text: Pour the wood-grain filler directly
  onto the workpiece and spread it
  across the grain with a plastic putty
  knife or plastic scraper to force it
  A glass-smooth finish begins with a level, even surface. To achieve this on open-grain woods (oak, ash, walnut, or mahogany, for instance), first fill the pores with a wood-grain filler, photo right.
  Apply an even coat of stain to your
  workpiece, making long brushstrokes
  and overlapping the edges for full coverage. Wipe off any excess stain.
  Move to a low-dust setting: somewhere without lots of foot traffic and with dust-free surfaces. You can create such an area by hanging an inexpensive vinyl shower curtain in a corner of your shop. With your workpiece wiped clean, apply stain, photo right. (Skip the stain if you intend to leave your workpiece natural-color.) Let dry.
  Quick Tip! To reveal flaws (bubbles, brush marks, etc.) as you work, shine a light at a low angle across the surface. Brush on three thin coats with a foam brush (previous slide). (You can use a natural bristle brush with oil-based poly, but keep an eye out for loose brush hairs.) Coat the entirety of your workpiece, but don't brush excessively or you'll create areas with too little polyurethane. Allow each coat to dry fully. To give the subsequent poly layers something to bond to, sand lightly between coats with 320-grit sandpaper wrapped around a hard block. Note: The first coat needs the most sanding to appear smooth; don't worry if it doesn't look as flawless as you'd like at first. After the third coat, sand with 320-grit, then 400-, and finally 600-grit sandpaper. Sand in alternating directions with each abrasive to make it easier to see whether you've removed the scratches from the previous grit. Sand with the grain on the final pass. Then, wipe off the dust with a rag dipped in mineral spirits.
  Hold the spray nozzle 12/16" from
  the workpiece and sweep the can
  across the surface without stopping. Apply only one thin coat.
  automotive paste wax, working
  in the grain direction to hide fine
  scratches. Buff off the excess with
  a clean, soft rag.
  The final coat gives your workpiece its smooth feel and flawless appearance, so give it extra attention. Spray on this coat using an aerosol polyurethane and let it cure overnight, photo right. Then, remove any dust nibs with 1,500-grit sandpaper or a piece of brown paper bag. Finally, using a soft cotton rag or polishing pad, buff the finish to a high shine using automotive paste wax, photo below right, which has fine abrasives that polish the finish even further.