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Vent: The week I learned to never trust 'dry' wood from a garage sale in Portland
Last week I picked up this gorgeous oak dresser for a steal, maybe $40, from a guy in the Pearl District. He swore it had been in his dry garage for years. I stripped it, sanded it down perfect, and started applying my usual oil-based poly. Two days later, the whole thing was covered in these tiny white bubbles under the finish, like a bad rash. I had to strip it all over again, which took another full day. Turns out, the wood was still holding moisture from who knows when, and the poly just sealed it in. Now I test every single piece with a moisture meter before I even think about sanding, no matter what the seller says. Anyone else get burned by hidden moisture like that? What's your go-to fix once it happens, besides starting over?
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dakota8637mo ago
Ugh, same thing happened with my "dry" barn door, so what moisture meter do you trust now?
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jenkins.spencer7mo ago
My Wagner L606 has been solid for three years now. It caught a bad batch of maple that my old pin meter said was fine. I just don't trust the cheap ones anymore.
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bencampbell5mo ago
Man, a buddy of mine had a nearly identical situation last year with a batch of black walnut. His cheap meter said 10%, but the Wagner caught it at 18% before he ruined a commission.
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