No matter how careful you are, you're likely to get small dust nibs in the final coat of finish. Don't worry, you can rub them out provided the finish is thick enough. Any finish with three or more brushed or sprayed coats can probably be rubbed, but avoid rubbing one or two coat wipe on finishes. Typically, they only need to be lightly waxed and are usually smooth enough that no rubbing is needed. Here are the steps for rubbing out a table top. Cabinets and other furniture parts are done in a similar way.
For satin finishes:
Wait until the finish cures completely. For shellac and lacquer, two or three days will do; for oil based varnish and polyurethane, try to wait at least a week, and longer if you can spare the time. For waterbased, wait a month.
Smooth the top surface, removing any dust nibs, by sanding lightly with 400 grit lubricated sandpaper. Sand only enough to remove the nibs - don't oversand. Dip a pad of 0000 steel wool into paste wax and carefully rub with the grain. Do the edges first separately, as it is hard to rub all the way to the very edge of a surface. Keep your hand flat so you can rub right up to the edge without rounding the steel wool over the corner, which would cause you to rub through the finish. Once the edges are pre-rubbed, concentrate on the bulk of the top surface. Rub in very straight lines side to side, with the grain, across the entire top. Overlap your strokes and cover the entire top with at least six passes back and forth. That will guarantee a uniform fine scratch pattern from the steel wool, and the finish should look like finely brushed brass. Add more paste wax as needed for lubrication.
When you are done rubbing, immediately wipe off all the wax with a soft cloth, but that may still leave enough wax to smear. To remove it, sprinkle the top with cold water. Take a new, clean 0000 steel wool pad and gently go back and forth in the same rubbing pattern. Go over the surface once lightly, then flip the pad and do it again. Use no pressure other than the weight of your hand. The cold water will congeal the wax, allowing the steel wool to remove it. Wipe off the water and admire your work.
For gloss finishes:
Wait at least a month for the finish to cure. Sand the surface dead smooth, starting with 600 grit paper and moving up in steps to 1200. Use lubricated paper, or use soapy water as a lubricant. When the surface is as smooth as you can get it, rub the top with automotive rubbing compound followed by a rub with polishing compound. There are an abundance of rubbing compound choices in any auto parts store or department store auto care section. I use No. 7 brand, which comes in plastic tubs, is reliable, and is very inexpensive. Wipe off the surface with a clean cloth between grits (rubbing compound is coarse grit, polishing compound is fine), and again after you are done. A final application, wiped on and off immediately, of swirl mark remover or finish glaze (such as Meguirs #7) will add an extra fillip of shine.
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