Ok, the glue is dry. Just in case i drilled a fair number of screws from the bottom so the two pieces for extra precaution. Now it’s time to sand that wood like crazy! I used a hand sander and some 220 grit sandpaper to start. Make sure the paper doesn’t get gummed up. The more you sand the better it will look, but remember, this plywood is a veneer and you can sand all they way through the layer, so be careful.
Once I thought it was ready for the varnish, I switched to 320 grit sandpaper and sanded again. This got ultra smooth.
I didn’t use stain, only varnish.
I applied 6 coats of a semi-gloss oil based poly. Use a 3″ Wooster brush. Make sure it’s for oil based paints.
Varnishing tips: Use a tablespoon of mineral spirits to thin out the varnish (if you’re using oil based)
Make sure the room is at least 75 degrees and it’s not a humid day.
Use long continuous strokes, don’t brush back and forth, it makes bubbles.
Use a tack rag after sanding to remove all dust particles from the wood.
Don’t try to apply a think coat, apply uniform thin coats. Sand lightly with 400-600 grit between coats
