Can I Put a Coat of Urethane on Pre-Finished Hardwood?

Water-based urethane finish adds shine to hardwood floors and furniture while protecting it from scuffs, scratches and spills. If hardwood is already finished with lacquer, urethane or polyurethane, the old finish should be removed before adding new urethane to ensure a smooth, even, attractive surface. If the hardwood is finished with stain alone, you can add urethane over the stained surface.

Lacquer stripper
Paintbrush
#00 steel wool
Rag
Paint tray
Small angled nylon paintbrush
Lamb’s wool applicator
200-grit sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Brush a generous amount of lacquer stripper over a small area of wood. Rub #00 steel wool into the finish and wipe the surface with a rag. Repeat this process until the wood is free of finish.
- 2
  Pour fresh urethane into a paint tray.
- 3
  Paint small details, corners and edges of the wood surface with a small angled nylon paintbrush. When covering a large area such as a floor, pour urethane into the center of the floor and apply it evenly over the surface with a wool applicator.
- 4
  Allow the urethane to dry thoroughly, then sand the wood surface evenly with sandpaper.
- 5
  Apply a second coat of urethane using the same methods used to apply the first coat.

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