Buffing Out the Final Coat of Finish

Rub down the finish with 0000 steel wool and General Finishes Orange Oil to lower the sheen.

Liberon 0000 Steel Wool is a good choice for steel wool, as it does not shred as easily as the hardware store brands.

Never use steel wool with water-based finishes. The steel wool particles can become embedded into your project and rust.

We know of many customers that have achieved great results from buffing Arm-R-Seal with auto polishes, providing that the finish has cured for 7 to 10 days.

As with all products that are not manufactured by General Finishes, always test for compatibility on a hidden area of your project before getting started.  

There are several techniques by Jeff Jewitt of Homestead Finishing Products:

DRY BUFF WITH MIRKA ROYAL MICRO PAPER

Using Mirka Royal Micro sandpaper, always start with 1500-grit sandpaper. Begin with a small area, make 2-3 passes, then evaluate results. Go to a heavier grit if surface irregularities are not fully removed. Finish with 1500-grit paper.

DRY/WET BUFF WITH ABRALON POLISHING DISCS

Start by dry sanding with Abralon 2000-grit, and then 4000-grit. Start slowly, monitor to see if buildup is occurring. A large sized table might take 5-25 sheets of paper.

If needed, lubricate by moistening with General Finishes Satin Finishing Wax, mineral spirits, or naphtha. Never use water as a lubricant.

If lubricated, one sheet of 1000-grit or 1500-grit should do the entire table.

BUFFING/POLISHING WITH PRESTA POLISHING KITS

Spray Presta polish on buffing pad stuff to lubricate the pad. Apply a quarter-sized dab of polish to sand one section. Spread with pad. Continue section by section. Mist buffing pad with Presta lubricating material when it gets too dry. You should be able to use a buffing pad on 10-20 tables before washing and reusing.
 
When done, mist entire surface with and buff with a micro-cloth to remove splatter

NOTE: Never wet sand a water-based finish.

You can lightly buff with 0000 steel wool and General Finishes Orange Oil Furniture Polish - nothing too aggressive.

Contributed by Jeff Jewitt of Homestead Finishing Supplies

Day 1:

• Prep sand the wood with 220-grit sandpaper.
• Spray a wet coat of General Finishes Enduro-Var II Gloss and dry for 2 hours.
• Level sand with 320-grit sandpaper.
• Spray a second wet coat and dry for 2 hours.
• Lightly sand with 320-grit sandpaper.
• Spray a third wet coat and allow to dry overnight.

Day 2:

• Level sand with 320-grit sandpaper.
• Wipe down with water mixed with 5% Denatured Alcohol.
• Spray a fourth wet coat 2-3 mils thick and dry 1 hour.
• Spray 3 more coats, 1 hour between coats, for a total of 4 coats the second day.

Let your project dry 1 week, then:

• Level sand dry with Mirka P800.
• Dry sand with Mirka P1200.
• Dry sand with 2000-grit Mirka Abralon.

Note: Do not use any lubricants of any type for sanding.

Final:

• Buff 3M Finesse-It Material on with foam buffing pad to high gloss.

Sand down the final finish with a 220-grit foam sanding pad, and then add another layer of General Finishes High Performance PolyurethaneTopcoat. Apply liberally than you did previously without heavy back-brushing.

Let the topcoat self-level a bit - it will tighten down as it dries.

If it's above 80°F or if the humidity is less than 70% in the space you're working, we recommend adding 10% GF Extender to the topcoat to improve open time.

Watch how to apply a water-based topcoat to a large surface with a paint pad applicator here.

Rubbing or Buffing out a Finish:

1. Shake container well.
2. Wipe on a thin, even coat with a clean cloth.
3. Let sit 1-2 minutes.
4. Buff off the excess with a buffing or sanding pad (see below) in the direction of the wood grain. The higher/finer grit you use, the easier it will be to achieve a high-gloss finish.
5. Buffing Tools:
   1. Norton Abrasives, Yellow Block
      • 1000-grit, 1500-grit, 2000-grit
      • Creates a high-gloss finish
   2. Klingspor Fusion Pads
      • 2800- to 3500-grit
      • Ideal for painted and gloss finishes
   3. Klingspor Superfine Sanding Pad
      • 220-grit
      • General purpose option for rubbing out topcoats and paints with a flat or satin sheen.
   4. Merka Mirlon Pads
      • Total 1500 (gray)
      • Total 2500 (gold)
      • Ideal for oil-based finishes or between coats of paint