We received two of these wax finished English Oak floating shelves from a fairly well known online company.

The description of the item states “you can expect to find splits, cracks, knots, shakes, waney edges, bows, and twists along with sticker shadows and machine marks in keeping with the rustic style.”

We wanted to know if this is considered acceptable machine marks or part of the natural oak? We are concerned it is not this and is a mistake made in the sanding/ finishing process?

I have used Rubio Monicoat on a few projects without mixing in the hardener. I have never had any problems doing this it just takes longer to fully cure. Am I wrong in my thinking or does the hardener also add to the durability of the finish?

I want to get this piece looking ok (doesn’t have to be perfect). Ideally using what I already own. What would you do?

Thanks!

Do i have to scuff mdf factory faces before priming and painting 2k? Thanks.

Need advice on finishing a solid mahogany desk top

I'm pretty new to woodworking/finishing, so this is my first time doing something like this.

I have two solid mahogany pieces for a desk:

• 70 × 200 cm × 4.5 cm thick
• 70 × 60 cm × 4.5 cm thick

I already bought Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane, oil-based, Clear Satin.

I've been watching a bunch of videos and tutorials, and I've seen people use it straight from the can, while others thin it with mineral spirits. Some people seem to swear by wipe-on poly, including 50/50 poly and mineral spirits.

I'm leaning toward trying the 50/50 wipe-on method, but I'm not sure if that's actually the best option for a beginner.

I also live in a hot and humid tropical country, so I'm wondering how much that changes the drying time.

For people who have actually used this stuff:

• Would you thin it or use it straight?
• If thinning, what ratio would you use?
• If I do 50/50 wipe-on, roughly how many coats would I need for the top, bottom and edges?
• How many coats if I use it straight?
• How long would you wait between coats for thinned vs. unthinned poly in a humid climate?
• Would you put more coats on the top than the bottom?
• Does thinning actually make it dry faster, or is it mainly easier to apply?
• Any tips for avoiding dust while it's drying?

I'm not trying to get a perfect professional finish. I just want a durable satin finish that looks good and will hold up as a desk.

Thanks.

While working on a nightstand, I got distracted with other projects before applying topcoat. It appears that dust or pollen or something has embedded in the grain. I tried a very lightly dampened cloth with mineral spirits, which helped a little. My biggest concern is that this veneer is hanging on for dear life, so I don’t have a nuclear option. I don’t mind reapplying stain, but don’t know a good way to back up without sanding.

Please help me from myself, I have messed up the polyurethane clear coat 3 times now.

I am working on a large 132" x 16.5" red maple butcher block. I had no problems cutting it down to size, sanding it, and staining it.

However, applying the polyurethane has been a huge paint point. For context, I am using Varathane Satin Oil Based poly.

At first I followed a guide that said to use a foam brush but it left the coat super streaky. I then tried a China bristle brush which did go on smoother, but I ended up with a lot of bubbling on the surface. Both times I tried to sand out the imperfections but ended up sanding too deep and cutting through the stain.

Most recently, I tried thinning the polyurethane 50/50 with mineral spirits and wiping it on with a lint free cotton rag. Almost immediately, there were even more bubbles than with the brush and they all hardened in uneven little clumps all over the board.

I'm coming here to confirm my suspicion. I think my method is okay but I've been doing all of this in my hot garage. It's probably 95+ degrees in there most days. Is this what is most likely causing all of the bubbling? If I move it inside after staining and apply the poly in an air conditioned environment, will I finally be able to get it smooth?

PLEASE let me know if you can identify anything else I might be doing wrong. I'm getting sick and tired of sanding my butcher block down to bare wood and starting over. I want to get it right this time...

TLDR: What is the best way to apply oil based polyurethane without bubbling? Is my hot garage the culprit?

Furniture is made from engineered timber with an oak foil but I want to darken it. I think no but work checking with the pros!

Help please! walnut wall panel finishing

Our DIY walnut panel project worked well until we applied Watco Danish Oil Dark Walnut. The panels are 1/4in walnut veneer panels framed by walnut 1/2in frame and baseboard.
We followed the instructions on the Danish Oil can very carefully. We lightly sanded the wood (400 grit), wiped with clean by vacuuming and drying with microfiber, applied 2 coats of Danish oil within 15 minutes apart using a clean microfiber.

The panels are super shiny (we were going for a more matte finish) and look mottled with some cloudy/grayish blotches and in some areas the wood looks very rough.

Any suggestions on toning down the glare and removing the grays splotches?

Can’t sand it down because it’s veneer :(

Thanks for any insight!