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Solving Polyurethane Finishing Problems
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,
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40 Comments on “Solving Polyurethane Finishing Problems”
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April 20th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
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 1:32 pm
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 9:40 pm
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 am
I APPLIED A COAT OF POLYURETHANE AND 15 HRS LATER IT’S STILL TACKY
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:32 am
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 8:11 pm
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 9:57 pm
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 pm
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 8:57 am
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 8:21 am
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 am
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 1:31 pm
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 8:39 am
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 9:26 pm
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 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 am
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 2:48 pm
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?
April 12th, 2010 at 9:38 am
We applied about 6 coats of polyurethane and started to sand the top coat, and a white film appeared where we had sanded and will not wipe off. Its as if the poly became “oxidized” (white). Is this normal? Did it not dry enough? How can we correct this? Thanks!
June 20th, 2010 at 8:54 am
I am refinishing outdoor wood benches. I sanded down the wood with course, 150 and 220 sandpaper. I applied two coats of minwax wood stain, each with 24hrs drying time in between. I then applied one coat of oil based polyurethane and within 10 minutes it seemed to have some type of chemical reaction with the stain and it removed the wood stain color. Any ideas as to the cause?
August 17th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
how can i safely remove stain and poly varnish from an already stain and sealed armiore? i made a mistake on a door and want to remove it and leave it the way it was.
Ben Erickson Says:August 17th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Hi Joy,
Assuming your stain and polyurethane have dried, the only way I know to remove it would be by applying stripper, allow the finish to soften, scrape it off with a putty knife, clean off any remaining goo with steel wool and mineral spirits, allow it to dry, then sand and refinish. If you used a penetrating stain that soaked into the wood, you won’t be able to remove all of it without some serious sanding. Good luck with your project!
November 22nd, 2010 at 2:13 pm
sanded table top, then stained pine color, then polyurethaned. (small) area of table shows nano bubbles and
white surface areas, otherwise, no problems..please advise
Ben Erickson Says:November 22nd, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Hi Helen,
Sounds like it could be fisheye, caused by silicone contamination. See my reply to Nancy in the comments above.
November 29th, 2010 at 8:46 am
I have been finishing my wood floors and on the last coat of PU it has streaked with cloudy spots. I was wondering if I can correct this problem with out redoing the entire floor surface?
Ben Erickson Says:November 30th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Hi Julie,
Sounds like moisture might have become trapped in the finish due to high humidity, or the polyurethane itself was defective. Once the floor has cured, you could try wiping down a small spot with a rag dampened with mineral spirits or naptha (provide plenty of ventilation) to see if that helps.
May 15th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
I recently stainded a new wooden beadboard ceiling in my sunporch. After I put one coat of Minwax fast-drying polyurethane on it from a new can and brush, I noticed white spots on the surface. I tried sanding lightly with a foam sanding block, but this began sanding away the stain under it. I worked really hard to match the existing woodstain in the room and wood hate to start over. Note – it has been raining and 60 degrees.
June 9th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
I recently sanded down my coffee table and stained it I just tried to spray a polyurethane on it and it has came out cloudy in spots what can i do to fix this without starting all over again? I am wondering if it was the weather i live in st. george and it is about 90 degrees outside.
July 14th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
i have recently redid my hardwood floors and have used the min wax high build polyurethane. oil base i believe. some spots of my floor have some what thicker polyurethane spots what can i do to get this to blend in? please help me im going nuts with this project its been over 3 weeks. please help me.
September 2nd, 2011 at 8:22 pm
kids did great job in making a pong table out of beer bottle tops 1st coat of poly dried fine second coat is still tacky after several days please give a suggestion of how we can save the table
September 8th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Recently restored the wood floors 324sq feet in a old old home. I am a first time do it yourself guy, there is a 3′x 1′ area that has bubbled. I peeled it away then sanded, restained and re=applied polyurethane. The Problem now is that the Poly will not bond as it seems to be being assorbed into the wood. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
September 9th, 2011 at 10:40 am
For furniture mfg. there are more and more factory changed to PU coating rather than those old NC systems due to the durabilities to the surface. my questions is How to make the PU top coat drying as fast as NC systems ?
September 11th, 2011 at 1:45 am
I have sanded my paneling and brushed on Minwax satin finish fast drying polyurethane. It has brightened my paneling, however, when the light shines on it I see shiny spots. What did I do wrong & how can I correct it?
September 12th, 2011 at 2:00 am
Can a wipe-on polyurethan be applied over a brush-on polyurethan? Will it have shiny spots?
October 11th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
After spending hours on a six panel door, sanding, pre-staining, staining and pu’ing our doors are getting a white film, you cannot scratch it off, it is solid. It typically happens in the pu stage, the last door it happened to I put one layer of pu on, looked beautiful but the next morning my husband went to apply the second layer and within minutes he saw it turning whitish. I see another lady refered to it looking like a milky residue and that is a fair explination. What is going on? we have spent so much money on these doors and a lot of time has been put into them this has me very upset. HELP!
November 7th, 2011 at 9:50 am
I made a floorcloth and applied PU to it then waxed it after. The wax got milky and needed to be removed. I used a product for graffiti removal because it was the only thing that worked. I applied an oil based PU and now it will not dry it has been a month and the cloth is still tacky. My husband wants to dillute a drying agent and brush it over the top but I am don’t want to do anything that will make it worse. Any suggestions? I am desperate. Thanks
December 7th, 2011 at 5:53 am
hi danny, i started a cleaning job in july in a tyre shop and the front showroom has a poly floor. the guy that put it down did a really bad job, the edges are ruff and have lots of stuff stuck under the seal, there is roller marks across the whole floor, bubbles have come up and broken open and look like shooting stars all over the floor. i have stripped and sealed the floor and it will need doing again. the floor is uneven ect, ect. when my boss rang this guy he refused to come back and fix it. so i am left with a floor that is totally stuffed can you please tell me how to fix it myself
December 9th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Hello, I have found your site on Polyurethane Finishing Problems, I have Redone my Kitchen Cubords and I used minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. Next I used my Stain and followed The Instructions Putting Pre Stain on for the alouded time and Wiping; Also the same with the Stain.
Then where the Semi Problem has come up I Put the Polyurethane Let Dry and Sanded and Put a Second Coat and I had a few spots with White Marks or Streaks on a few area’s so I sanded 220 just those area’s and it is drying, but I am still seeing those whit marks.
Now I am second guessing if I should have put this Minwax Polyurethane Semi Gloss. Do I need to put the Polyurethane on for the protection?
Any help would be greatly Appreciated
January 15th, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Hello, my A,. bRANDT MAPLE DINING TABLE, BOUGHT IN 1963 HAD HEAVY POLYURATHANE FINISHED TOP. aFTER YEARS OF USE THE TOP IS MILKY LOOKING. hOW CAN i FIX IT? tHANKS FOR ANY HELP.
January 22nd, 2012 at 9:57 am
I was staing my floor, but helper mixed the stain and sealer toghther and now some of area is a milky white and stciky. Just need to know how to fix the problem. Not all of the floor got this on it.
March 31st, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Is minwax polyurethane fast drying clear gloss flammable when it’s dry? I made and a candle holder and I’m just curious of what I should put on it to get that glass like finish. Thanks
April 3rd, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Applied Cabothane water borne semi gloss polyurethane to pine floors upstairs and result was good. Downstairs after sanding properly and using wood bleach to eliminate improperly stained areas (from the past due to a moronic tenant who left stain on too long) and rinsing with water and mineral spirits, initial application of poly seemed to darken some areas again, left a pink tinge in some areas and peeled in other areas. Forgot to rinse off wood bleach with baking soda or borax. Could that be the problem and how do we correct it before reapplying poly on the oak floor?