due to my own mistake of going against your wisdom and trying to take out wet bubbles. Learned my lesson quickly! What are your thoughts on the new mono coat products out there? I'm staining a walnut top and it a mono coat rubio product was recommended. Thoughts?

This is the only video that has put me in the correct direction when it comes to finishing poly. I appreciate your help.

Thank you! I’ve learned more from your video! Do you have a video using poly acrylic over paper collage? Again, my thanks.

I sucessfuly rejuvinated old paint brushes that had an oil base paint build up at the ferul. I soak them to the top of the bristles in laquer thiner over night. I them do the soap and water routine using a metalic paint brush comb to clean the deposits from the top of the bristles. I always store my brushes by wrapping them in a paper towel to hold the bristles together. The paper towel wicks away an moisture.

watched a few of your videos and it's the way I want to go from now on, specially this current project. So frustrated in the fast drying paints and clear coats these days. No work time at all. I bought almost everything but cannot find the mid range or high end natural bristle brushes. Seems everything is fairly thin and don't know if ox hair is ok as they seem to be most popular. A lot of "China bristle" brushes but have no idea what they really are. Trying to get a job done this week if possible. Going to try local paint stores tomorrow "Sherwin-Williams, Dunn Edwards near me) but online no luck finding anything there. Also I don't remember any mention of how to apply the same way in vertical surfaces. Not always able to apply on a flat fairly level horizontal surface like that piece you do in the video. Also once the Poly is set to tacky, can the object be rotated to vertical to do the next surface or will it cause the material to sag slightly and not cure correctly? As seen, it could take weeks to do 3-4 coats, one horizontal surface at a time and waiting for next coat. This applies to cabinets and finished furniture cabinets that have more than one surface to cover. In this case it's a 80" high by 24" wide by 22" deep cabinet with one non adjustable shelf, so have to get inside it and do the 3 inside wall surfaces along with the top inside surface and the top of the shelf surface, and of course 3 outside walls, the top and the cabinet face.. Any comments on how long to wait after an oil based stain is applied? The one I used is Varathane 1 hour between coats fast dry Ebony stain. They say apply Varathane clear an hour after stain applied but doing all the thinning for application, not sure if that changes that time.

Hey Paul. Do you have any recommendations for applying polyurethane to a wooden Adirondack chair?

Thank you! This was filled with great tips and tricks to get the finals steps of finishing my walnut dining table done right. I've had to start from scratch twice and this now has me hopeful that I'll be done this time! Grateful!

Hi Paul, I’m going to be doing stairs in my home. Unfortunately, these stairs will still need to be used while waiting for the polyurethane to dry. What do you think about just doing one side at a time? And then protecting the other side. ( we have 3 cats) my husband is worried about it being uneven by doing it that way.

Great info especially for a newly like me

As a newbie this was one of the better vids on this

Well done. Thank you for an educational and succinct video. Much appreciated.

Great video! Thank you! Cheers from the Canary Islands

Hi Paul, your teaching changed my life in terms of refinishing furniture! I am truly grateful.

Hi, i polyd (waterbased) some light blond wood and it turned it completely dark! Anything i can do to get orig light color back?

Hi, what about tips tiny puddles in very gnarled polyd wood . I used my fingernail to take bits off after first coat dried . Maybe i should not have waited but then its hard to tell what puddles are going to last (water based)

instead of using the brown paper bag method, is it ok to use somem 0000 steel wool?

18:10 Sanding Small/Medium Bubbles. Before doing the sanding, how long did you allow poly to dry/cure before? 12 hours, 24 hours, 1 week, 2 weeks?

Love your videos! I have watched this one at least 4 times, and many others. And I agree with your overall consensus that fast drying poly is truly a bad thing for us. So that being said, do you have any recommendations for poly that is not fast drying that is still available?

A terrific and informative video. I recently purchased an unfinished TV console (rubberwood - don't know much about this wood), and want to stain it (light/natural) and protect it with polyurethane. Your videos are tops! So glad I came across them. Thanks Paul.

Hey Paul, you're such an inspiration. I always come back to this and other videos you posted for not only guidance but inspiration and some "can-do" energy. Thank you very much!

Great video. Question: I need to apply spar poly to a hung door. Would I change the poly/mineral spirits ratio to make it a little thicker or a little thinner? I think there might be pros and cons to each.

Great Video! Question: When you keep the paint thinner to reuse in the yogurt containers 5:27. It doesn't matter that you are dipping the brush into dirty paint thinner when you come back to clean the brush tomorrow and later in the week (after applying the 2nd and 3rd coat) ?

Master class!

Do you have a video where you tone down a dark stain? i.e. is it better to flood and wipe one time for a lighter finish (using a dark stain) but it won't set as deep. Or tone down the stain first (via mixing with something) and do the two coats for a deeper but lighter color?

Where can I buy the natural bristle brush, 2 inches thick, that appears at the 4:43 mark in your video? Who makes it? I’ve asked all over, looked on Amazon, and I can’t find a brush like that. Thanks!

Thank you so much! This is very helpful-going to sand bubbles now! Can you do one about removing a brush hair? How to remove when it is wet and after it has dried? That would be so helpful!

I have boiled linseed oil (real, without additives/driers). Do you recommend thinning that? I was thinking 50%, then 25%, then 0% for the third coat onwards. Because I believe pure Tung oil is thicker in comparison.

Be warned that 2K poly can melt plastic containers

I know you hate no odor mineral spirits, but I have a full can of "low odor" mineral spirits, is that acceptable for thinning?..I also have a 10 year old can of turpentine.

Any tips for applying poly on a vertical surface?

Hi Paul. Thank you for this fantastic video. I am sanding back and want to coat a water based polyurethane on a table. Would you recommend the same technique you use with oil with a water based too? Obviously you would use water to thin down the product. Also is it possible to use a foam roller to put down polyurethane? I would have thought it would be a good method but you are using a brush. In your experience is this better? Really appreciate any advice you could give me. Cheers from Melbourne Australia. Evan.

Thank you so much for this video!

Fabulous video! I learned a lot! If you found you missed a small spot of polyurethane after it dries-should you fill in the spot knowing it will be sanded out eventually? Or just catch it on the next coating?

You sound like you would be a fantastic wood shop teacher. If kids these days were more absorbent and respectful I think that would be a fun way for you to “retire”

Would u use a roller for doing a wood floor? Kinda big job for a brush for me. It is oil based poly .. thanks for your help

Hey Paul, I went to your site and it says, Account Suspended. Do you have another web site? Thanks

Wondering what your thoughts are on spraying polyurethane?

I have tried to visit your website but I’m getting account suspended pop up, do you have another site or some way to download pdf etc ? Great videos, very useful. I have been working with wood for over 40 years, yet still learning stuff, many thanks

Some people have to much time on their hands😂

I am absolutely thrilled I found you!!! Your teaching style is perfect, you speak nice and slow, and you keep all directions in a sequence. Thank you so much !! I know I will learn so much from you. I’m about to turn 73 and have decided to go back to furniture refinishing!! I love it!! Your teaching and experience helps so many!’n