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A customer's simple comment about my table finish made me switch my whole process
Honestly, I was finishing a walnut dining table about two months ago, and the client said the top felt a bit 'sticky' even after a week of curing. They weren't mad, just mentioned it felt tacky when they rested their arms on it. I was using my usual three coats of a popular oil-based poly, sanding with 220 grit between each one. Tbh, I figured it was just a humidity thing. But I looked it up and realized I was sanding way too fine between coats, so the next layer couldn't bite in right. Now I only sand with 150 grit between poly coats, and I haven't had a single complaint since. Has anyone else had a finish feel sticky because of over-sanding?
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leo_campbell8mo ago
Ever think the sticky feeling could also be from not wiping off the sanding dust well enough before the next coat? Even a little leftover dust can mix with the new poly and make a gummy layer. I switched to using a tack cloth and then a quick wipe with mineral spirits, and it made a huge difference.
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hugo_ellis7mo ago
Oh man, tack cloths are a lifesaver. I used to just blow on the piece like an old video game cartridge, which... did not work.
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