Update: My fight with a cloudy polyurethane finish is over

So I've got this old desk I've been working on, and man, the polyurethane kept coming out cloudy. Tried everything, even asked my crew for tips, but they're plumbers, so not much help there. Then it hit me, I wasn't stirring the can properly. Gave it a good shake and mix, and the next coat was crystal clear. Really happy with how it turned out after all that fuss.

3 comments

3 Comments

brown.reese20d ago

Yeah, that line about the solids dropping to the bottom is spot on. I read a thing from a furniture restorer who said the same. They called it "finish mud" and said if you don't get it all mixed back in, you're basically putting on a weak, milky layer. Saw it happen with an old can of spar urethane on a bookshelf. Shook it for a solid five minutes and it went on clear as glass.

blair_webb3029d ago

Used to think that cloudiness was always from humidity or dust in the air... like I fought it for a week on some old floorboards blaming my garage. Saw your post and tried the shaking thing on a test piece last night. Can't believe it was that simple the whole time. Totally changed how I'll do the next coat.

mark73129d ago

Glad the shaking trick worked for you, @blair_webb30. It's amazing how many cloudiness issues are just from lazy mixing. Take varnish, for example. If the can's been sitting, the solids drop to the bottom and no amount of stirring will blend them fully. You gotta shake it like you mean it, especially with older products. That fix saves so much time versus sanding and redoing whole sections. Once you get in the habit, your finishes will look pro every time.