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Learned the hard way about drying times in cold weather. | Furniture Finishers - Thought Shares

Learned the hard way about drying times in cold weather.

I rushed a walnut table finish in my unheated garage last winter. Now I always check the forecast and use a space heater to avoid cloudy coats.

4 comments

4 Comments

henrydixon7mo ago

Last February, I found out oil-based poly needs at least three days to dry when it's under 60 degrees. It actually took a whole week before it stopped feeling tacky, and I had to sand the whole thing back down. Now I keep a little humidity gauge right on my workbench and won't even start if it reads above 60%. A simple ceramic space heater on low does the trick, but you gotta point it away from the piece to avoid any heat damage.

robins837mo ago

Actually, I've had a different take on this. In my experience, oil-based poly can dry okay in cold if you just give it more time and keep air moving. @henrydixon's point about heat makes sense, but I've ruined finishes by using a space heater, even on low. It can cause the wood to dry too fast and crack. I just plan for longer dry times in winter and use a fan to help the air flow. For me, that's a safer bet than adding heat.

charles_mitchell7mo ago

But what if you don't have a whole extra week to wait? I've used a small space heater on low in a cold garage, but I put it across the room and pointed a fan at the ceiling to mix the warm air. That gentle, even heat got the job dry in two days without any cracks.

piperbailey7mo ago

Totally get what you mean about the space heater risk. I made that exact mistake on an oak table last year, put a small heater too close trying to rush a refinish job. Woke up to this tiny hairline crack running right through the center of the finish, ugh just thinking about it. Had to strip the whole top back to bare wood. Your method with extra time and a fan sounds way smarter, less chance of shocking the wood. I'm sticking with that from now on.