I've had this unfitted table sitting in my basement for a while, and since the air there is really dry, a couple of years ago I decided to put some mineral oil on it to improve its appearance. Now I'm thinking that I should probably apply urethane for better protection, but I've heard that mineral oil and urethane don't mix well. The table doesn't seem too oily, so do you think I should sand it down a bit before applying urethane? Or would using an oil-based urethane be a better option?
3 Answers
Yes, sanding to bare wood is your best bet here. You need a clean surface for the new finish to adhere properly, so grab your sander and get to work!
Using dewaxed blonde shellac is a great idea! Just pad it on with a rag. Mineral oil can actually be a good lubricant when doing a French polish, so any excess that doesn’t get sealed in can be buffed out later. Once the shellac is down, you can pretty much use any finish you want on top, including urethane. By the time urethane dries, the shellac will have set already, making for a strong bond.
To tackle this, sanding the top to a smooth finish is key. Use a fine grit sandpaper, then make sure to wipe off the dust with a tack cloth. A good next step is to clean the surface with alcohol to remove any leftover oil. After that, you can apply a coat of dewaxed shellac (one-pound cut). Let it dry, lightly sand again if needed, and then coat it again with shellac. If it looks good with no issues, you can top it off with polyurethane. Dewaxed shellac is great because it adds minimal color to the wood and helps create a barrier between the oil and the urethane. Just remember, the shellac dries quickly enough to seal in any oil!
Totally agree! Just be sure to clean the surface really well. I recommend washing it with mineral spirits first to help get rid of any oil that might linger.
Yeah, I figured I'd have to sand it down to fresh wood anyway.