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Ask the Contractor - Homeowner Questions Answered!

Maintenance, remodeling, energy efficiency, design and more -- what do you want to know about maintaining your home, home repair or construction?  Bruce Woolf, award-winning kitchen and bath designer, TV personality and custom home builder answers your questions and offers free advice -- exclusively on HomeESP. What kinds of questions can Bruce answer?

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- Are water-based floor finishes durable?
- How much would it cost to remodel my kitchen?
- How can I make better use of my basement?
- Which is better for the bathroom, porcelain or natural tile?

Enter your name, email and question below, and Bruce will get back to you with his expert opinion.  Include your city and state in your question.

Get expert advice. Ask your homeowner remodeling or maintenance question at right.

Why did my polyurethane finish go from glossy to dull?

“I was staining and finishing my stair with 3 coats of polyurethane.  I put on the first two coats and the stairs looked perfect.  But after after I put the third coat on and it dried, the stairs looked dull.   What could have happened?“  asks Kai.

Thanks for writing in Kai. What happened with your polyurethane staining could depend on a few things…

If you were using high gloss finish there is no reason this should happen unless you took from a different can of stain that may have had a different formula.   Let me assume that this is not what happened and you were using satin finish poly.    A common mistake happens if the polyurethane is not mixed well.  The polymers that make the finish satin sit at the bottom of the container.  If one does not mix the can well the first two times then the finish would be very glossy.  If prior to the third application you mixed it well, then the polymers would have mixed in and the finish would be satin (or dull compared to the earlier glossy).

Excess water moisture could also cause the poly to look dull.  If water moisture is the issue, it is possible that after a few weeks of curing, your stairs will look fine.

But my guess is that you need to make sure that you have fully stirred all the particles and stuff that has settled on the bottom of the can to make sure that the dulling agents are always suspended and the polyurethane is even during your application.  Every once in a while polyurethane can sit in the store for so long that it takes real strength and rigor to stir effectively.  Hopefully, the answer is in the stirring.

And if you have more questions, don't hesitate to Ask The Contractor. 
Thanks, Bruce

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Customer Feedback
Dear Bruce,

Thank you so much!!!! That's exactly what happen. My stairs have been corrected...... they look Great!!!!

Kai
Kai - Customer Feedback , August 15, 2011

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About Bruce the Builder

Bruce Woolf of Quaker Road Associates is an award-winning designer-builder who has most recently been seen on TV on the NBC Show “George to the Rescue.” Bruce's dedication, over a career beginning in 1979, to client satisfaction, design and craftsmanship has earned him media, industry and professional association recognition as a leading designer and builder in the New York Metro Area.

Bruce is a recognized expert on home design, renovation and maintenance.  HomeESP is proud to have him here to help answer any questions you may have and provide advice on home upkeep, repair, design and remodeling.