How To Paint Over Polyurethane
Etching And De-Glossing the Surface:
The key to painting over polyurethane or varnish finishes is to etch and degloss the finish. The key is in creating a perfect bonding environment.
Etching and De-glossing the poly or varnish finish ensures that the new paint finish goes on smoothly, bonds tightly and lasts longer.
1. Sand all surfaces lightly too etch the finish. Use the sanding sponge on contours and details on woodwork like door panel molding or baseboard trim caps.
2. You know you have etched the surface when you can see light scratches in the old finish. This is an important step and a common mistake. Take your time to sand everything lightly
3. Sand all at once: sand everything that you will be priming.
Tip: Use soft sanding blocks to sand detailed molding or profiles in your woodwork. [Example: door panels, baseboard trip caps.]
4. Vacuum all sanding dust.
5. Wipe down all of the woodwork with a clean, damp rag or sponge.
6. Apply Wil-Bond Liquid Surface Preparation to the poly or varnished wood. There are other brands out there but experience has shown me that this brand works best!
7. Follow the Wil-Bond directions on the can. Below is a summary of these directions:
