# mixing polyu with minwax stain



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

i'd spread some on a piece of scrap to test it first. it may not dry for days, or at all, or any number of other problems. i accidentally splashed a few drops of stain on polyu and didn't see it when it happened and now there are big white blotches where it ate it! now to go sand and redo those boards. *sigh*

DM


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## rdmccaw (Apr 8, 2008)

I mixed it all up and put it on a few boards, I haven't laid the floor yet... it looks great and dryed very quickly... it's a quick dry polyu.... I just want to make sure that it doesn't create any longer term problems... I must say, mixing the stain with the polyu made it easier to apply evenly...


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

sounds like you got a good combination then!

DM


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## flooring (Aug 19, 2008)

I am not to sure what Polyu is. I did look it up. Nothing about Polyu and flooring. Are you talking about water base and oil base flooring products? All polyurethane you can buy in a regular hardware store is all water base product. Oil base products have been discontinued 3 years ago. But you can still buy oil base at a specialty flooring supply store near you.
I would never mix water with oil. They separate from each other. You can put one product on top of another after they are fully dried. (Cured) Good luck to you
Best thing to do is test some on the same kind of wood that you floor is. Stain, finish, and then try to put wear and tear on that piece of wood. Results will tell you what you can and can’t do.

 Flooring


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## rdmccaw (Apr 8, 2008)

sorry, I was using polyu short for polyurethane.... I think I am going to try it I just want to know if it is a definate NO NO.... it seemed to absorb into the wood well, looks great and goes on very evenly... just thought I would ckeck to see if anyone has any strong feelings against it...


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

well, the minwax fast-drying polyurethane i bought 2 weeks ago at lowes is oil-based, as is the minwax cherry stain i just mixed together to try it for myself. i see no problems. it looks nice so far, but it's still tacky too. different solvents is the tricky part, one company may use chemicals another does not, mix them and you may have MUD! but of course you'd never want to mix any oil-based with water-based. maybe the 3 yrs ago thing is just in your state? ca. seems to ban many things other states still allow.

=o)

DM

DM


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

flooring said:


> All polyurethane you can buy in a regular hardware store is all water base product. Oil base products have been discontinued 3 years ago.


That just isn't true. You can buy Minwax, Varathane, and a host of other oil-based poly at just about any hardware store in the US. I buy it all the time. Flooring, perhaps it is a California thing.

Rdmccaw, have you looked into minwax "polyshades"? It is colored polyurethane, and is a decent product.


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## flooring (Aug 19, 2008)

I say NO NO NO!. As a professional floor installer, I would never. That mix could have a chemical reaction, make finish not stick, and might be toxic


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

too true flooring... kinda what i said too, though i'd not think toxic so much as mud.lol and kc, i just found a can of 'magicolor' dark oak varnish/stain in the back room as i was looking for my flooring sealer... lol speak of the.....

DM


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

Go to an art supply store and get some pencils and do something called a "pencil hardness test" to find out if the polyurethane film with the stain in it is just as hard (or nearly as hard) as the polyurethane film without any stain in it.

http://www.paint-test-equipment.co.uk/Pencil%20Hardness%20Tester%20Q1001.htm

If it is, then the stain isn't interfering with the polyurethane's crosslinking. If the pencil hardness test shows it's appreciably softer when dry than pure poly, then I'd agree with everyone else that it's a bad idea.

You can also test for adhesion by scoring through the poly film with a razor to make a crosshatch or "checkerboard" pattern. Make such cuts through a regular poly film and your mixture using a pattern that's a little smaller than 2 inches square. Now, stick ordinary 2 inch wide yellowish masking tape down on each score pattern and pull each one off quickly. The number of square that stay stuck to the surface and don't get pulled off with the tape is a good indication of adhesion of the poly to the substrate.

If the polyurethane with the stain in it develops as hard a film that sticks as well as the pure poly, then the stain isn't interfering with the polyurethane at all.


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## gjkleier (Aug 22, 2012)

I have been mixing stain and poly for years with great success. It is particularly useful when it is necessary to build and blend the color over an area. I am currently doing an oak floor with a couple of areas of darker wood from water stains. Special walnut stain with a little traditional cherry will give the color I want. I mix the walnut 50/50 with oil based poly and apply over the entire floor. This is not as dark as I want the finish product. For the second coat I again use the 50/50 mix but not over the entire floor. In the areas of the water stain I rag the finish to blend it with the darker area. That way I can control the amount of stain that is applied. I followed that with a 25/75 mix of traditional cherry over the entire floor to add a little red. I follow that with at least one coat of clear finish to give a wearing surface. The raw wood is wiped down with a damp rag to remove dust and raise the grain so the poly will adhere better. All the initial coats are applied thin to avoid too much build. All dry at least 8 hours, and usually 12 or more. All are lightly wet sanded between coats with 220 paper. (This gives the next poly layer a better grip and knocks down the "fuzzy" feel the first coat will have.) This is particularly effective on woods that do not take stain well, like maple. 

As someone said earlier, test it. You need to know what your mix should be (50/50, 25/75, 20/80) and how many coats will be required to obtain the desired color.


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