Removing Excess Glue Before Finishing
Don't wet wipe — let dry, then scrape and sand. January 18, 2011
Question
I was careful when making the doors to keep the glue in the joint, but in wiping the area to make sure there was no excess glue to dry up and cause problems, I now have blotchy areas where I wiped. Only a little is on the lumber - it's mainly on the flat veneer panel, and I obviously can't sand through, so any suggestions to hide it now? Traditional Cherry - ML Campbell wiping stain.
Forum Responses
(Finishing Forum)
From contributor R:
Use a cabinet scraper and piece of glass (careful) to remove the residue. Since we are talking about maple, the penetration is minimal.
From contributor O:
I have used mayonnaise to remove water stains on shellac and nitro finishes, but my guess is that the oil in the mayo would stain the bare wood and potentially cause fisheye problems.
From contributor J:
In the future, don't wipe the glue away immediately - it just makes a mess as you have learned. Wait 15 or 20 minutes for the glue to start to dry. It will be rubbery and pliable and very easy to scrape away with a card scraper. Then a simple sanding before finishing will get rid of the rest.
