# Minwax Polyshades mess! Help?



## sixxmum (Jun 4, 2012)

So, I'm a dork. I usually research like crazy, but I was at the store getting paint and remembered that my new door was coming today and needed to be stained before tomorrow. I popped by the stain section and saw the Minwax Polyshades. It sounded like it would make things go more quickly (yes, dork), so I picked it up in Antique Walnut.

Well, after conditioning the door, sanding, tack clothing, etc. I started applying according to the can directions, in thin layers with a brush. This stuff is horrendous. Keeping a wet edge is near impossible, and anywhere you end up overlapping a little shows. It's not even close to walnut, but that part I will suck up if I can just make it look good in some color.

So, now I have a coat of this mess on my new $500 door. I don't know if this is something that I can do a second coat (better? tips?) and fix or if I need to go tomorrow and find something to strip this off with (what would that be?) and start over.

I'll take whatever tips you have!


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

sixxmum said:


> So, I'm a dork. I usually research like crazy, but I was at the store getting paint and remembered that my new door was coming today and needed to be stained before tomorrow. I popped by the stain section and saw the Minwax Polyshades. It sounded like it would make things go more quickly (yes, dork), so I picked it up in Antique Walnut.
> 
> Well, after conditioning the door, sanding, tack clothing, etc. I started applying according to the can directions, in thin layers with a brush. This stuff is horrendous. Keeping a wet edge is near impossible, and anywhere you end up overlapping a little shows. It's not even close to walnut, but that part I will suck up if I can just make it look good in some color.
> 
> ...


Sounds like it's drying to quickly on you. I'd add about a capful (oz.) of paint thinner to a quart. I had to refinish a door with the stuff last fall and that's what I did and then sprayed with a HVLP. 
I hope Ric knows Paint shows up on this one, he knows the scoop on formulation changes required by the feds for paint and paint products.
Good luck


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Didn't even know they still made Polyshades! In theory, it was a good idea.........mixing stain and poly TOGETHER to speed up the staining process. In fact, it didn't do this at all. There just isn't enough stain in the can to penetrate into the wood. I always had lots of runs also. At this point you are probably stuck with applying multiple coats to try and get near the color you want. Applying JUST STAIN to a door that already has poly on it is going to create its' own set of nightmares.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Or sand it back to bare wood and start over.

Is this door exposed to the sun or totaly covered? 
Polyshades will never hold up in direct sun.
Even reguler poly will not work, it will just peel from the UV.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

Gymschu said:


> Didn't even know they still made Polyshades! In theory, it was a good idea.........mixing stain and poly TOGETHER to speed up the staining process. In fact, it didn't do this at all. There just isn't enough stain in the can to penetrate into the wood. I always had lots of runs also. At this point you are probably stuck with applying multiple coats to try and get near the color you want. Applying JUST STAIN to a door that already has poly on it is going to create its' own set of nightmares.


Yeah, they still make it. All over Wally World and Home Depot, I think my S-W store even carries it. Isn't to bad, like you say, with multiple coats but I usually use 3 or 4 coats of urethane anyway. I lay 'em flat and spray and it really comes out pretty decent, thinned a little.


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## sixxmum (Jun 4, 2012)

Spraying is above my pay grade  The door is hanging right now (difference of opinion with contractor regarding best way to stain). So, my options are really to forge ahead with a brush or to strip and start over. Which would you go with? If I strip, what would be the best approach? This is a four panel door. So lots of molded edging.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

sixxmum said:


> Spraying is above my pay grade  The door is hanging right now (difference of opinion with contractor regarding best way to stain). So, my options are really to forge ahead with a brush or to strip and start over. Which would you go with? If I strip, what would be the best approach? This is a four panel door. So lots of molded edging.


I'd go ahead and thin it some and brush it. Figure on 3 or 4 thin coats, thin coats to reduce chance of runs. Several coats to get close to the shade and protection you want. As was mentioned, I do hope this is an interior door. Polyshades has no UV inhibitors AFAIK. If it is exterior, plan on two more coats of spar urethane which does have the inhibitors.


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## sixxmum (Jun 4, 2012)

Thanks for the input. I guess I might as well carry on. If it doesn't work out, then I go back and strip it. 

I'm using a bristle brush (Purdy, highest line nylon), do you think foam would be better?


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

sixxmum said:


> Thanks for the input. I guess I might as well carry on. If it doesn't work out, then I go back and strip it.
> 
> I'm using a bristle brush (Purdy, highest line nylon), do you think foam would be better?


Either would probably work, I've had bubble issues with foam though. If you aren't getting brush strokes I keep the brush. Adding the thinner will help any brush strokes level out also.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I would use a gel stain for more color control and less mess, brush it on with a cheap brush and wipe it off after letting it sit a few min. with a clean rag.
If your talking about the poly, then never use a foam brush, it will be full of bubbles.
It's suggest to use a natural hair brush when doing poly.

I would use Bristal Finish if you want a deep looking quick drying, self leveling really long lasting finish. Any marine supply store will have it.
You can do three coats in one day with this stuff with little or no sanding between coats.
I used to only use this stuff on brite work on boats.

The more coats you take the time to apply of any sealer the longer it's going to last.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

joecaption said:


> I would use a gel stain for more color control and less mess, brush it on with a cheap brush and wipe it off after letting it sit a few min. with a clean rag.
> If your talking about the poly, then never use a foam brush, it will be full of bubbles.
> It's suggest to use a natural hair brush when doing poly.
> 
> ...


Joe - if you read his previous posts, he already has one coat of poly on, gel stain now? really???
It also looks like he's committed to Polyshades, changing products in the middle of the job has never appealed to me as a good idea, generally a "start over" thing.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

sixxmum said:


> Thanks for the input. I guess I might as well carry on. If it doesn't work out, then I go back and strip it.
> 
> I'm using a bristle brush (Purdy, highest line nylon), do you think foam would be better?


PS if you go back and strip it try my way.


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## sixxmum (Jun 4, 2012)

Got it!
Yes, I wish I had asked here beforehand. If I end up stripping things and starting over, I would definitely look into gel.
Thanks again for the help. I'll stick with the brush and carry on.

Not that it matters, but "he" is a "she" :thumbsup: (hence the "six x mum" name). I'm my house's handy-person.

Lorin


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

sixxmum said:


> Not that it matters, but "he" is a "she" :thumbsup: (hence the "six x mum" name). I'm my house's handy-person.
> 
> Lorin


 
Doesn't matter at all, good luck:thumbup:


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## bj1915 (Jul 17, 2012)

*Polyshades Problem*

Sorry about your experience with Polyshades. You probably did everything right; it's just that Polyshades is best-suited for smaller projects, especially when it dries so quickly in this weather. 

Even using a quality bristle brush, working on one small section at a time, and laying down thin coats, you still may get lap marks on a large door.

I know this will hurt, but the best thing to do now is to strip or sand it off, then get back down to bare wood.

At that point I would (1.) apply a coat of oil-based Minwax Wood Conditioner according to directions, (2.) brush or rub on your choice of Minwax Wood Finish oil-based stain, and then (3.) finish with two or three coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane for an exterior door or Fast-Drying Polyurethane for indoors.

Its a few extra steps, but these oil-based products give you the longest working time, which is critical when everything dries so quickly in warm weather.

Hope this helps!

Bruce Johnson
Minwax Spokesperson


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

bj1915 said:


> Sorry about your experience with Polyshades. You probably did everything right; it's just that Polyshades is best-suited for smaller projects, especially when it dries so quickly in this weather.
> 
> Even using a quality bristle brush, working on one small section at a time, and laying down thin coats, you still may get lap marks on a large door.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the input Bruce:thumbsup:
However, I thought Polyshades WAS an oil based product. :001_unsure:
As far as sanding the door down, if that's a veneered door, it may not be the best advice.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Let me be the first to say that sanding/stripping fresh poly and stain is possibly the toughest job any painter has to do...........sandpaper will gum up.........stain that penetrated the wood is nearly impossible to remove without damaging the door. My vote is to keep working with the polyshades until you get something close to what you wanted.


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## sixxmum (Jun 4, 2012)

bj1915 said:


> Sorry about your experience with Polyshades. You probably did everything right; it's just that Polyshades is best-suited for smaller projects, especially when it dries so quickly in this weather.
> 
> Even using a quality bristle brush, working on one small section at a time, and laying down thin coats, you still may get lap marks on a large door.
> 
> ...



Dear Bruce,

Perhaps somewhere on the Polyshades can it should indicate that the product is not good for projects such as doors. It does not. In fact, on the Minwax website, for this product, the company states, "*Recommended Uses:* furniture, woodwork, doors, cabinets, accessories." Such information would lead one to believe that it could be used on doors. Similarly, if this product should not be used in the summer, in an air conditioned house, it should state this somewhere on the user information.

This would be most helpful to the very people who might be inclined to use such a product - homeowners who rarely do wood finishing.

Lorin


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## sixxmum (Jun 4, 2012)

Gymschu said:


> Let me be the first to say that sanding/stripping fresh poly and stain is possibly the toughest job any painter has to do...........sandpaper will gum up.........stain that penetrated the wood is nearly impossible to remove without damaging the door. My vote is to keep working with the polyshades until you get something close to what you wanted.


Thanks. I'm a little nervous about trying to strip it, I have to say. I have done stripping on items in the past (in fact a piano, no less) but trying to take off this fresh coating makes me leery. I did put another coat on today. I feel like it went just as poorly, to be honest. The spousal unit isn't so unhappy with it, but I'm the resident perfectionist.


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## wlcollier1955 (Nov 13, 2015)

So, I too am a dork. I fell into the same Polyshades "trap" as the original poster. Same scenario- I usually research everything thoroughly first but for some reason with my brand new unfinished oak fireplace mantle, I just went to the hardware store without researching first. My wife saw a nice walnut shade on a Polyshades sample, so we bought that. We followed all the instructions, applying their prep product, pre-sanding, using thin coats. Guess what- it's a horrible mess. It is uneven, blotchy and on top of that- has been giving off terrible fumes for two days now. My advice- if you've fallen into the Polyshades "trap", stop and strip it off ASAP. Unfortunately I plowed ahead, adding coat after coat (carefully, using steel wool between coats, applying thin coats with a quality brush)- it only made it look worse. This is absolutely a terrible product. If Minwax cared about the public, it would stop selling this nuisance, toxic wood-ruining goo.


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## Arky217 (Aug 18, 2010)

Wow, and I almost used this stuff on new fiberglass doors about a year ago.

My exterior fiberglass doors are about 18 months old and are starting to fade a little from the sun. I've not put anything on them yet.

What would you suggest that I coat them with.

Thanks,
Arky


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## wlcollier1955 (Nov 13, 2015)

*Fiberglass door*

Arky,

After being fooled by Polyshades, I wouldn't consider myself an authority on what is best to use. I can only tell you that if you want to turn your door into something like a Cub Scout woodworking project gone terribly wrong, use Polyshades!


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