I finally saw what happens when you skip the grain filler on oak

I had a client bring in a 1920s oak sideboard for a full refinish about three months ago. The old finish was shellac, totally shot. I stripped it, sanded it down to 180, and went straight to my usual oil-based stain and topcoat. It looked fine when it left the shop. The client just sent me a picture of it today. The finish over the open grain looks rough and pitted, like tiny craters, and it's already starting to feel a bit rough to the touch. I thought the topcoat would fill it, but it clearly didn't. I should have used a paste wood filler before staining. It's a clear lesson that some steps you can't rush or skip, especially on open-pored woods. Has anyone else had a finish fail like this on oak, and how long did it take to show up?

2 comments

2 Comments

singh.blair5d ago

Honestly, I did the exact same thing on a red oak table last year. Skipped the filler because I was in a rush, used three coats of poly. Looked perfect for maybe four months, then it felt like sandpaper. Had to strip it all back and start over, total nightmare.

hugo7515d ago

Ugh, that's the worst kind of project. It's like when you skip priming a wall and the paint just soaks in and looks terrible. That short-term time save always bites you later, with way more work to fix it.