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My oak dresser keeps getting hazy finishes by the sea
I live in a beach town where the air is thick with moisture all year. Recently, I started refinishing an old oak dresser I picked up at a local yard sale. When I put on the final polyurethane layer, it always ends up with a hazy look. I've sealed the garage as best I can, but the fog still shows up. A guy at the hardware store said to use a different type of finish, like shellac. But I'm not sure if that will hold up with the salt air here. Has anyone dealt with this and found a solid solution?
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the_victor6mo ago
Nah, I don't agree that you just have to live with the haze. That "fog" is basically moisture getting trapped under the poly. I had this same fight with a table. Running a dehumidifier in the garage for a day before and while you apply the finish makes a huge difference. Also, look for a "marine grade" or "spar" polyurethane, it's made for damp, salty air.
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dakotaellis6mo ago
Using a dehumidifier and marine poly turns my garage into a FULL-TIME science project.
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stellat876mo ago
Skip the shellac idea, it'll probably fail faster in salt air. I mean, polyurethane is tough for a reason, and that haze might just be from humidity trapped during drying. Maybe it's just me but I'd deal with the haze instead of risking a finish that chips easily. You could try waiting for a super dry day to apply the finish, but even then, the sea air gets everywhere. Living by the beach means accepting some foggy finishes, idk.
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