Need some advice staining and polyurethaning plywood shelves.?

Question

The stain and ployurethane are both oil base.It's taking sooo long to dry. Can I mix stain with sander sealer and poly over it when it dries,to speed the process up? Any sugestions will be appeciated!

Answer 1

Whoa.  Let's hold up here a minute.  "Oil-based" stain and varnish does not really "dry", it "cures."   It is a two step process:

1) The carrier (thinner) evaporates away.  This is known as "flash-off."

2) The binder polymerizes (forms long chains of molecules) by reacting with oxygen in the air.  Being a chemical reaction, its reaction rate is affected by the ambient temperature.  It will cure approximately twice as fast at 78 degrees than at 60 degrees (F).  If your stain is having a hard time curing now, what do you think applying more stuff on top of it is going to do?  A: leave a soft layer at the bottom that is not getting much oxygen.

Now that you know that, you have some other problems lurking in the wings:

- Stains are meant to be wiped off, i.e., applied thin.  Applying them too thick does not work well.  Did you wipe it off?

- Old products have sometimes lost their ability to cure.  Are you using fresh product?

- Forget the "sanding sealer."    This is just an unnecessary product and can risk more harm than good.  The first coat of any finish (e.g., Polyurethane) is a perfectly good sealer.  The harm you risk is that your top coat may not adhere to your sanding sealer (they are not all compatible).  It also causes a softer and less water-resistant layer in your finish film.  And finally, if your shelf ever gets an impact, for example a dropped object, rather than just having a dent, you will have a white dent that you can see across the room.  The only way to fix this is to scrape it all out and start over.

Answer 2

this depends on the brands some you can some you cannot, you need to read the labels or check with sherman williams

Answer 3

The oile base will take longer to dry. Heat helps it to dry faster.  For example, you can place in front of window or patio door, and the sunight shining on it will help bake the surface.

Answer 4

For the clear finish use a clean cotton cloth to wipe on 2-3 thin coats. they will dry fast. then steel wool it smooth and put one last coat. You can also use Waterlox For the clear finish. it is made from tung oil and dries fast no sanding , looks good. as for the stain apply in thin coats. I have applies the Waterlox to a project  immediately after staining and it worked just fine. dried fast too.

Answer 5

It will take a while for the polyurethane to dry there is no getting around this.. the poly is supposed to be the last on the wood.. You can do the poly again.. but you will have to sand it again.. before you put the poly on.  Sorry It takes so long about a day and a half .. If it is humid outside it will take longer..

Answer 6

I have a large wood-working shop in my basement, I love working with wood and finishes and even make some of my own. I would have used a good wood sealer first then sand. Or use a good grade of Shellac, a color you might want, let it dry then sand. Then apply a stain and wipe off as you go until you get the color you want.

     If it's an indoor project you don't have to worry about weather. Use an indoor poly and apply evenly, I use a sponge and slowly to avoid bubbles. This, water based poly is bad for bubbles.

      The only way I can see for you to repair what you've done is clean it all off and start over or, your going to have a mess, if you haven't already.

Answer 7

Place a fan nearby to circulate the air.  This will speed up the drying process.  Do not have the fan blow directly on the shelves.  

As for mixing the products, my advice is not to do it.  I can understand that you are anxious to complete the project, but the stain and sealer have different formulas.  Mixing them may cause worse results, and then you're back to square one.  Have a little patience, and your work will look great.

Answer 8

It is taking so long because the stain and seal are "curing" -- making a strong attachment to the underlying area.  Don't cut the time because the surface can feel dry when it is still curing.  Direct heat on the seal wile it is drying will make it cloudy.  Oil is more timing comsuming because it is better.  I have used the mimwax water based sealer and it is not as long lasting or durable as the oil based poly.  No, don't mix stain and poly or you will have a mess.  There was some product I used that was supposed to stain and seal at the same time but it did not do either well.