Is it possible to spot refinish a wooden surface?

What’s the spot like (is it a burn, a blood splatter)?
And how’s the wood finished, with what?

It’s quarter-sawn red oak, stained and topped with a satin polyurethane- both water based finishes. When I refinished it a few months ago, I put about 4 coats of the poly & 2 coats of stain.
The spot was caused by neroli oil and left a ring appx, 1.25” dia.

In that case, if I would try to do it, I would sand the spot, and from the center out to over the edge of the 1,25” I would decrease the pressure on the sand paper, to get a very smooth transition between the spot and its surroundings (and using different grits, maybe from 120 to 320).
After that I would try, with those thin brushes the artist uses, to reconstruct the pattern as much as possible, to match the surrounding area.
Depending on how big the piece was, and how much I’m attached to it, I think I would redo the whole surface though.
Also, I’m not at all a refinishing expert :-)

Is it only the poly finish that is damaged. Or is the damage all the way into the stained wood surface.

Not that I have any idea what neroli oil is. Is this NSFW?

@rebbel -I did this last night. Did you hear me swear? I will try it and see what happens.

@josie -Lol! Nope! I use it in lotion.

If the wood is OK, and you only have to touch up the polyurethane, then what @rebbel says will probably work. Gently sand off the damaged poly until the stain goes away, feather the edges and put a thin coat of the same finish over the spot

@josie -Will do. :)

@lucillelucillelucille You did the spilling of the neroli, or the refinishing?

There’s a very big chance you’ll be able to see it (especially yourself), the repair.
Someone else might not, but that’s the reason why I would redo it whole.

@rebbel -Both as I am quite the multi-tasker.
Your thinking on this is exactly why I asked the question.I wanted some confirmation bias, or hope even! !@## :)

I get that, I would be the same.
Even though it looks a daunting task, I would do it; looking at a repaired neroli oily spot the rest of your life doesn’t weigh up to a couple of hours of work, in my opinion.

You would be better off to refinish that whole surface rather than just spots. Because that is what you would have: spots.

I hope you get back and let us know what you did and how it turned out.

I great test of the value of Fluther.

@rebbel -Why do you have to be reasonable?? XD
I might just try spot refinishing and see what happens. I also have a small pine box that my husband put a can of something on that left a big dark ring. That one, I hand painted some lettering on and will have to sand, bleach and re-do it all.
@kritiper -You’re making me cry. Lol
@josie-I can take a before & after photo.

Do you have neroli left?
You could make it an entire spotted surface ;-)

@rebbel@rebbel-You are a furniture rebel!

Before

After

@rebbel Lolololol! My dogs LOVE it!

:-)
I’m very curious for your after photo, by the way.

@rebbel -I will post one when I get it done.Guess when that will be?

Great!
23rd?

@rebbel -Of what year?