View Full Version : How to smooth a rough finish
pach
7th March 2019, 08:28 AM
Hi Guys,
I have recently applied 2 coats of Osmo UV Protection-oil to an outdoor table I am in the final stages of making.
It is made of Rosewood.
While the finish looks great, I noticed it is quite rough to the touch.
Its not an issue but would prefer it was a little smoother.
Do you have any suggestions on how to smooth the finish without having to apply another coat?
Any suggestions welcome !
450379
derekcohen
7th March 2019, 10:57 AM
Rub it back with grey mesh (400 grit).
Regards from Perth
Derek
pach
7th March 2019, 11:51 AM
Rub it back with grey mesh (400 grit).
And just wipe the dust off and thats it?
FenceFurniture
7th March 2019, 12:56 PM
As Derek suggests, and ..
And just wipe the dust off and thats it?yes to this but you may want to rub a thin coat of the Osmo over it after that.
It may be that it is not so much that dust has settled on it, but perhaps the grain nibbed up when you applied the first coat of Osmo. What grit did you sand to before Osmo? How did you apply the Osmo?
pach
7th March 2019, 01:22 PM
Agreed, I don't think its the dust either.
I sanded to 120 before applying the first coat with a sponge brush and didn't sand between coats.
I also wiped off the excess after each coat with a wipe.
FenceFurniture
7th March 2019, 02:26 PM
Depends on how good your sander is but on that job I would go to about 240 grit and then use say 320 or 500 between coats.
Perhaps the "wipe" tore apart a bit and stayed behind and got hardened by the Osmo?
Xanthorrhoeas
7th March 2019, 09:44 PM
I love the figure in that timber!
lee.clapp
31st March 2019, 10:06 AM
Osmo needs a good sanding to 180 grit and applies best with the osmo 100mm roller with thin coats. 2 is usually ok. If its not smooth enough I usually sand down with 0000 steel wool. And use Gilly Stevenson's carnuba wax as a final finish. The will give you a silky smooth finish. Osmo doesn't work like other oils where you rang on and rag off the excess. If you want to rag on and off, use livos oil.
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Robson Valley
31st March 2019, 02:02 PM
I use two other alternative methods. These are inexpensive and worth the trials.
1. Let the first finish coat set up good and hard.
Gently scrub the surface with extremely coarse steel wool. When you look closely, you wil see that the strands are flat, not round.
A pad of that stuff cuts like a million chisels. Your fingetips will tell you when you are done.
No, it does not break up like the really fine steel wool.
This is great for all sorts of curved surfaces on carvings. Seems to glide over the finish without taking much off at all.
2. Because all sandpapers always scruff up and shred the surface, I don't use them for finish.
Instead, I use cabinet scrapers. They are cheap, even DIY, and they cut off the wood fiber. Micro shavings, really.
Chapter 11 in Leonard Lee's book gave me enough understanding to leap into it.
I do work with rosewood in some tool handles for hours some days. I demand smooth. The lighter wood is mahogany