Hello!

I think I may have ruined the top cabinets I recently tried to seal. I'm using Miniwax Polycrylic. In my attempt to avoid streaks and to achieve a somewhat flawless look I tried a few suggestions I found on the internet.

1) nylon bootie sock over a foam brush

2) spray or wipe with water to make the cabinet damp and then apply the poly to make the poly last longer. Side note: I struggled with my bottom cabinets with streaks from the foam roller. Not horrible, but can still see depending on how the light hits.

3) Air compressor paint sprayer (diluted the poly with a little bit of water)

Long story short, I'm realizing I've made a ton of mistakes. This is my first time using Poly and I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I think I overdid it. I sanded in-between (400 grit) coats and I think I may have applied too many layers in between. I also think I used too many different methods (nylon bootie, foam brush only, paint sprayer). I didn't sand between coats on my bottom cabinets and I only used a foam brush, but I can feel and see the difference between the top and bottom. The bottom are glossy and I can feel the poly. They "feel" protected." The top are smooth and look dull. The top also like over painted...from the poly and not the paint.

My question is, what options do I have now? Do I sand down as far as I can? Do I re-paint and then re-poly? What poly method worked best for you? I also feel the temp played a role too, which I did not consider. I applied the poly in the basement and it's cold where I live right now. Any advice or questions would be appreciated. I've worked really hard on these and I just want to be proud of my efforts. Sigh. Thank you so much and I'm sorry for the lengthy post!

Also, I waited about a week after painting to apply the poly, so that is not the issue. I probably only waited about an hour between the poly (says fast drying). I probably did at least 3 if not 4ish layers.