How to apply a nice satin/matte wood finish

[@StumpyNubs]

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[@nonagonagon]

Love the chem lab hack. Do you know if these do a good job of mixing epoxy without creating bubbles? P.S. huge fan of your channel!

[@StumpyNubs]

I think epoxy may be too thick, but I have never tried, so I can't say for certain.

[@philippeterson9512]

As always, you are pretty much on point with your knowledge on finishes. I would like to add a couple things. Wax is also used to lower the gloss of finishes. Also, the reason you don’t see that haze as much as you would think is because the index of refraction of silica and the resin that it is in, be it urethane or acrylic, are somewhat similar. Think of crushed glass. In the air, it will look like a white powder. But when you dump that crushed glass in water it seems to disappear. That’s because the difference between the index of refraction of the glass and the water is very minimal. But the difference in refraction between air and the silica is higher. That’s what scatters light and causes the loss of gloss on the surface.

[@Beefypvp]

Is it practical to only buy gloss sealants and add silica particles or wax yourself as required?

[@philippeterson9512]

@@Beefypvp No. you won’t get consistent results, and lay people don’t have access to the right type of wax or silica. You could buy a gloss and sand through grits to get your desired gloss.

[@danielszemborski]

Wow! Using gloss on first coats then satin as a top coat is a genius way to use up extra gloss I have on hand. Thank you!!!

[@1CloudChain]

Who just has "extra gloss"? Stored properly clear coats will last a while

[@jgbcodemonkey]

Thanks for covering topics that no one else does. Your channel has the most unique, educational woodworking content on KZbin!

[@LoayOmari]

I am not a wood worker but I swear I heard every word you said dude you are just amazing, well spoken, professional, to the point thanks for this video

[@josephal2129]

The most intelligible and comprehensive talk about clear I’ve heard in my life! So much expertise! 🤩🤩🤩

[@gregoryyoung8819]

What a fantastic video! You present the material with a very direct, matter of fact, understandable way. You would be a great school teacher. From your video, I learned that I've been doing it wrong for 20 years.

[@ronnievance6177]

You consistently make my favorite woodworking content. Thanks

[@johndondlinger9943]

If I ever get the chance to meet someone who gave you a “thumbs down”, it’s on. You the man.

[@davidcarr4984]

You’ve cost me a fortune! I’ve watched lots of your videos over the last few months and I’ve been so inspired I have just started a complete refit of my workshop, new benches, some new equipment and I can’t wait to get back to it. Great videos, clear, concise, lots of facts and love the humour. Keep it up Stumpy and thank you!

[@fakingitwithstyle]

I don't think I've ever had a video show up MORE on time. I literally am about to head into the shop to apply my first coat of finish on my latest project.

[@LG-gw6xw]

Oh thank goodness. I came home after having a handyman that was supposed to touch up my scratched cabinets. He did mean well by staining every inch of the cabinets, but I came home to high gloss. I have never felt so sad over seeing a project gone wrong. My beautiful wood cabinets are all high gloss. To top it off he was very sloppy and there were lots of stain drips. I had to hurry to buff out the drips before it dried completely. Now I have cabinets with dull areas (where I fixed the drips) and the high gloss, and the scratched areas where stain was deeply scratched and still not fixed, just covered with stain. I have a big job ahead of myself but I feel like it can be fixed now. What a relief. Now I just have to find your video on how to go back and repair these areas that have no wood color in areas of heavy wear.

[@dougascoli310]

Excellent guidance on achieving a satin finish. I did stairs years back and was told to use gloss for the first 2 coats - then satin. I didn't pursue the reason why - I just thought it was to achieve a a finish that was middle ground on shine versus flat. You have given me the reason why they recommended it! thank you.

[@PatrickMichaelSpahr]

Spot on, exactly the info I needed, not being sure what to do with my tins of satin and gloss for the new floor. A few gloss coats first and if it’s too shiny , satin to finish off. New subscriber 👍

[@richragan4810]

James you continue to help me in my small woodworking business. I've just leaned so much from you!! Thank you just seems so little to say! Peace and saftey be with you and your family!

[@dadklein9500]

I watched this video about matt and satin finishes and it solved a problem I've been having refinishing kitchen butcher block countertops. Thanks I'm a new subscriber

[@SoCalRhetor]

Wow, you're a breath of fresh air. Thanks for your thoughtful explanation and for omitting the "like and subscribe" BS from your introduction.

[@bradleyheathhaysable]

The outline summary is a very nice advanced teaching tool my friend. Please keep this as part of your videos.

[@robmiskowitch6344]

You just gave me an answer to a finishing problem I have with a current project. Perfect timing for this video!

[@lgude]

An old woodworking book, The Furniture Doctor, by George Grotz, makes the point that a gloss finish can be dulled with fine steel wool. In my experience this effect is less than the result of using a satin varnish. I did not appreciate the importance of constant stirring for a consistent satin finish and that magnetic stirrer is a real find - I use a lot of shellac too and following Grotz I will often build up a finish with many coats of shellac followed by a couple of top coats of varnish if the piece will see hard wear. Great video, thanks.

[@patriciamcdonaldfortier170]

Great vid on top coats. Indeed incorporating the flattening agents while using matte poly is an important tip for a consistent finish . Shaker is a cool option ! Thanks, Stay Safe. This channel is not just for the guys who work and play in the shop ! My shop's my happy place !

[@terrym.8008]

Very informative! Where's the red wings cozy?

[@markmcintire3401]

Great info. And I’ve done woodworking for many years. I never knew this. Explains why I’ve always had trouble with poly.

[@andywhtwo000]

Thanks for the great informative video. You nailed it. I've spent the last 15 years painting cars. A few years back I'd picked up a microscope attachment for my phone to understand my finishes better. It is exactly as you discribed. A semigloss or matte finish is just a degree of micro texture added to the clear coat. It is buffable to get back much if the gloss.

[@coreygrua3271]

Brilliant in words and finish. This man blesses the world with better woodworking results.

[@gordroberts53]

Hi James. I knew that non-glossy finishes contain flats enters but had not put the whole picture together regarding multiple coats. Thanks!

[@TheTsunamijuan]

We had a air powered stirrer at the shop i worked at. you would turn the pressure on real low. most of the time, so it would stir as you sprayed. (this was a 50 gallon drum setup, to our spray guns). The other thing that often caused the deglossers to not work correctly for us, was Humidity. I got to the point I would take daily humidity readings in the building. So that i could regulate the additional additives we used for curing and deglossing. As we went through a barrel or two a week most of the time.

[@daviddura1172]

In our label printing shop, we use mostly UV light cured varnishes to top coat our labels... our matting agent is calcium carbonate used in gloss uV varnish... from gloss to matte to bumpy writable to heavy chalk writable... and yes that matting agent drops in the ink pan like it’s made of lead.... stir stir stir....great video!!!!

[@NikG603FPV]

Your tips are great. I am a remodeler and am always looking to learn new tricks and tips. I love your channel. Keep up the good work!

[@harryw9207]

Thanks for this great video. I just finished the last coat on a cedar chest lid, and used a 50/50 mix of clear and matte polycrillic 'cause I didn't have any semigloss. It worked perfectly and I got exactly the right sheen that I wanted. Not too glossy - just right. I would never have considered mixing the two products. This went on top of two coats of gloss to try to maintain the depth look.

[@Astral_Clover]

Oh my ocd mind is so satisfied with your ideas! Thank YOU!

[@ryanmcnair3451]

Magnetic mixer!!! 😀. Genius, pure Genius James!!!

[@pattiehanan1356]

Wow, I had no idea about flatiners. Thanks for the education! You're very articulate!

[@mikecurtin9831]

As always, a clear and concise explanation of how things work. Thanks very much and thumbs up to crush a troll.

[@mikecurtin9831]

P.S. I just bought a stirrer and some extra wands from your link.

[@BronwenM]

Every video I watch of yours I learn so much and find your explanations easy to follow. Thanks!

[@perrybrown4985]

I always stirred everything on principle, because I was concerned that the volatile components might have separated. From now on I will be even more diligent :-) Thank you for the insight (so many great tips here)

[@mynt4033]

This is the most informative video out there on this topic. Thank you.

[@kevinrich4637]

Thanks. Finishing my first ‘big project.’ Using General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Semi Gloss....thank you for the information.

[@murphymmc]

Good points James. Here's a test to run, put the satin finish on a couple of boards, do the 2-4 coats that most would do on one, on the other, lay down 10, 15 or even twenty coats. Then attempt to figure out at which point, if any, you see any haze.

[@capcadoi]

Very very articulate. You have a talent for teaching.

[@robertbamford8266]

Great info. A magnetic mixer. Inconceivable! And yet there it is. Thanks for the video.

[@kristianmllerbossow7187]

A very detailed and observational explanation. Much valued 💪🏻👍🏻

[@PainlessChiropractor]

Nice, clear instructions. Not cloudy at all. 😁 I miss the winged wheel...

[@tropifiori]

I usually do a gloss finish and rub out the completed polish with rottenstone and oil or wax and steel wool to get it to the level of gloss desired.

[@michaelwarren2391]

Same method I use.

[@mdbbox5660]

My first major furniture project was a coffee table out of construction lumber. I loaded it up with matte poly. I still like it even though I have a slightly better eye for detail and I've mostly moved on to hardwax finishes. Speaking of - are the differences in the sheen of a hardwax finish also due to flattening agents? Rubio Monocoat is my current poison and it's great, but it only comes in a matte finish.

[@StormLaker]

Just learning something the hard way here- I'm already two coats in on a satin finish on a cabinet top I'm finishing. I can see scratches and imperfections from my final sanding. The gloss coats are high build, and sand out nicely, and would hide these. The satin finish seems to highlight them- thankfully the cabinet I'm making is going to be a distressed farmhouse style design I'm marketing online as a one-off piece.

[@p24t]

Hey, that's my stirrer! I use it for mixing iced tea, might have to pick up another for finishes. May also pick up some plastic/glass containers that I can use the stirrer stick in, and store the finish longterm too.

[@justinjovi]

I remember when I worked in the Home Depot paint department unloading the Minwax shipments and noticing that the cases of satin polyurethane were heavier than the gloss cases. It wasn’t an extreme difference but once the vendor told me that the satin was gloss with flatteners I started to see if I could tell the difference by weight.

[@ELCADAROSA]

One other point I’ve heard often when comparing the different finishes it that the glossy finishes have more UV protection than the semigloss or matte finishes, which would further justify applying glossy coats first, than finishing with the semigloss or matte finish.

[@gregoryharmon2348]

Many years ago I refinished a walnut gun stock with many coats (I duno, how many coats can you get out of TWO 11oz spray cans?) of satin poly. The haze was thicker than the fog over London!

[@coreyromasko2836]

You are an excellent teacher. A+++ Great video sir.

[@jerthebear59]

Stumpy, with each video I watch I become a better craftsman. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I greatly appreciate you and your channel.

[@osomxl]

Great information Stumpy! I’m getting back into furniture/cabinetmaking and the phasing out of all the traditional wood film finishes has made it challenging to know what products to use. Now, if only the price of lumber would come back down, that would be awesome!

[@gilbertomanzanilla4333]

Your level of teaching woodworking is realy on the top level, so much to learn on every single video man, keep them coming💯👍

[@cobberpete1]

Very interesting. learned a few things here. my preferred finish is 'Satin'.

[@terriandkurtgrosse8628]

Your video was well done. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@vm013]

Thanks for the vid! To answer the debate of whether flattening agents only work on the surface - I have added some dry flattening agent I bought separately to plain water. I turns water completely white. even whiter and more opaque than milk. so this prolly means that satin coats in between do to have an affect, not only the top. ymmv

[@dscritter614]

A magetic mixer. U outdid yourself, Stumpy.

[@jonwick1396]

Excellent advice. Another high quality video. Clear & concise. Thank you! :)

[@ggbuck2625]

Another "trick" I've used in the past is to invert the cans of finish or paint. In my experience I get better mixing and thus better finish. The magnetic mixer looks to be a game changer though.

[@Zircon10]

No discussion of taking a gloss finish and rubbing it out with 0000 steel wool to a matte finish and then polishing it back to satin or semi-gloss using terry cloth. An application of wax will also bring a flat matte finish back to satin. These techniques have been used for years on piano finishes. Also, many sprayed finishes dry before they level out resulting in “orange peel”. These can be leveled by block sanding with a felt backer. If the orange peel is very bad start at 400 grit wet-or-dry paper lubricated with mineral spirits for a lacquer finish. Then progress to 600 grit followed by the 0000 steel wool. Rub the finish out with terry cloth or an application of wax to the desired satin sheen.

[@thomlipiczky9021]

Thanks again, James, for providing really useful information!

[@philipcook8298]

Thank you! I'm even more excited about my project now:]

[@woodbassguitars]

Yet again a very helpful video. We can always learn more. 🙏

[@patchesofgreen3832]

This was way more interesting than I expected. I should know better by now.

[@artswri]

Great useful interesting info presented in a clear, concise, and pleasant and fun to hear. In other words another presentation in your wonderful style! I never miss an vid from you!

[@jw_25]

Incredibly informative and very helpful! Thanks so much.

[@rosario5972]

perfect timing, I'm just about to apply satin finish. thank you.

[@sj_harris]

Very interesting. I have some acrylic ‘decorators’ varnish’ that purports to be matt. When I’ve used it previously, it’s actually shinier than an eggshell finish - now I know why! I think I can delete that complaint email sitting in my Draft folder :) That said, I’ve used this to my advantage and like the finish it’s given, but will get properly mixing and shaking from now on...

Best explanation on Satin finish! Thank you!

[@homebuiltacoustics8510]

Very informative! I just started using matte finishes on some projects, so this was very helpful!

[@kiwdwks]

Thank you. I always appreciate the valuable information/knowledge!

[@philshock3805]

Great topic, James! While the silica flatteners may be suspended throughout the layer of finish, I think it's only the tippy-top surface that actually matters. Just like you can reduce the glossy appearance of a gloss finish with steel wool, you can also raise the gloss level of a satin finish with polishing. It's all about the scattering of light.

[@Sunrayman123]

what size steel wool?

[@mauriceryton]

I always enjoy your videos. They are informative and helpful. How has your hand healed too?

[@delgoldthorpe4005]

once more, great information and clearly explained. Ty james.

[@timklieber6085]

I use the same mixer in my lab at work! Neat!

[@randolphmitchell6851]

No doubt a newbie question. Wouldn't you get an effect similar to satin if you simply used 0000 steel wool on your project after the final coat?

[@n8sot]

WOW!!!!!! Thanks Stumpy!!! This is great info!!!! This is a great topic that nobody ever goes into detail like this. Thanks for for all you do!!!!! Now watch for the copycat vids to come soon!!!!!!! LOL.

[@cleopaetra2010]

Thank you - Well explained and you covered scenarios

[@Garybe441]

can you explain how and why to use water to raise the grain of wood when i want to finish a desk top? Thanks

[@albertshilton5336]

Stumpy, Very informative video. Thank you. What do you think of Osmo finish? Did you do a video on this product?

[@user-fs5lc2dl7t]

Excellent explanation...Thank you !!

[@Aspiecrafts]

First of all thank you for an excellent you tube channel. My question is about the magnetic stirrer. Are you sure the motor in the mixer is strong enough to stir varnish, as I have noticed on reviews that ,that is the most regular problem with these machines. thank you

[@StumpyNubs]

I have used it to stir poly quite a bit.

[@paulhunt598]

Thank you for a good tutorial. Asking for additional input... I am using Deft brush on lacquer to finish large hope chest projects. I am staining cherry with a Min-Wax stain before lacquer. I have no provision for spraying. I don't own the equipment and I currently don't have shop space to set up for spraying. The lacquer is more forgiving in my hands than other brush on film finishes. I have never tried wipe on polyurethane. I want a satin look, but my projects get shinier with additional coats of lacquer. I have been sanding between coats and I have experimented with 000 and 0000 steel wool instead of very fine sand paper. The lacquer seems adequate durability for hope chest projects, but I would shy away from using it on table projects. Can I assume your poly explanation equally applies to lacquer? Your stir recommendation may answer part of my problem as the lacquer solids don't appear to settle between coats and I am not diligent to stir subsequent coats. I can have $800-1000 material cost in each project and it grieves me deliver decent wood craftstsmanship topped with lousy finish. I committed to each granddaughter receiving a Grandpa hope chest. I am refining my designs and construction methods. The girls tend to value design elements in their sisters and cousins' projects so this helps increase some production efficiencies, but all of 8 completed hope chests have been unique in several ways. I only have 12 more to build unless the current pregnancy proves to be a girl. I hope to get some chatter from this community that can improve my finishing skills. Grandsons have started yammering for gun cabinets. I bought the oldest a gun safe, as the hope chest commitment is taxing my shop time availability. But I would like to say yes to my 15 grandsons that would likely value a gun cabinet.

[@meanders9221]

Since the solvents present in succeeding coats of lacquer are "hot" and melt into previous dry coats, there is no need to sand between coats. For lacquer or polyurethane finishes I find the easiest and most rewarding approach (in terms of low luster and feel) is simply to use gloss finish for all coats and lastly apply paste wax with #0000 steel wool.

[@keithsr.]

Looking at my flags, high Gloss is so much clearer than semi gloss or satin . Especially on the red and the grain . I don't like how the clarity is greatly reduced using semi gloss or satin . But I also don't want that super light reflection from high Gloss. Is there any product that's super clear yet not super shiny? I also tried high Gloss first with a semi gloss on top, still dull looking. Thanks

[@wendyanderson4527]

Can I finish a wood project with two different polyurethane sheens? For instance, a table top that's been painted with chalk paint but has satin design element.

[@ThePandaProcrastinates]

Could you use the top part of a Satin finish to coat glossy, then mix and apply the Satin finish for the Satin sheen? Also doing the poly/mineral spirits mix would work as well?

[@mariushegli]

I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.

[@TaylerMade]

in nz gloss finish is dearer than satin or matte. i have queried this many times over the years and none of the sellers will give me an answer that makes sense. the most common answer i have received is that it is more expensive to make. when i explain that i know how satin is made they clam up.

[@SgtAlPowellLAPD]

How does this work with a 50/50 mix of poly/mineral spirits? Can't you just shake the mix in a squirt bottle to mix it up each time before you apply?

[@billmorash3322]

So let me get this straight. The flatteners make the surface less flat?

[@AdamSmith-fe9jf]

I’ve got a piece of furniture with a satin finish and the table lamp has left polish marks on the surface where the legs of the lamp rest. Would I be able to even out the polish marks to match the rest of the surface back to original and how could that be done? Thank you.

[@FIGUEIRINHA]

What about scratch resistance? who is more resistant? the glossy or the matte? long time ago from what I remember I read somewhere on the internet that the glossy is more resistant but I can't guarantee

[@StumpyNubs]

I think a high gloss finish may show minor scratches more than a matte finish, but I am not sure it is more resistant to them.

[@mrpoopypants9586]

Wow, I always learn something from every one of your videos. So to the point, much appreciated. Thanks and cheers from Australia. PP

[@troygoggans5495]

A couple questions and maybe you have covered this before. What is best method were applying water base Polycrylic finish and which is better sanding by hand or using a electric sander?

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

As a final sanding, I've always gone with a belt sander or by hand... whatever the method, you'll want to keep every motion WITH the grain. Anything else looks like kerf-marks left behind... Others may not see it, but I do... As to laying finish, it's going to depend on your purposes... If you're looking for as shiny as possible, spray it... reduce the stuff and put it through a proper gun... Rattle cans are okay, but to get a truly remarkable untouched and sharp finish, you just can't beat a properly tuned spray gun and compressor... If there's a need to draw out the grain, add texturing, etc... just like there are different techniques for working stain into wood, there are different techniques and methods for the finish, so... find what works WITH YOU for the end result you want. ;o)

[@Platos-Den]

Great info !! What grit sandpaper do use between coats? Any tips on doing a wooden garage door?

[@toysoldier46552]

Protip, to keep your finishes and stains looking proper and uniform take those cut off strips from your work and generally you get free "paint sticks." Wipe them down to remove the dust and you have something to stir your stains and finishes for free. Best sized ones come from 2x4 materials.

[@Sebastopolmark]

Let's recap; Use what you have except for the top coat. Thanks and as usual, very well said! !! !!!

[@johnhorner5711]

Like others have mentioned, I never apply semi-gloss or satin finishes. I simply apply glossy finish and then "flatten" it to taste by rubbing it out with a suitable grade of scotch brite style pads. This also gets off any dust particles in the same step. I prefer to have my finish be all finish all the way through, rather than pre-contaminated with silica :).

[@AdamSmith-fe9jf]

That is a great technique and a very useful tip. That’s great information. I’ve got a piece of furniture with a satin finish and the table lamp has left polish marks on the surface where the legs of the lamp rest. Can I use this method to even out the polish marks to match the rest of the surface back to original and how could I do that?

[@michaelwhitt6025]

I want to spray a satin lacquer on a whole house trim project that I am working on using quarter sawn white oak. So with the supply shortages, I can get a matte lacquer and semi-gloss but NOT satin. Could a guy buy a gallon of each and mix them one to one to get a satin?

[@SoCalKevin]

Thanks for all the very useful information!