Ask Handyman

Which clear finish is best for a coffee table?

Q I bought an unfinished coffee table and am wondering what type of clear wood finish you recommend. I would like an unstained, natural wood look.

Clifford Sabin, St. Louis, MO

A Table surfaces in general take a lot of abuse, so they need to be protected with a durable finish. If your coffee table is like mine, it serves multiple duty as an eating surface, a footstool (till I get yelled at) and a home for things like metal candleholders, vases, toy trucks and other scratchproducing stuff. The toughest finish you can apply without an industrial setup is polyurethane (poly) varnish.

Polyurethane combines alkyd resins with polyurethane plastic and additives to help it dry and cure to a bulletproof plastic barrier. Poly comes in two basic varieties: oil, and my choice for your project, water-based.

Water-based poly has several advantages over oil-based:

• It has less “open time” (dries faster), so dust will have less time to fall onto and stick to the finish. Less open time means fewer surface flaws and the ability to apply multiple coats on the same day.

• Water-based poly is “self-leveling,” so brush marks will settle out, producing a flat, smooth surface.

• Water-based poly is nearly odorless. Oil-based poly just plain stinks for hours during curing; wear a respirator and provide good ventilation during application.

• You can clean up water-based-poly tools and containers with water and mild soap. Oil-based messes need to be cleaned up with paint thinner.

Key things to know about working with water-based poly

1. Water-based poly raises the grain, so you should first dampen the surface with a moist sponjge. After it dries, lightly sand the standing grain with 220-grit sandpaper. Oilbased poly doesn’t require this step.

   Raise the grain, then sand before applying finish

   
   Click Image to enlarge.
   

2. Water-based poly has a flatter, colorless finish while oil-based poly gives an amber, deeper hue. One option is to apply a base coat of shellac (wax free) or stain, or add a water-based dye to the water-based poly to enhance the wood’s character.

   For deeper tones, tint raw wood with shellac first

   
   Click Image to enlarge.
   

3. Use only foam or synthetic brushes or a paint pad applicator. Naturalbristle brushes work fine in oil-based poly, but in water-based poly the bristles soak up water and lose their stiffness. Plan on three coats for the most durable finish, sanding between coats with 220-grit sandpaper.

   Use foam or synthetic brushes

   
   Click Image to enlarge.
   

How do you fix a wheelbarrow flat?

Q My wheelbarrow has a tubeless tire that has a nail hole in it. I thought the easy fix was to install a tube, so I bought one from the hardware store. But now I can’t seem to pry one bead of the tire over the rim to tuck in the new tube. How do you do this on such a tough little tire?

Gary Hakkinen, Medina, OH

A If you still have the receipt for the inner tube, take it back for a refund and buy a tubeless repair kit ($5) that’s normally used to temporarily repair tubeless car tires. It’s easy to use. Inflate the tire and locate the hole by pouring some soapy water over the tire. You don’t even need to deflate the tire. Using the probe, ream the inside of the hole and coat it with cement. Thread a strip of plug through the needle tool and coat the tip with more cement and poke it through the hole, leaving 1/4 in. of the plug protruding above the tread. Twist the needle about a quarter turn and pull it through. Then clip off the excess plug 1/8 in. above the tread. The “hole” operation takes less than five minutes.

How do I make my cordless batteries last longer?

Q I bought a brand new 18-volt cordless saw a year and a half ago and now the battery pack won’t stay charged. I’m buying a new battery pack to the tune of $60, and I want to know how to make it last this time around.

David Johnson, San Diego, CA

A Heat is the biggest factor in battery failure because it destroys the chemicals inside the battery that store and release the electrons that run the tool.

The bigger the battery pack, the less likely it will last a long time, for two heat-related reasons. First, bigger batteries generally run bigger tools. This makes them more likely to be run for longer periods under higher loads, conditions that can overheat the battery pack. Second, because more batteries are packed closely, there is less surface area for them to cool, so they stay hotter longer.

To extend the life of your batteries, follow these rules:

1. Forget the outdated advice about fully discharging batteries before recharging. When you notice the tool losing power, recharge it.

2. Avoid using or charging rechargeable tools in extreme hot or cold. Use a corded tool instead.

3. After recharging a battery pack about 10 times, leave the pack in the charger for several hours so the individual batteries will have time to equalize charges.

Art Direction • GREGG WEIGAND

Photography • RAMON MORENO and BILL ZUEHLKE