Sanding Between Topcoats - Getting a SMOOTH Finish

Bethany from Madeline Jean Antiques & Restoration shows you how to sand between topcoats to achieve a flawless and smooth finish.
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Other tutorials to check out:

TOPCOATS! HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE-

[andygt]

Great video, this part is always skipped in the tutorials I've read/watched online so it's nice to see someone finally demonstrate and explain, thank you!

[gmoneyfish]

After a zillion videos that weren't super helpful I came across this. Very straightforward, simple, and to the point. Best video I've seen by far, not even close. Now to finish staining my stairs!

[paulkaihla]

Exactly what i was looking for -- thanks for the brief yet real-time demo. Over-sanded my 1st coat of Poly and am receivong contradictory advice from expert friends  😉 So I am using your feather technique with 600 wrapped around a palm-sized block. I know how much work it is to clear the set for filiming, and to light, narrate, and edit these pieces -- so very many thanks from all os us 👍👍

[matthewvance]

You really have a way of explaining that's detailed, focused and, at least to me, exude as genuine. I feel you are a fantastic instructor. Thank you for the much needed tip!

[proterotype]

Thanks, you addressed some of the little details I needed answers to

[Glen.Danielsen]

Bethany—sister of wise whisper: thank you extremely much for this helpful video! 🙏🏽💛

[charlottedaniels]

Great video, but what I’m really impressed by is that you have responded to every comment! That’s amazing!

[mariosalazar]

Your way is the best! It's funny for being a man, the woman explains it the way I can comprehend. Thank you Madeline

[thesexrace]

Just the video i needed! Thanks a bunch!

[EcoEnvious]

Thank you! This is so helpful. I was always afraid to sand between coats because I didn’t want to scratch my finish with sand paper, and steel wool seemed too aggressive. I’ll look for 400/500 grit and start expecting better results!

[roulette]

Thank you for this. I wish I'd seen this before taking my orbital sander to sand between topcoats. Now I'm going to apply two more coats following your method to restore some of the excess poly I took off. Thankfully I'm using water based, so it dries very quickly.

[tommykawasaki]

Bethany,
1rst rule - DONT let anyone tell you, you are doing anything wrong if you are getting the results you like.
You sand between top coats very different than me, but it surely doesn’t make you wrong.
If you worked for us, we would say, “Do what gives you, your best results”

We had 2 gentleman working for us, one used a Dremel to replicate applied carvings & one used his own very expensive Swiss made, carving knives.
You can imagine the conflict between those 2.
At the end of the day, you couldn’t tell a difference between their finished carvings & they took relatively the same time to make.
It’s the tools & techniques that work for you !

Absolutely agree with you on the tack cloth. We don’t use them at all & have very professional results & we do nothing more than blow the dust off & then wipe the piece with our bare hands.

3 coats is a relative target.
You are actually, visually gauging mil thickness of your finish.
On rare days, you can hit the sheen you like in 2 coats, but rarely in our case.
The older & more dry the piece or softer more absorbent grained wood, we have sprayed as many as 10 coats.
Most often 4 or 5 coats.
Our staunch rule is this -
If you step back after your last coat & ask yourself,
“Does it need another coat ??”
Give it another coat.
We spray everything.
Our 1rst coat is always light, 2nd coat is wet & heavy as it will have good cling to the 1rst light coat & 3 coat is just a good solid final wet coat.
Coats beyond 3rd will most often be lighter as we go.
& yep, we sand between each of the coats.

You do beautiful professional work. You stick with what gives you results you are happy with.
Don’t let any of the “arm chair warriors” or “seasoned professionals” tell you that you are doing anything wrong.
Pick & choose your techniques based on what makes sense to you !
Keep up the gorgeous work, your skills are worth every penny you charge & much more.

[wiggsan]

Thanks!!! Getting ready to refinish a musical instrument and this will help tremendously!!

[CarsAndBasss]

Wish I followed your instructions before tackling my project lol

Sanded, stained, first coat of poly, looked flawless.

Then I lightly sanded with 320 by hand and applied second coat of poly. I now have microscratches all of my live edge piece. Infuriating.

Good thing I started with the bottom. I will be doing YOUR METHOD to the top.

[samrachaliii]

Thank you! This is the video I was looking for to show me the in between coats

[paulfak]

This is the EXACT tutorial I was looking for. I was getting so frustrated after having to redo my whole bench again! This sanding technique leaves such a perfect finish. It really makes a difference. Thank you for saving my project!

[rosemaryleo]

I'm new to furniture redo's, I did one bathroom cabinet with some transfers on it
but I think I used polyurethane instead of polychrelic.and now it turned yellow😢.plus, I never did 3 coats and never sanded in between coats.
I am so glad I watched your tutorial. I learned so much I may attempt to do a small table.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge 😊

[Timo-]

Excellent tutorial. Thank you so much Bethany.

[MsRogero]

Thank you for this tutorial, it is super helpful in smoothing out some layers of poly that dried uneven on a mirror frame I refurbed.

[ahouseinthedesert]

People may do it differently but what you've explained makes perfect sense and will probably solve a lot of the issues I've been having. Thank you !