Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Flat finish?

I just finished one of my projects and overall I'm pleased with the results.

I'm content with the minwax poly 'satin' finish (oil based poly) but I really find it too be too glossy for my next project.

I'm looking for a 'duller' look than that of the 'satin' but I really want to make sure it gets a good protective coat in a relatively 'easy' manner.

Any products or suggestions?

Check with the paint stores. SWP used to sell a gloss modifier [paint additive] which is effective at toning down the gloss. It has been 7-8 yrs since I bought any so I don't know if it is still available.

BenMoore has a flat polyurethane, what exactly are you putting this stuff on?

I've got an entertainment centre to do (rather large when assembled)...

Jacobean oil stain from minwax...staining birch and a little maple

I was using the minwax fast-dry polyurethane (clear satin finish) on a piece I just did in pine but I know that if I use it on the entertainment centre it will be a little too glossy for my liking.

I was hoping for a protective finish of somekind that maybe wouldn't have a sheen to it. Ideally, a finish that is dull or almost dull is what I'm after.

The first piece I did got three coats of the polyurethane which I'm sure added to the glossiness but it still was too glossy for me. To me, it was a semi-gloss (and believe you me after all was said and done I had to double check the label on the can!). From what I read, it's possible I didn't keep the can stirred enough and caused the 'flatteners' to drop to the bottom of the can but I thought I was pretty consious to give it a quick stir every say 15 min or so.


Just lookin for a few ideas and hopefully a product I might find at say Home Depot and such.

Dead flat varnish--but probably not available at HD

You can dull the sheen by going over it after it is finished with #0000 steel wool. The piece will also have less sheen if the wood is not sanded to 220 as you might normally do. Sanding to 150 or 180 would give you better results because the fine scratches those grits will optically diffuse light that enters the finish.

(I'm fresh off a class in finishing wood, and ready to put what I've learned into use!)

If I go to 150 or 180 will I still get a nice smooth finish? I don't want a totally 'rough' looking piece.

Now that you suggest that I think the 'extra' gloss I see with the last piece is because I went 220 for the first couple of sandings between staining and sealing and the final sanding was with 320....makes sense, smoother finish would be glossier.

Not sure where else I would get a 'flat' finish. Home Hardware, Home Depot, Rona are my obvious choices here in Canada.

I was also hoping to use the water based clearcoat from Minwax this time around (the polyurethane finish just STUNK!....had to ventilate for 2 days and light up some of the fiancee's wicked candles to cover the odour) but I can't if I got to use steel wool (read that the water based stain/steel wool combo isn't good = possible rust spots).

I'm referring to using 150 or 180 to sand the wood, not the finish. You can lightly scuff with 220 between coats. The steel wool will dull the finish once you have the final coat of finish applied, but you read correctly. Don't use steel wool with latex finishes. I'd suggest you do it in the garage and use the oil based product.

problem is that it's too cold to do it in the garage....kinda fubar'ed....and the garage is actually a smaller area then where i did this last project

we'll have to see

I was using 320 grit between finishing coats....220 between stain coats

Sanding between stain coats is not necessary.

thanks XSleeper

I was under the impression you should sand between stains due to grain raise. Jusy saved myself lots of time!

I might give the steel wool a try after I stain and finish a scrap piece to see if I like it.