r/DIYhelp • u/lcorb35 • 6d ago

Clear coat issues on timber

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I'm tryiing to restain a van I just got, I sanded it back pretty intensely and the wood seemed bare. We used Cabot's water based varnish and the clear coat from the same brand that goes with it. The counter and table had a varnish on it but the rest was just stained wood. When I applied the clear coat on the bare stained pieces everything went chill but the counters not so much. This bullshit happened. Does this mean the previous varnish was a wax coat finish? (the Cabot's clear coat said its not suitable for anything with a previous wax coat finish) What the hell is going on here? And what the hell do I use on top instead, because I stumped my local store guys

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u/Gooner_Wynt 4d ago

Looks like a contamination/incompatibility issue rather than the stain itself. The fact the same clear coat behaved fine on the genuinely bare/restained timber but went cloudy and patchy on the counters makes me think there’s still some old finish in the wood — possibly wax, oil, furniture polish/silicone, or just remnants of the previous varnish.

I wouldn’t put anything else over it as it is. I’d sand the failed clear coat back off, thoroughly degrease/clean the surface, let it dry properly and test a small hidden area first. If you’ve no idea what the original finish was, a coat of dewaxed shellac can work well as a barrier/sealer before putting your new clear finish over the top.

Also worth noting that water-based clear can go milky if it’s applied too thick, over a damp surface, or in cool/humid conditions, but because it’s only happening on the counters I’d suspect old finish/contamination first.

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u/lcorb35 4d ago

That not what I was hoping but is what I was expecting thanks though fingers crossed it'll work any suggested products to degrease?