I mistakenly used water-based Minwax poly on my MDF worktable, and now the surface is rough. I want to achieve a smooth finish that's glue-resistant and lets my pieces slide easily. Should I sand it with 220 grit and keep reapplying poly, or would it be better to switch to Armor Seal? I'm also worried about sanding too much and creating a wavy surface.
3 Answers
Just sand it down with 220 grit paper and then put on another coat of poly. Keep doing that until it's nice and smooth. It can be a bit tricky since it's already coated in poly, but with some patience, you'll get it looking good again.
You might want to consider starting over if you've done a lot of work already—sanding can be a hassle. It could save you time and effort to just redo the surface. But if you do stick with it, just be cautious with sanding.
For future projects, try using General Finishes instead! I usually use it for my nicer builds and find it gives a really great finish. I thought the water-based stuff would be easier for utility projects, but it's a bit tricky.