If On Sun, 02 Nov 2003 23:34:57 GMT, Bay Area Dave
wrote:

Before I tell you what I did let me say in large capital letters: I'M
NOT ADVOCATING THAT YOU DO THIS...BUT read on.

About 4 years ago I had several hundred feet of oak baseboard to stain
and finish. Knowing even less than I know now (hard to imagine, I
know!) I was told I could use Deft lacquer sanding sealer and Minwhacks
poly. So I did. The baseboards look fine even though they get whacked
by errant feet, the vacuum cleaner, and whatnot, for years. More than a
year or two after I installed them I got out a magnifier to read the
fine print on the cans and of course there in black and white, in type
any ant could read, it says don't use varnish over the sealer. The
Minwhacks poly says don't use over shellac or lacquer. So there you go,
I couldn't have used more incompatible products if I tried. Did the
baseboards self destruct? no. Did the finish flake off? no. Does it
look 'bad'? NO! Would I tempt fate again, now that I know? NO WAY

So why do they insist you can't do it? Hell if I know, but I'll take
them at their word and play their silly game. sigh.

Please allow me to boil down your response: ;-)

Are you advocating taking it down to the bare wood, or is there some
sort of intermediate finish? I'll err on the side of stripping,
unless someone tells me otherwise.

Thanks,
Jamie