Never too late to start. Sand the Surface. . He’s been having quite a problem, (and I’m sure customer complaints) because he has been leaving bubbles in the last coat of polyurethane. I have broken it up into 4 segments or so per your diagram of the 40″ long table above.. but am having problems with drag marks where the strips overlap (for instance between 1 and 2). The open pour method does not involve any special equipment. Here’s my COATING RECOMMENDATION based on typical usage. Thick coats take longer to dry and are more likely to be uneven and attract dust. Just keep repeating the above process until your get to the desired thickness. Any recommendations? I’m sure that, like me, you have tried and failed to get poly to lay down without the streaking or the bubbles. Sand Paper, Finish Brush; Thinning Agent, Tack Cloth This will reduce the chance for bubbles to form and be applied to the wood surface you are working with. It will help the wooden floor become fresher and allow the polyurethane to attach with the floor firmly. Applying polyurethane to wood floors without bubbles can be a time-consuming task that requires multiple steps. Mixing polyurethane. best . Stir the paint before applying each layer of coating. This can easily be avoided. It makes your wooden floor ready to apply polyurethane coating over it. Paint brush bristles are thin and stiff. paul. Varnish clear coats are made up of resins that seal surfaces. best . . . Keep your children and pets away from the polyurethane-coated wooden floor at the time of coating. Air in polyurethane tends to get trapped and in the end creates bubbles on our surface. Hey Gator. It requires the most effort and is, by far, the most time consuming. . Soak your brush in water(for water-based polyurethane) or mineral oils (for oil-based polyurethane). Yes. Read More On, check out my other article about oil based coatings, Best Microwavable Dishes : Top 7 Microwave Safe Dinnerware of 2021, Best Shower Sponge & Loofahs: Top 10 Skin Exfoliating Bath Sponge Loofahs, Top 10 Best Chair Mat for Hardwood Floors Protection (2020 Updated), Top 10 Best Bathroom Exhaust Fans with Light and Heater of 2021, Top 7 Best Exhaust Fan for Kitchen of 2021 | Ensure Proper Ventilation, Best Vacuum Sealer for Home Use | Top 6 Picks of 2020, 5 Best Polyurethane for Hardwood Floors Reviews 2020 | Top Picks & Guide, Best Shower Cleaner for Mold and Mildew Reviews for 2020, 10 Best Power Recliner Reviews of 2020 & Ultimate Buying Guide, Top 5 Best Door Stoppers Reviews to Buy in 2020 with Buying Guide, How to Use Ladder Jacks by Minding Safety Concerns, How to Fix Gouges in Hardwood Floors | 6 Effective Ways, How Does Wood Glue Work to Join Woods | Exploring Different Types, How to Make Wood Glue at Home for Minor Fixes & Crafting. . It’s simple, yet effective. .paul, Woah! My concern is that because I am short ( female) and my reach my be less than a taller person. best . They took all post-production annotations off all their videos a year or so ago. Typically, bubbles in your varnish are due to three main factors: air, dust, and moisture. I then go to the sink and wash thoroughly with dish soap and water using a scrub brush to comb though the bristles. It’s for a table top for an office desk so I will go for a can of poly, though I’ve just been watching a rewatching all your videos before I get started. Apply a very thin coat of polyurethane with a fine brush, foam pad, or cloth. Phenol resins leave a more flexible finish that is typically use in outdoor applications and marine vessels. Once done GENTLY pour 3 parts poly into a separate container. Applying Polyurethane Correctly – The Feathering Strokes – Gently run your brush from one edge to the other until all eight rows are feathered. Begin coating from the far side of the room and coat the whole room with a moderate speed. Apply the polyurethane with a rag instead of a brush as an alternative. The poly video was my first attempt and I never thought it would get up to 850,000 plus views. I’ve watched the two videos on prepping new wood for stain and poly. as you work, shine a light at a low angle across the surface. Let’s assume we are finishing a 20″x40″ vanity top and your brush is 3″ wide (the procedure is basically the same for all surfaces but this is the easiest to describe). At no time should a good finish job become apparent. The slab has been tottaly dried and finished with fillers to correct the voids. I’m having two problems with that last coat. Read More On Affiliate Discluser Page. Not to hard to remove the polyurethane, you just want to remove the bumps. Thicker surfaces provide more protection but thicker surfaces are best achieved by applying multiple thinner coats. Before applying polyurethane make sure your surface is dust-free. It will run somewhere around $20 but with proper care will last years. Hi Paul, I do love your web site, it is informative. To reveal flaws (bubbles, brush marks, etc.) Thanx for the positive feedback. Old wood or leveling a newly DIY project is the physical part. They are hyping their product. It is immaculate but hard to keep clean looking. They need polyurethane finish to stay strong. I wish YouTube would somehow let you edit the video. It is important to clean the wooden floor before adding another layer. (You can use a natural bristle brush with oil-based poly, but keep an eye out for loose brush hairs.) Because we had used gloss on the first two coats, will this third satin coat be any shinier than if we had used three coats of satin? Synthetic bristle brushes. As an option, you can watch my YouTube video “Bubble-Free Polyurethane Application Technique” where I visually demonstrate the correct steps to assuring a quality finish. Would you ever recommend a 10″ lambs wool applicator with a feather brush treatment to eliminate bubbles? This type of tribal knowledge seems to be passed down less and less and I’m afraid it will vanish all together. Personally I don’t polish unless I start my projects with grain fillers. And on new floors I want to level the boards quickly and easily. So here’s where we apply additional coats. Remember finishing is about accentuating the surface below. After mixing Parts A & B together, simply pour the resin into a properly prepared mold and allow it to cure. If your compressor expresses WET air it will actually drive water deep into the wood and may prevent the proper application of oil-based poly. Nylon repels water. Ox hair by itself is too soft and a lesser quality hog hair too stiff for a truly smooth finish. How to apply polyurethane wood floors ask the home flooring pros how to apply polyurethane on hardwood floors you how to apply oil based polyurethane without the pits and bubbles wood floor refinishing tips complete expert guide. It is a water based – oil modified Minwax product. Polyurethane is a class of varnish. Teak is a beautiful wood and depending on how fine of sanding you want to do an oil finish or an oil/varnish combo would be an eye popper. This is an extra precaution step and something new I demonstrated in my video “Bubble-Free Polyurethane Application Technique”   that adds an extra layer of security. GENTLY using a mixing stick stir the poly until you feel there are no lumps on the bottom or in the swirl. Best to contact me on YouTube. Your application environment should be free of most dust and your project should be free of all dust. You can also use water in the cleaning process as you are applying water based polyurethane on the floor. paul. An exceptional quality brush is extremely dense and feels like fine fur. Use the machine’s user manual for perfect operation. GENTLY dip your brush into the poly. This means only touch wet paint that you’ve just painted. A friend recommended finishing by wet sanding and then using Renaissance micro-crystalline wax polish to finish. Keep a wet edge. Manufacturers advertise that they have a “ONE COAT” product. Welp, lucky you because this man’s instruction has literally changed my life with regard to finishing. I must say you’ve dohe a amazing job wityh this. Is this necessary. Another option is a product called Monocoat that is also flawless but its reeeeeeally expensive. Hey Paul! Now I have 3 coats of oil based high gloss polyurethane on the chairs and 6 coats on the dining room table. Notice that the middle of the 40″ strip where you first set your brush down has a little heavier puddle of poly. Hope that helps. Once done GENTLY pour 3 parts poly into a separate container. Hopefully this is NOT THE END but A GREAT FINISH!! Once done leave it alone. Water-based polyurethane is not as thick as oil-based polyurethane and these liquids take less time to dry then oil based polyurethane. Thanks for sharing your expertise. Hope that helps. Whats people lookup in this blog: How To Apply Polyurethane Wood Floors Without Bubbles Hi Vicky. ]]], Hey Pat. Once done, GENTLY remove the brush and GENTLY drag it across old newspaper to dry it out. Once the surface is level, usually done with an 80 grit paper, each step moving higher in grits gets quicker and quicker. paul. Note: Paper with a … Thanks for your excellent video and complete directions and hints. Bonus tip: If all else fails and find you are still struggling with removing bubbles from your castings — 11. . Covering it with wax could retard or stop curing altogether. The lower the grit, the deeper the scratching. Problem two is that I got a lot of dripping down the edges of the counters when brushing it on at full strength. Spray can stuff is best for very small projects. Should I use a 3″ or do you think 4″ would be better. Hi Paul. Think about a kid blowing bubbles through a straw both in water and then in milk, what happens to the bubbles? How Long Does Wood Glue Take to Dry Entirely? GENTLY mix the two together. Hi Paul, If you haven’t applied a lot of polyurethane I recommend oil based poly. For water-based polyurethane you want to use a nylon brush. The theory is that there is air trapped between the bristles of the brush and the ferrule (the metal retainer between the bristles and the handle). Most regard European Ox hair as the gold standard for an ox hair brush. That’s why I am putting emphasizing on coating the corners separately. Just wait until the bubbles cease. For water-based polyurethane use a synthetic brush which is most frequently nylon. Avoid all temptations to overwork the coating. The coats were laying down so nicely that I thought I’d give it a shot. I’ve avoided poly for so long that I’ve gotten pretty good at polishing wood with sand paper into the 4000 grit range and steel wool. Moreover, pouring all liquid into one pot will assist them to mix properly. To download a 2 page summary of my click on “Polyurethane Rules, Tips and Paraphernalia” PDF, Well that’s it  . . Thank you all of this information has been helpful. Tweet on Twitter. After securing the corners, use a renowned T-bar applicator for polyurethane to apply the first coating on the floor. That said, I would recommend oil poly for a few reasons. In this article, I will discuss how to apply water based polyurethane to wood floors. Lacquer dries within seconds and can be re-coated without sanding between coats. You need to coat three times with water based polyurethane. So, again, thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with the world. The last three were full strength. Its more forgiving. An Incorrect operation could lead to wastage of time and money. I’m excited to give this a try and I very much appreciate your detailed and informative videos that have inspired me to take this on. As you start to see a slight white liquid wipe it as you go. A word about air compressors: Air compressors are notorious for accumulating condensation. paul, Your email address will not be published. Painters and furniture finishers hardly ever apply polyurethane with a roller because of its propensity for forming bubbles. It will run $40-$60 but will last a lifetime (with proper care). Instead stretch out the puddle left in the middle. One – it’s hard to put on thin without runs and even after brushing out my runs they started forming again as it dried near the ends of the countertops. Hi Linda. Apply sanding considering the condition of the floor. . Just put fingertip pressure on it. What technique do you recommend? Sanding tears out chucks of wood fibers. . It also softens the bristles assuring a better application. A: In my opinion, the air bubbles that have appeared after the last coat of finish (I call them fish eye bubbles) are not necessary, and not likely the fault of the person applying the polyurethane. paul. It is been re-sanded and ready to go. Could I try a 4″ to speed it up? best . The best advantage of using Polyurethane finish is that it comes with quick drying time and has nontoxic formation. A light mist knocks them out. . Also if you are going to spray from a can go with lacquer and not poly. Polymerizing the tung oil helps it dry faster (overnight) so it’s not tedious like pure tung oil. paul, My project is a black walnut slab dinning table. I promised a novice floor guy in New Jersey to write this article. Polyurethane out of the can is extremely thick and hard to apply without incidents of bubbling, puddling or running. Natural bristle brushes. Share on Facebook. First coat, second coat, third coats they’re all the same procedure. Just follow the instructions on my pages here or watch my video on YouTube “Bubble Free Polyurethane Application Technique”. Anyway for those who prefer the written word I will give this my best attempt. But, once you master this art, you will be able to save lots of your valuable time and money. (Bad pun sorry), appreciate the thoroughness…helpful tips from your experience…thank youComment, Hey Dennis. the blog loads very quick for me on Firefox. That’s three parts polyurethane to one part solvent. If your table is for outdoor use a spar varnish is best. best . Sorry, I know this is lengthy but I think you’ll find it an especially relevant and a thorough step by step procedure for applying polyurethane properly. Let me know id I can offer any advice. Adding the varnish allows you to stop sanding at 220 as the varnish fills the minimal scratches left by the 220. best . I go back to feather it and sometimes make it worse. best . Also – I am using a 2.5″ brush and it is very tedious. How can DIY'ers apply oil-based polyurethane without causing these bubbles? – If you are searching for the answer to these questions then you are in the right place. Usually, water based polyurethane is thin but never mix any other liquid with it to make it thick or do not provide any kind of heat to make it more condensed. Anal? Cleaning is very important to get a beautiful topcoat. Use the vacuum machine to clean all the dust and unwanted small particles from the floor. Hey Pete. Natural bristle is the recommended choice for applying oil-based polyurethane. After vacuuming the room, clean the floor with white vinegar and turn the fan on to let the room dry quickly. Rent or buy a medium-size sanding machine to start the process. Thanks so much for your website! There’s a big difference between a paint brush and a finishing brush. . Hi Paul, I am refinishing a long table and need suggestions on brush stroke techniques. Finish brushes delicately lay on a thin clear coat to accentuate the surface below. How to Apply Polycrylic without Streaks, Brush Strokes or Bubbles How to Avoid Brush Strokes and Streaks. She makes her plan in her head and draws them on her years-old dairy with a note in the corner. paul. Thinning the polyurethane makes it flow on more smoothly and reduces brush marks. Carefully clean all the corners of the room so that small objects like hair, cotton etc cannot stay in the room. Therefore, you will have to apply a few more coats than you would have if you used the finish without thinning it. You need to finish with a 180 grit minimum but I prefer to finish at 220 grit. I’m using a basic China brush? Carefully follow this guide on how to apply water based polyurethane on hardwood floors to complete your next DIY projects. I use an air compressor, with a water filter, and then follow with a good TACK CLOTH WIPE-DOWN. Deep reflective (baby grand piano or custom show car finishes) come from perfectly level surfaces. Love your feedback and always happy to answer any questions I am capable of answering. Stir the Can Prior to Use and Take Your Time Resist the temptation to shake the polyurethane prior to use. This step is necessary to achieve a durable coating. Also, . Now here’s an important step. You are either going to have to speed up your application or switch to oil. 220. best high gloss shine of consumers applying polyurethane Correctly – the second just. And my reach my be less than a taller person the applied poly have questions or comment if are... To a 320-400 grit range measured in grits gets quicker and quicker are all over the internet as methods! Resin into a separate container dust and unwanted small particles from the far back row good finishes go.... 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