Poly Problem

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6
I am very new to this so you'll have to forgive the newbie question.

While sanding with 400 for the final coat of poly, the layer must not have been completely dry and it pealed in a spot. I was putting wipe-on over a thicker layer that was brushed on.

Is this spot going to be hard to fix?
 
I'll see if i can get a picture up later on this afternoon. WIth the heavy wipe on poly will the wood be safe to use as sealed this week and then fix it next week?

It is needed for an event, and the spot is in a location that I dont think will show.
 
Thanks for the welcome! I have to say that this tabletop was designed by me but a friend whom is a real woodworker built it. It is the centerpiece for a gameroom and is a 2 level design. This is the base to that design. He asked if i could handle the last layer of finish and having redone my floors, I thought that I could. I now know that there is a world of difference in those two jobs!

I took some pics of the peeling and my cover-up job. It is raised in that spot now and the hope is just to sand and buff it down and out entirely.

There are a few pics included. They are of the long peel and the small one as well. The last shot makes me think that I may be over reacting and I can buff it down.
 

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...The last shot makes me think that I may be over reacting and I can buff it down.

It makes me think that you didn't scuff-sand the original finish before you added yours.

The only right way to fix it will be to remove what you did, scuff sand what's left, and re-apply several coats of new finish, scuff sanding with 320 or 400 grit between coats.
 
Welcome to the clubhouse, Brian. :wave:

I think Jim nailed the cause. With poly finishes, it's important to sand lightly between coats to give the new coat something to grip to. But for now, your table should be fine protection-wise for your planned event. :thumb: Unless it's down to bare wood and it gets something spilled on it, you should be fine until you have time to work on the problem areas again.
 
The peel happened when i was scuff sanding with 400.

But did you scuff before you applied the coat that is peeling? there is where the problem may lie. It appears that there is no adhesion between the first and second coat (and the scuffing proved that) Poly glazes over so smoothly that the second coat won't adhere unless some scuffing is processed. If you did scuff, this may be a place you missed.

As was said, IMHO you need to sand down the wipe on coat (not a big problem as W/O is thin) and start a new.

The first coat already sealed the wood, the resulting coats only applys the surface finish.
 
This has to be the problem, I just missed this spot on the sand. I am going to let it really firm up and then sand off that layer and reapply the wipe on.

A shame really as I feel like I ruined my buddy's masterpiece. :) He stopped over lastnight and assured me that it can be fixed. He said, "Good, now I can teach you how to fix this problem." LOL

The whole process has been a learning experience for me, but I think I am bit by the wood bug.

Thanks for all the help guys!
 
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Brian, being able to fix mistakes and unintended "design changes" is all part of the challenge of woodworking. To me, a key difference between a woodbutcher and a woodworker is how well they hide the mistakes. ;)

And watch those wood bugs...they can get pretty big. :p And the bites are habit-forming. :D
 
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