You shouldn't use more than a couple of coats of matte or satin varnish on
furniture, all the coats except the last coat or two should be gloss. A
build up of the matte or satin varnish will give a milky or cloudy look to
your work.

"Andy" wrote in message
ps.com...
Ideas / suggestions?

I don't have any ideas, other than Frank's that it may not have been
well mixed. As far as suggestions, it's not too hard to bring gloss
down; it just takes some work. Sandpaper (600 grit or higher), steel
wool, or automotive rubbing compound, something that will make really
fine scratches in the surface. I've even heard that a brown paper
bag, wadded up and rubbed on the surface, is effective for knocking
down dust nibs and reducing sheen just a little.
(And if I understand your last line correctly, I'll add that you
should sand/steel wool lightly between coats, regardless of the sheen
of your poly.)
To sum up, I'd recommend sanding really lightly, mixing your satin
poly really well, and trying a third coat. Does it look better? If
so, you're golden. If not, you can sand lightly again and try a
different kind of satin poly.
Good luck,
Andy