Repair a damaged poly finish???

[farmbag72]

I used polyurethane to finish a red oak window sill in our bathroom several years ago when we remodeled.  My wife spilled a silver dollar sized amount of nail polish remover on the sill (54"L x 8"D sill) and it ate through the 3 layers of poly (she forgot to go back & wipe the spill up).  Is there any decent way to "mend" the poly finish without doing a full sand/strip of poly on the entire sill?  I think I already know the answer.  I am just hoping someone can point me in the direction of a decent repair process.

[Andrew Pritchard]

I've never tried to fix poly, but from what I've heard others say the only way is to strip the whole thing back to the wood and start again.

[farmbag72]

the only way is to strip the whole thing back to the wood and start again.

 

Unfortunately, this is what I thought the answer would be.  Just hoping someone will have a little trick up their sleeve for a small spot, that is almost perfectly dead center/center.

[wtnhighlander]

You can try sanding the spot and feathering the edges smooth. Then apply new finish. If stain is involved, color matching will be tough. Also, the new poly may not adhere to the areas where it overlaps the old. A barrier coat of shellac may help.

This is all just conjecture; you may still have to completely strip and start over.

[Boatworks Today]

You can lightly sand the area, spot touch the damage and build up the coats lightly sanding between each application.  After you have the film built back up with the surrounding area you'll then need to block sand the entire piece and apply a fresh coat or two.  There may be a somewhat visible bullseye where the damage was but it may blend in over time. 

 

Note:  The new coats of finish will only bond if it is applied to an area that has been scuffed / sanded.