Adventures in wipe on finishing. New things I’ve learned this week.

[Packard]

I’ve been using wipe-on poly for quite a while.  It is my nearly fool proof clear topcoat.  But I have learned a couple of new things about wipe-on finishing.

1.  You can wipe on SealCoat.

I tried this the other day.  Super simple right out of the can.  I fold a piece of paper shop towel (I use Scott Rags that come in a box). I dip it in the SealCoat and wearing gloves I wipe it on.  This looks to be a thinner coat than brushing.  But with SealCoat, I am just looking for coating integrity (no bare spots); I am not trying to build film thickness.

I was able to get a perfectly uniform coating in minutes.  No drips.  No chasing runs.  No cleaning brushes. 

I will use this method again.  It may prove to be my go-to method.

2.  You can wipe on oil based poly right from the can without thinning.  Again, a very uniform coating using the Scott Rags.  Film thickness may be slightly less than brushing, but again no runs, drips or bare spots.  No brushes to clean.

3.  You can topcoat with Polyshades mixed 1:1 with mineral spirits.

Years ago, I built some kitchen cabinets and painted them with satin black.  I was probably using Breakthrough! From PPG back then. They looked great, but the satin scuffed easily and ruined the appearance.  I then tested topcoating with satin clear waterborne.  But the dulling agent (mica??) not only reduced the gloss, but also made the black look gray.  I ended up topcoating with gloss, losing the satin finish but retaining the good black color.

The other day I tested topcoating ebony oil based Polyshades in satin over black paint.  The wipe on applied nicely over the flat finish (I used General Finishes’ imitation milk paint).  It retained the jet black color and resulted in a satin finish.  I have not checked the durability (I expect it to be consistent with Minwax’s other oil based poly), but the appearance was exactly what I was looking for.

Side note:  General Finishes’ [imitation] milk paint is actually a modern formulation (I believe an acrylic) rated for indoor and outdoor use.  Applied as suggested by the manufacturer (foam brush), all the brush marks visible when wet, disappear entirely when dry.  It looks remarkably like it has been sprayed on.  The matte finish also accepts topcoats very well.  It does not cope with scuffing very well.  With that one caveat, I wholeheartedly recommend it (though color choice is very limited).

The Scott Rags are a very durable shop towel and appear to be entirely lint free.  I use them to wipe down freshly sanded work.  It picks up dust well.

Any other applications for wipe on that I missed?

 

[Lincoln]

I've been experimenting with an equal satin poly/white spirits/boiled linseed oil mix and results have been really good. One coat wipes on easily, dries evenly and looks great, but adding more coats looks like it might be a problem - doesn't add to the 'look' of the finish, and takes a long time to dry. Going to try sanding with a coarse abrasive between coats, rather than the 320g I used on my test pieces.

 

[Packard]

My mix is 50% poly + 50% mineral spirits.  But since I can wipe on all the way to 100% poly, the mix is subject to your preference.  I vary from 3 coats to 7 - 8 coats depend on the end use.

Horizontal surfaces (read “table tops”) get the 7 - 8 coats.

I then wait a week and then rub in butchers’ wax with 0000 steel wool.  It improves the tactile feel.  But note that it knocks off a little sheen and might make recoating in the future more difficult.

 

[mike9]

I love wipe on poly, definitely one of my go to finishes. Have you tried Mike Peckovic's technique from FWW. I don't the remember what issue it was in but it was called "The last finish you will ever need".

 

[Packard]

I am not familiar with it.  I will Google it and see if I can find anything.  Thanks.

 

[Packard]

I've been experimenting with an equal satin poly/white spirits/boiled linseed oil mix and results have been really good. One coat wipes on easily, dries evenly and looks great, but adding more coats looks like it might be a problem - doesn't add to the 'look' of the finish, and takes a long time to dry. Going to try sanding with a coarse abrasive between coats, rather than the 320g I used on my test pieces.

What advantage does the boiled linseed oil bring?

I’ve just been using glossy finish.  Using three coats does not bring up any real gloss.  The gloss becomes apparent with each additional coat.  Adding butchers’ wax after the last coat rubbed in with 0000 steel wool will knock down the gloss if you apply it within 24 hours of the last coat.  If you wait several days, almost no deglossing is apparent.  It does improve the tactile feel, and maybe adds some protection.  But will make adding more coats later on problematic. 

“Wool oil” works well with steel wool and is easier to clean off for future finishing.  Don’t clean with anything with silicone (some dust sprays have this) as it will make adding finish extremely difficult.

Note:  I recently added an initial wipe on coat of Seal Coat (dewaxed shellac).  It dries in about 20 minutes and you can redcoat in an hour.  As an initial coat is acts as a binder to improve adhesion and it seals the pores, meaning your first wipe on coat of poly will be building coating thickness rather than soaking into the wood.  It seems to be working just as I imagined.  I wipe it on also. 

Dewaxed shellac has long been a preferred sealer/primer for many finishes.  Seal Coat is suitable for clear finishes.  BIN primer is a pigmented shellac, but contains a higher percentage of shellac than Seal Coat.  It is an excellent interior primer, especially if you are painting over knotty wood.  It will seal the knots. 

Shellac will also seal in odors (other finishes will not).  So a couple of coats of Seal Coat might seal out the odors that the previous owner’s cat left behind.  (It’s cheaper than ripping up all the wood flooring.)

 

[Birdhunter]

I guess I am just lazy, but I use satin MinWax Wipe On Poly on just about everything. I use lint free rags and apply a liberal first coat letting it sink in then removing the excess. It dries within an hour. I remove any “stubble” with 320 grit and apply a thin coat. I may repeat thin coats until I’m happy with the look. Usually 4 coats is fine.  The finish is durable. I do shake the can well before every application. I also will dampen the wood, let it dry, and remove any stubble as a first step.

 

[Packard]

Minwax’s wipe on poly is just their regular poly diluted with mineral spirits from what I seen. 

In any event, 50% poly + 50% mineral spirits applies the same was as the wipe-on poly and saves a good deal of money.  You can also adjust the dilution ratio to meet your situation. 

I sprayed Advance in forest green for a makeup vanity not long ago.  But 2 months later the finish did not cure hard enough for that application.  (The painted top would be the work surface.). I top coated the Advance with 4 or 5 coats of Minwax oil based poly as a wipe on finish.  It is now hard enough for a work surface.  (A work surface for applying makeup is less demanding than a work surface for woodworking.)

I have done the same over General Finish’s imitation milk paint (really an outdoor rated acrylic).  The milk paint has a matte finish that accepts the top coat really well.  The milk paint, when applied with a foam brush, leaves no brush marks and looks sprayed on.

 

[Tinker]

I have used wipe on poly for years.

I use mineral oil and canning wax for all finishing with expectations for food. I nuke them if they are small enuf to fit into the micro oven. I use the hair dryer for those items that do not fit into the microwave oven.

Use mineral oil and wax for all my cast-iron machinery.

Several coats for all finishes.
Tinker

 

[rmwarren]

I'm getting things together to build a simple bed frame for the boss' new adjustable high-tech sleeping appliance. Someone on the Shaper Origin site had mentioned wiping on GF satin so I ended up down that rabbit hole this week, I'm liking what I see. Their video shows application as wipe on/wipe off with no lag time between:


Heading over to the local paint store to pick some up later today.

QS Sycamore waiting to be milled.

[attachimg=1]

RMW

 

[Packard]

I’ve been using gloss for wipe-on only.  The first application yields a matte-like appearance.  Each additional coat adds to the gloss.  I’ve been stopping at the point it yields the appearance I want.

Note: I sand between coats with 400 grit.  I wait 10 + hours between coats. 

Lately, I’ve been starting with a wipe-on of Seal Coat de waxed shellac (water-clear in appearance).  You can coat over the shellac in 20 minutes (I always wait one hour).  It seals the surface so that you build coating thickness with fewer coats.  It prevents the first coat of poly from sinking in and enhances the bond to the wood.  You do have to scuff the poly between coats, though apparently you don’t have to do that if you recoat in 4 hours.

I like to sand off any dust nibs rather than bury them under more poly.