How to Get Rid of Fisheye When Refinishing Furniture

Use naphtha, lacquer thinner, acetone, methanol, or other oil-free solvent to clean the surface of the item before beginning stripping. Vigorous cleaning before stripping can remove waxes and polishes used to maintain the furniture.

Strip the old finish from the wood using a silicon-free stripper. Use disposable gloves, scrappers, and sandpaper that are free from silicon, oils, waxes, and greases.

Prepare the surface for refinishing with fine sandpaper. Wipe dust from the surface using a lint-free rag and a solvent compatible with the new finish. Make sure your work area is free of contaminants on surfaces, on tools, and in the air.

Visually inspect the surface for indications of contamination. Spots and discolored areas may be an indication of silicon or oil that requires further cleaning.

Seal the surface of the wood with sanding sealer or thinned shellac if possible. This can seal contaminants and wood oils under the sealant, allowing a blemish-free application of the new finish.

When all contaminants cannot be eliminated, add fisheye eliminator to the new finishing media prior to application. This is usually a solution of last resort for eliminating fisheye, because it involves adding silicon to the finishing material to allow binding of materials of equal viscosity.