Solving Polyurethane Finishing Problems
Ask Danny, Flooring, Painting & Finishing, Repairs and Installation by Danny Lipford
I put polyurethane on cabinets after I stained them. Now a week later, I find oil on the surface of the cabinets, and when I try to clean it, it leaves dull spots. I don’t know what to do, or what is the problem. H-E-E-E-E-L-P!!! -Thomas
Thomas,
Polyurethane finishes should dry hard in a matter of hours and not bleed oil as yours is doing. Here are some possible reasons for the problem:
- Using an old or partially used can of finish.
- Using a can of finish that has been subjected to extreme temperatures.
- Not stirring the finish thoroughly before application.
- Applying the finish outside the recommended temperature and humidity range.
- Applying over an oily surface, or over certain exotic woods—like rosewood, teak, ebony, and cocobolo—that contain natural oils.
If you have followed these guidelines, the problem may be with the finish itself.
As far as solving your problem goes, if the finish has stopped bleeding oil and feels like it has dried hard, you might be able to even out the gloss by wiping the cabinets down with a rag dampened with mineral spirits (assuming it was oil-based polyurethane) followed by a dry cloth. Be sure to extinguish any pilot lights and open flames and use adequate ventilation when working indoors with mineral spirits.
If the gloss is still uneven, try sanding it lightly with 220 grit sandpaper and applying another coat of finish. Use a fresh can of the same finish from a different store in case the batch in question was bad. If you continue to have problems, the only alternative might be to strip the cabinets and start all over again.
Good luck,
16 Comments on “Solving Polyurethane Finishing Problems”
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April 20th, 2008 at 14:19
Hi Danny
We are having windows istalled and wonder what is more toxic to a person having difficulty breathing fibre glass insulation or foam.My wife has many alergies and we have nowhere to go while the work is being done.Is there a safer product avaiable?
Cleaning producte,strong cooking odours,smoke from fireplaces all bother my wife.
Ben Erickson Says:May 22nd, 2008 at 13:32
Harry,
There are several new insulation products that are easier on your lungs, such as wall and ceiling insulation made from cotton and foam made from soybeans. You can read more about them in our article Green Products for Your Home. If you go with foam, ask for a safety data sheet on it and check to be sure the VOC emissions are low.
June 22nd, 2008 at 21:40
I applied a PU flooring system and after curing, there were humps and cracks on the surface. What could be the reasons for these?
June 28th, 2008 at 10:10
I APPLIED A COAT OF POLYURETHANE AND 15 HRS LATER IT’S STILL TACKY
July 3rd, 2008 at 07:32
Danny, I had a hardwood floor refinished. a couple of small spots did not get the final ( 3rd. ) coat, when the finisher sanded them down and applied the material it came out much duller than the surrounding surfaces – same finisher / same product. Suggestions?
Thanks
August 23rd, 2008 at 20:11
Dear Danny, My husband applied a coat of pu to our hardwood staircase. Half of the steps came out fine but the bottom half came out cloudy (milky finish). What should we do? If he puts a second coat on it would it come out the same way or would it solve the problem? I should tell you that it is a new can of pu and today was a pretty humid day. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.
September 2nd, 2008 at 21:57
I’ve applied a coat of penetrating stain, a coat of poly, sanded with 220 sandpaper & put another coat of poly on top of that. I used a tack cloth in between each coat, also. I’m getting a peeling of the last coat in some areas. I’ve done this application many times & can’t figure why this is happening now? The only thing done differently is we used a 5″ orbital sander. Any answers would be appreciated! Thanks.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:53
Danny,
I polyed my oak floors after staining them. I did three coats and likes the results. Its been a couple of months now and I’m starting to see bubbling (white) in the seams of the floors. Can you tell me why this is occuring and what should I do to fix it? I used Min wax high build polyurethane (semi-gloss). Thanks.
January 31st, 2009 at 08:57
I recently applied water based polyurethane on a new wood floor and am starting to get white hazy spots. How do I remove these spots?
February 1st, 2009 at 08:21
Danny,
I just installed a new 3/4 inch hardwood flooring from Bruce. when we rolled our refrigerator back over the floor using heavy cardboard on the floor so we didn’t scratch the surface. We did get pressure marks from where the wheels went over the surface. Is there a way to get the pressure marks out of the surface. I heard that steam via a damp cloth and a steam iron might cause the area to swell the area. Do you have any suggestions to remove these pressure lines in the surface of the finish.
Thanks
Bill
April 24th, 2009 at 10:03
Danny,
I have installed the click-together engineered flooring in my house. We have had it less than 1 year and I’m noticing hazy white spots on the floor throughout the house. Even in areas where no liquids could be getting on the floor. The top layer of this floor is wood and I’ve read that you can sand this out. Do you know how we can get rid of these spots without replacing the floor?
June 2nd, 2009 at 13:31
i have stripped sanded and re stained a dining table using minwax poly satin finish and now i have little spots all over the top. have resanded and washed with mineral spirits to no avail. is there something i can use that will fill the tiny holes where the finish will not stick?
thank you
Ben Erickson Says:June 3rd, 2009 at 08:39
Hi Nancy,
Sounds like a classic case of “fisheye,” which is a reaction to the silicone found in furniture polishes like Pledge. It can be difficult to correct, but you best approach is to strip the table again, then clean the surface thoroughly with multiple washes of lacquer thinner followed by naphtha or mineral spirits (these are highly flammable solvents that are also not good to breathe, so use them in a well ventilated area away from sparks or open flames). Scrub the surface several times with each solvent and wipe it clean, using fresh rags each time you do. Once dry, sand the piece and try finishing it again (use a new can of finish and new brush in case silicone residue has gotten on the old brush or in the old can of finish). There is no guarantee that this will work, as silicone is very hard to completely remove. Other options are to fight fire with fire by adding fisheye eliminator to your finish (available at auto supply stores). This is basically a dose of pure silicone, which makes the whole surface one big fisheye. It is usually used with lacquer, so check to be sure it’s compatible with your finish. Option #3 is to apply several thin coats of shellac to the surface before finishing to try and seal in the silicone. If you are spraying your finish, you can try applying several light mist coats of finish to try and achieve the same effect. Finally, you can use an oil finish rather than a built up finish, wiping off any excess after it has soaked in for a few minutes. For more shine, you can apply a coat of paste wax once the oil has dried.
August 9th, 2009 at 21:26
I installed a New Bruce Urethane prefinished floor (Gunstock) and it looked terrific. My mother-in-law (bless her soul) lives with us so I thought I would top coat the new floor to seal the cracks since she often spills her food and drink due to dementia and Parkinsons. I used Bruce floor cleaner to clean the floor and top coated it with Bruce Urethane Top Coat. It dried all hazy and white. My call to Bruce and Lowe’s elicited the comments that it was my fault and I alone was responsible. Bruce suggested I try Basic Coatings IFT and Squeeky. The floor looks a little cleaner maybe… but it is still white and hazy. Any suggestions on what I can do to remove the top coat and get back to where I started. Steel wool on a buffer? Please think of an affordable solution other than sanding.
November 7th, 2009 at 10:44
I’m refinishing my kitchen cabinets with Minwax Ebony Stain and their Helmsman Satin Polyurethane. I’m getting a bit of “frosting” in the finish. Is this normal with satin polyurethanes? It appears worse with each coat. I called Minwax. They said it was moisture trapped in the stain and I should sand off the finish and wipe off the stain with mineral spirits with would remove the color. I’m well into my project. They also said it could get worse with age, not better.
Once I polyurethane and sand each coat several times, I will finally get them to look ok (the white cast is minimal), but now I’m worried they’ll start looking worse with time. The cabinets have a narrow oak frame with veneer beadboard inserts.
I don’t know if I should continue or what to do now?
January 3rd, 2010 at 14:48
Danny,
I built new mahogany cabinets, stained them with oil based stain(red mahogany by minwax),sealed with a clear laquer sealer and then put two coats for oil based poly on. After two weeks the poly is turning loose and is getting worse after six months. What to do?