My oak dresser keeps getting hazy finishes by the sea

I live in a beach town where the air is thick with moisture all year. Recently, I started refinishing an old oak dresser I picked up at a local yard sale. When I put on the final polyurethane layer, it always ends up with a hazy look. I've sealed the garage as best I can, but the fog still shows up. A guy at the hardware store said to use a different type of finish, like shellac. But I'm not sure if that will hold up with the salt air here. Has anyone dealt with this and found a solid solution?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_victor2mo ago

Nah, I don't agree that you just have to live with the haze. That "fog" is basically moisture getting trapped under the poly. I had this same fight with a table. Running a dehumidifier in the garage for a day before and while you apply the finish makes a huge difference. Also, look for a "marine grade" or "spar" polyurethane, it's made for damp, salty air.

dakotaellis2mo ago

Using a dehumidifier and marine poly turns my garage into a FULL-TIME science project.

stellat872mo ago

Skip the shellac idea, it'll probably fail faster in salt air. I mean, polyurethane is tough for a reason, and that haze might just be from humidity trapped during drying. Maybe it's just me but I'd deal with the haze instead of risking a finish that chips easily. You could try waiting for a super dry day to apply the finish, but even then, the sea air gets everywhere. Living by the beach means accepting some foggy finishes, idk.