Oak Table

Cindy asked 10 years ago

I have refinished and stained an oak table using oil based stain. I stripped and sanded table prior to staining. The stain does not have any sealer in it so I plan to use 3 coats of polyurethane. Here is the issue–the finish is nice but too shiny for my taste. What has caused this? What should I do prior to poly to knock down the shine a bit? Thanks,

1 Answers

It sounds like the stain may have dried on surface of wood causing the shine? Stain should soak into wood and "stain" it, not dry on top of it. If this is the ,case you will need to take a rag with some mineral spirits, or the like, and remove any gummed up areas. It's not going to hurt to just go over the whole table to clean it up with your "spirit". Make sure to soak your rag with water before disposing, as you could start a fire with "thinners" on your rag.

Go with the "Satin" sheen on your Poly if you are trying to cut down on the "shine" on your finish while still offering a protective coat. Make sure to allow proper time for drying between coats!! It's important to follow manufacturer recommendations always.