"B A R R Y" wrote in message
...
Guys and gal, go easy on me...

_I_ know how to finish wood. G _Re_finishing is an entirely
different ball game.

I have a pal who did his oak stairs with Minwax water based poly. It's
ugly, the wood is simply dead looking. Can we go over it with oil
based poly to add some ambering, possibly with Seal Coat in between?

The ambering from oil products is from it penetrating the pores. Hopefully
the water based poly has sealed them.
All you can do now is try a glaze, but it won't be the same.
Hopefully your friend will learn to test a finish first.