Unpopular opinion: Skimping on sanding between coats ruined my best table

I used to think extra sanding was just busywork until the polyurethane peeled off in sheets. Modern finishes are tougher, but that mess taught me patience, haha.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_drew1mo ago

My buddy Mark built a bookshelf and skipped the sanding step to save time. The stain bubbled up and peeled off in patches after two weeks. He learned the hard way just like you did.

skylerc861mo ago

Man, that's rough but totally believable. I tried cutting corners on a coffee table once and the paint job looked awful within a month. Sanding just opens up the wood so the stain can actually sink in and stick. If the surface is too smooth and sealed, it's like trying to get glue to hold on glass. It just sits on top and eventually lets go. Your buddy Mark found out the same way I did.

the_michael1mo ago

But wait, I've finished pieces without sanding between coats and they're still perfect! @the_drew, maybe Mark's issue was something else, like humidity or a dirty surface.