My husband and I recently stained a piece of furniture, but we misunderstood the instructions on wiping off the "excess" stain. After applying three coats of polyurethane, we've noticed the surface feels a bit gritty. I'm wondering if using mineral spirits would help improve the finish or if we need to consider other options for fixing this issue.
3 Answers
You could also consider using the finest steel wool, like grade 0000, to buff out the grit without damaging your finish. It’s worth a shot before grinding everything down and starting from scratch!
I know what you mean by gritty! It might just be leftover sanding dust from your previous work. If that's the case, try sanding with 400 grit paper and using tack cloths to clean up before you apply another layer. It might just restore that smooth finish you’re looking for.
Mineral spirits probably won't do much since once the polyurethane dries, it's pretty tough against solvents. You'll most likely need to sand it down and start over. Just make sure to clean off any dust from the surface afterward before applying another coat.