Expert: Eileen Cronk - 6/11/2008

Question
QUESTION: I have some kitchen cabinets that I sanded down & stained with cherry "darker" color.
I placed 2 coats of stain. then I placed a coat of semi-gloss waited for 5 days then placed the second coat. After the second coat started to dry off some white marks appeared on some cabinet doors.. it is sporadic & random, some doors got it others didn't.. Only after I placed the second coat of the semi-gloss that it appeared??

1) What happened & what did I do wrong?
2) How can I fix it without resanding them down..

ANSWER: Hi Emad
Nice to hear from you.
I am so sorry this has happened after all your hard work.
I fear you are back to removing this and starting over.
What has happened is contamination either of the can of semi gloss coat or on the wood during the 5 days that went by before you applied the second coat.
Sorry not better news
Regards
Eileen


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Eileen
thanks for your quick response..
Since I knew this was the last coat & whats gonna be visible I used
A brand new brush "purdy" $9..
A brand new MINI WAX Polyurethane clear semi gloss
So it must be the wood that got contaminated..

Do I have to sand down the whole cabinet door & restain with 2 coats & apply 2 coats of semi gloss or can I just hand sand the areas effected? & do those?

thanks for the help

Answer
Hi again Emad
If you are careful, perhaps you can just sand down the effected areas as long as you do not penetrate to the stain.
If you penetrate to the stain, you will have problems.
Try a test spot and see.
I think I would first try a 180 grit sandpaper.
If this does not remove the last coat then you will have to try 120 grit.
You know I think this may work if you proceed carefully.
Hopefully you do not have a lot of bad spots.
Good Luck
Eileen