Minwax Wipe On Poly, how many coats?

[mrsamimi]

Hello All!

I got some Minwax Wipe on poly, warm satin, love the material, using a brush to spread it and a rag to remove wet residue after about a minute of spreading.

How many coats would you do? Instructions say 2-3 coats, any advice or experience? I want good protection but at the same time like to complete this at some points!

 

[Bryian]

I guess it depends on how absorbent the timber is, but usually 2 coats does the trick.

 

[mrsamimi]

It is Sapelle wood from Occre Santisima Trinidad, I have applied so far 2 coats and looks pretty good! Was not sure how many I need for protection honestly, as it is Wipe on.

 

[RussF]

It is Sapelle wood from Occre Santisima Trinidad, I have applied so far 2 coats and looks pretty good! Was not sure how many I need for protection honestly, as it is Wipe on.

The first question is, "...protection from what?" Will you be displaying the model in a sunny window? Will it be frequently handled? Will it be subject to water splashes? Will it be subject to wear or abrasion?

If all of the answers above are "no", then the primary goal of your finish is to pop the figure in the wood and give it the desired sheen. Many people wipe on a coat of oil to bring out the figure and call it a day.

Wipe-on poly is nothing more than thinned down regular poly, but you pay more for less actual product just for the convenience of not having to thin it yourself (kind of like buying pre-mixed antifreeze).

Poly is a film finish. If you were to apply straight poly (not wipe-on) or straight varnish, typically you would thin the first coat by about 50% in order to get good penetration of the wood. That's essentially what wipe-on poly is - thinned poly. Subsequent coats are applied at full strength, however, in the case of wipe-on - that is full strength. The more coats you apply, the thicker the finish and the more "protection" it provides, but the less you feel the wood. We're back to "protection from what?"

If you were finishing a dining table top with conventional finish, one coat of thinned finish, followed by probably two coats at full strength - sanded in between for proper adhesion of subsequent coats. That would give you all the protection you need from abrasion, and food/liquid spills, but the coating would definitely be "plastic-ey". To achieve the same level of protection and "plastic-ness" from wipe-on would probably take 6 or 8 coats because it is so thin. That's a lot of sanding between coats.

All that said, I personally don't want my models to look like plastic. I want the finish to be in the wood, not on it, but your desires may be different. Since you aren't really "protecting" from anything other than dust and the occasional fingerprint (not even those if the model is under glass), then one coat should suffice. Or - apply as many as necessary to achieve the "look" you desire. Really, the choice is yours.

 

[Dave @W]

I use a lot of the conventional Minwax, no thinning. The normal way for me is on softer woods is to apply two coats of the oil base color, let dry for as long as needed between coats then apply their standard polyurethane top coats, usually three. The first coat is sanded with 400 grit paper or #00 steel wool to remove any raised grain. This will remove a high percentage of that first coat. The second coat may require a bit of sanding as well. In that case, #0000 steel wool is used sparingly. I then apply the third coat. Again, a light #0000 or 400/600 grit sand paper is used. Then comes the wax and again, it's the Minwax paste. As to using the Minwax Polyshades Wipe on, yes, I have tried it but to date not 100% happy with the results - it doesn't seem to be absorbed as well by the wood.

 

[Signet]

I've used this finish myself, and feel it depends on what final finish you are looking for. Just one think coat brings out the color of the wood. You may need no further protection, depending on its use. But the appearance will probably not have much gloss to it. Oftentimes, that's what I want - I don't want a glossy, or even fine satin, finish on the structure of a ship. However, I /may/ want a much finer finish on the hull planking, especially if it's really well done and you want it to show up, more like furniture. For models, I usually want a duller finish, so 1 coat usually works. Oftentimes putting on a 2nd or 3rd coat results in some areas being glossier than others, which I don't care for. That's probably caused by some portions of the wood having a smoother finish than others.

In summary, I don't think protection is as much of a concern as looks on a model, so apply it to the look that you most like.