Polyurethane dries slowly, so there are always dust nibs that should be sanded out before the next coat is applied. To do this, I usually used compressed air and blow off all parts of the furniture to remove the dust. Use the pad to buff the finish to a high shine with automotive paste wax. You can read more about Adam here. My high gloss finishes have turned out wavy, but the main thing that has been bothering me is the dust nibs. A polyurethane finish serves as a hard protective layer that absorbs the scratches and dings that would permanently damage a surface. Be sure that the rag you use is clean, dust-free and lint-free. Danish oil contains oil with some varnish, and thinner added. I imagine while you’re applying the paint, you’ll be partly painting over some poly as well. Finally, using a soft cotton rag or polishing pad, buff the finish to a high shine using automotive paste wax, photo below, which has fine abrasives that polish the finish even further. So it’s no wonder devilish dust nibs haunt our fresh finishes. Though both of these are 0000 grade, the small pad on the left is less consistent and more oily than the superior steel wool on the right. 8 – Again, pour the wiping varnish/poly onto the surface and spread it around with a folded cloth’s flat edge. Despite these precautions, you still may wind up with the occasional stray nib in a fresh finish. It’s easier to clean up dust as you go than to remove it after it builds up on everything. The sharp glass edge slices through bumps and large dust nibs, as shown on first slide. How do you get brush strokes out of polyurethane? Finally, using a soft cotton rag or polishing pad, buff the finish to a high shine using automotive paste wax, photo below, which has fine abrasives that polish the finish even further. Note especially tip on using brown paper for this! Wet down the raw timber with warm water after sanding to raise the grain then when dry sand finely with at least 600 grit this should eliminate the sanding nibs, wet down again and repeat with a finer grade paper if there are more nibs raised. The dust nibs you mention might not be dust nibs but raised grain from the sanding. 5. He considers himself a 'Small Shop Woodworker' and practices his hobby in his garage. Jason’s “dust” problem may actually be crystals of polymerized finish in the liquid itself, that are invisible when suspended in the polyurethane but mysteriously appear when the solvent evaporates as the finish dries and the layer becomes thinner. If you want the smoothest finish possible, then wait until it is dry, very lightly sand with very fine paper (220 or finer) to remove any dust bumps, wipe it clean with a slightly damp cloth or tact rag, let it dry or buff it dry with a dry cloth, then apply the next coat. You still need to keep your work area and the finish you’re using clean. It’s kind of messy, and I always end up getting it splattered around a bit. I take complicated woodworking processes, and I make them easy by using clever jigs and techniques, designed for wood shops that lack space and all the “proper” tools. Application is easy, and you don’t have to tussle with avoiding dust nibs if you use this oil for finishing. If you want the smoothest finish possible, then wait until it is dry, very lightly sand with very fine paper (220 or finer) to remove any dust bumps, wipe it clean with a slightly damp cloth or tact rag, let it dry or buff it dry with a dry cloth, then apply the next coat. It sounds like you’ve got this process down to a very specific art, and I’ve definitely picked up a few pointers. I definitely have some dust nibs in the last coat i put on. Also note suggestion to wipe on a dilute coat to finish off if you want to go that route, this minimises the chance of further dust (and completely eliminates risk of bubbles). I take a different approach. Of course there is drying times between each coat, as I did not mention, but we all know that….hopefully. Dust nibs are really noticeable in a finish. When the finish hardens, you have to sand them out and apply a new finish. 10x sheets of 400 grit wet & dry paper https://amzn.to/2D9Edzm (UK) . Brush marks and patterns from spray application will leave an irregular surface which is noticeable, particularly on gloss finishes. When the going gets rough, use these strategies to smooth things over. Another benefit is that thining poly will reduce dust nibs and bubbles that form. I sand between each coat very lightly to a smooth finish with progressive grits of 150, 18o,220,320 and 4oo. Brush out bubbles in a fresh polyurethane finish. Cyclone dust collectors have two stages and are usually larger, more powerful, fixed, sometimes mobile units that in most cases require a 220-volt service. I hope that makes sense! That’s a normal part of the building process. How Do You Smooth the Final Coat of Polyurethane? Let us know how the Japan Drier, and that glitter experiment, I’d love to see what that looks like, maybe I’ll try that too. Do you think that is advisable for my project? Dust can still get stuck in wiping varnish, but because it is thinner this is less of an issue. I’m Adam, and I’m a small-shop woodworker. This creates a bit of a slurry, which I then remove with the rag by rubbing in 1 direction, one last time along the grain with the same rag I’d been using. Wet sanding removed the dust nibs, leveled the surface and produced a satin finish. My clear satin finishes have been turning out pretty well. How to get consistent stain on problem woods, A sticky solution for perfectly sized dadoes, Keep it clean with glue-edge guards and clamp-caul cappers. Thin happens in two ways. After the topcoat dries thoroughly, buff it as shown below. In order to produce a higher sheen or gloss, we need to use a finer abrasive. A brown paper bag is abrasive enough to flatten the dust nibs but not so abrasive that it scratches the finish—as long as the finish is fully dry. Lightly sand the surface with fine sand paper before applying a second coat. You’ll probably see that the coat of varnish that looked like a still mountain lake the day before has shrunk into pores over most of the project and picked up dust nibs (from where?!?). A brown paper bag is abrasive enough to flatten the dust nibs but not so abrasive that it scratches the finish—as long as the finish is fully dry. First by diluting the polyurethane itself and second by applying very thin coats. A brown paper bag is abrasive enough to flatten the dust nibs but not so abrasive that it scratches the finish — as long as the finish is fully dry. Still, I get the nibs. When the going gets rough, use these strategies to smooth things over. The boards are satin smooth or glossy but very very slick. varnish. 10x sheets of 400 grit wet & dry paper https://amzn.to/2DdmVBt (UK) . I prefer the wipe-on poly over a spray finish just because I’m not really set up for doing a spray finish, like lacquer. Wipe away the sanding dust with a damp cloth. It also removes the roughness caused by the swelling of the wood fibers. Finishes rarely look or "feel" right if left right off the brush or spray gun. Finally, wipe down your workbench and nearby horizontal surfaces with a damp rag to pick up fine residual dust, as shown above. Secondly, what can I use to polish polyurethane? This is why leveling is the pre-buffing step required next. If so, yes you can touch that up. 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