Sanding scratches

[kevin nee]

I have an opinion but would like some others to voice theirs. Which finish shows sanding scratches more? Oil finish or Poly? Thanks in advance, Kevin

[John K Jordan]

My opinion is all finishes show sanding scratches, some more than others depending on the light, the angle of the light, the size and orientation of the scratches, the type of wood, and the acuity of the viewer's vision.

Another opinion: it is far better to not have the scratches. Is this question based on a specific problem? Flat wood, turned wood, ???

JKJ

[Jim Becker]

If you mean "oil finish" in the context of a penetrating oil finish instead of a film finish (what you may be referring to as "poly"), then you're not comparing apples to apples. Sanding scratches are there regardless of the finish used. A project that's sanded properly prior to finishing will generally exhibit little or no visible scratching. If using an oil finish, folks will often sand to finer grits to get that silky feel that an oil like BLO or pure Tung will provide. With a film finish, you don't necessarily need to go quite as fine ("in general") because the film finish will fill some of the remaining sanding scratches and if you are sanding between coats to smooth the finish with a block, things will be quite smooth. What species of wood you are working with makes a difference, too...

[Prashun Patel]

Gloss poly. The glossier the finish the more it shows imperfections. Oil and satin poly are more forgiving.