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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/shiny spot in satin finish

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Expert: - 12/23/2010


Question
Hi Greg. About 6 months ago I finished a oak breakfast bar top with about 8 coats of satin water based hellmsman minwax poly. It turned out beautiful after finally nailing the 8th coat. It is flawless and my pride of the kitchen. Unfortunately, recently we had some adhesive get on the finish, so we tried to remove it with a little bit of rubbing alcohol. Unfortunately, it had an odfd affect on the poly and left a shiny, glossy area about the size of a half dollar. Isx there any way I can rub this spot out, in order to blend it back in to the surrounding satin finish without recoating the entire bartop. I am assuming, if I can rub it out, I will have to do the entire top, which is perectly fine, as long as I don't have to recoat the entire surface, which is, unfortunately, not an option. If I can rub it out, what grit paper should I use, and will; this make it more glossy? I actually plan on trying this on some scrap wood to experiment, but figured I would ask an expert first to possibly save me some trouble, trial, and error. Thanks so much for your time. Have a happy holiday!

-Mark

Answer
Hey Mark, if you were to rub this top out I would only use ScotchBrite or 0000 steel wool. I would also use a rubbing lubricant....one can be made with just a small bowl of water with a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent in it. You may be able to just rub out the spot area, and kind of blend it into the surrounding sheen. A supermarket sponge with a side of green or white (try white first)ScotchBrite, makes a good rubbing pad to start with. Even if you have to then rub the entire area or top out, you should be able to fix it pretty easily, with the least abrasive thing you can use. Hope that helps, post back if need be- Happy Holidays- Greg  

Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks

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Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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