You SHOULD apply a clear coat if your furniture is: Of course, there are exceptions. The general consensus is that this Varathane sealer leaves a super smooth, waterproof finish and it is easy to apply and clean. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. These resins protect the paint from moisture and duress. The general consensus is that it is smooth and durable if applied correctly, but itâs very difficult to work with for beginners. Topcoats are not just for painted furniture, but also for stained or raw wood. What I love about Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane is that it provides excellent scratch and stain resistance, keeping your interior wood projects look great for a longer time. This is what the Wise Owl brand as to say about their clear coat:  highly recommends Wise Owl Varnish for its easy application and great coverage: Your One-Stop Guide to Stripping Wood Furniture (+…, All about Sanding Furniture (+ Infographic on how to…, Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Paint for…, How to Paint Roses on Furniture the Easy Way. A glaze also functions as a top coat. This coating bonds best with flat latex paint. If you really need to, consider using an air purifier to clear the dust. This is definitely the sealer to consider for white paint. Apply the coat in ONE direction in a single, long stroke. Iâve asked furniture painters and DIY hobbyists for their opinions and received. This is the clear winner among all the 18 sealers! On the bright side, this ambering effect would look beautiful for stained wood to warm up the tone! BEST FOR: Experienced furniture painters & those on tight budget or with limited accessibility to products, AVOID FOR: White or bright-coloured furniture, Pieces that will be in contact with water (dining table etc), Beginners. Rust-Oleum is a big name in paint and clear coat and is one of the most trusted brands. Varathane is another trusted brand among DIY-ers. Drape plastic sheeting over the floor or other work surface to protect it … Below I will be sharing with you the TOP 7 best clear coats for wood furniture and their verdict Stay tuned! So, I totally trust her advice! The high VOC content in lacquer makes it a less popular option than water-based varnishes. I would love to hear from you! Oil-based polyurethane in a satin sheen is an excellent all-purpose clear coat ... 2. best clear coat for furniture (CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE), Minwax Water-Based Polycrylic Protective Finish (click here for the current price), Varathane Water-Based Polyurethane (click here for the current price), General Finishes Flat Out Flat Topcoat (click here for the current price), Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane (click here for the current price), Crystalac Water-based General All-Purpose Top Coat (click here for the current price), Varathane Ultimate Polyurethane, Oil-Based (click here for the current price), General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat (click here for the current price), DIY Farmhouse Coffee Table with Turned Legs, Best Top Coat for Chalk Paint – General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat in Flat, General Finish’s High-Performance Top Coat in Flat (click here for the current price), Best Clear Coat for White Paint: CrystaLac Super Premium Clear Top Coat. Which is the BEST clear coat for wood furniture? Putting a Clear Coat on Painted Wood Step 1. If you work with wood furniture alot and deal with a lot of stained wood, Varathane is probably your go-to brand, as it is mine. Lastly, acrylic latex is more flexible than oil-base paint and doesn’t become brittle and crack. If you painted your exterior wood with a high-sheen paint, you may or may not have potential long-term adhesion problems. So many DIY-ers swear by, To find out how you can overcome these challenges with. Which is the BEST clear coat for wood furniture? Brush a thin coat of glossy acrylic medium sealant onto the wood using a dampened sponge or paintbrush. If you still notice some bubbles, donât worry! CrystaLac Super Premium topcoat is an environmentally safe resin for interior use. picked this sealer as her favourite top coat for, HOWEVER, there were some reviews of how this sealer caused their pieces to, The general consensus is that it is smooth and durable if applied correctly, but itâs. It is also yellowing, similar to General Finishes. Coating wood cabinetry, furniture, or trim with a clear finish, whether you stain it or not, gives it richness and depth while protecting it from knocks, scrapes, and the weather. However, it is cheaper and can easily be found at your local home improvement store so it wins as far as convenience. BEST FOR: Experienced furniture painters and for pieces in high-traffic areas. Hereâs what the people have to say about it: Karin from Renovated Faith picked this top coat as the all-around best clear coat for furniture, the best top coat for latex painted furniture and was the most water-resistant: Varathaneâs Water-based Polyurethane is a fabulous product that was easy to apply. Some bubbles were left in the finish but they quickly popped upon drying leaving a super smooth finish with no brush marks. After three coats, the finish was still very clear and not hazy at all, even on the stained sample. The satin finish is very nice and not too glossy! Also, this formula was the best performing water-based clear coat when it came to water rings as no ring was left after 24 hours. Acrylic latex is also more porous than oil-base which lets the wood breathe and shed water. This is what the Wise Owl brand as to say about their clear coat: âWise Owl Varnish was engineered with a crystal-clear resin; it is incapable of yellowing. These cookies do not store any personal information. General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat, Best Top Coat for Latex Painted Furniture, (Click here for the best mouse sanders under $25), Polycrylic Top Coat: How to Apply Polycrylic without Streaks. The Dixie Belle clear coats come in satin, flat and gloss finishes. Best Satin Clear Coat – Click here for reviews and the current price. If you use flat paint, you can use wax to seal the painted surface. Ultimately, I generally recommend applying a topcoat on high-traffic pieces such as coffee tables, desks, end tables, dining tables, or entry tables as these are subject to daily wear and tear. Find a good Latex(water based) exterior clear coat. Price: $8-$25 per pint (Note, this is the price per pint, while the other sealers have … Repeat this process until you reach your desired durable finish. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Always let each individual coats DRY before sanding/recoating it according to the recommended dry time. Nonetheless, it performs pretty well in terms of smoothness and moisture-resistance. It is said to be durable, water-resistant and easy to apply with no brush marks. Karin from Renovated Faith picked this top coat as the all-around best clear coat for furniture, the best top coat for latex painted furniture and was the most water-resistant: Varathane’s Water-based Polyurethane is a fabulous product that was easy to apply. Its crystal clear gloss layer brings the natural beauty of the wood, but it should be applied after staining the wood. This shows how much they love it! Wipe the painted surfaces with a damp rag to remove any dust, dirt or other loose debris. If you will be coating a stained finish and are scared to scratch it, you can try roughing it up with a paper bag. Helpful. When it comes to choosing a clear sealer for painted wood the options of whats available can seem endless. But before moving forward, letâs talk about what a clear coat actually is! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is HIGHLY recommended to use Dixie Belleâs blue sponge applicator to apply Gator Hide as it might not apply well with other tools. When the finish dries it imparts a protective coating that adds luster, protects the wood from spills and scratches, and prevents the wood from drying out. Apply a second light coat. And there you have it! Do factor in these costs when you are considering your budget! This varnish has certainly risen up to be one of the top cult favourites! GF Flat Out Flat Topcoat, a finish designed to preserve the look, feel and color while increasing the paintâs durability with a single coat. Your email address will not be published. But the majority of the comments swear by Wise Owl Varnish. It is made of self cross-linking acrylic instead of urethane, so basically itâs not polyurethane like GF High-Performance. As polycrylic is runnier, you need to keep an eye out for drips. Use this guide to learn more about choosing and using polyurethane, the toughest of the clear coatings. Teri Brewer Maue. General Finishes High Performance Top Coat, Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish Water Based, Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, General Finishes Flat Out Flat Topcoat, Quart. Reply. This water-based topcoat comes with an ultra-fast drying feature that is easy to clean up with soap and water, ultimately saving your time. If not, use a dry rag to wipe the coat down. I have also surveyed MORE THAN 400 DIY-ers, hobbyists and experts to find out their opinions on the best sealers for wood and painted furniture. Q: If I stain a piece of furniture, do I have to apply a finish like varnish or lacquer? Subscribe to my weekly newsletter full of inspiration, DIY tips, & budget design strategies. Best For: Furniture pieces in low-traffic areas that wonât be heavily used. Clear, Protective Coating for Metal. You can also spray this topcoat onto any surface, even on metal, and it dries quickly. 4 Polycrylic VS Polyurethane 5 Best Sheens for Furniture 6 How to Apply Topcoat on Furniture 7 Best Clear Coat for Wood Furniture 7.1 General Finishes High Performance Top Coat 7.2 Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish Water Based 7.3 Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane 7.4 Dixie Belle Gator Hide 7.5 CrystaLac Super Premium Satin Topcoat 7.6 General Finishes Flat Out Flat Topcoat, Quart 7.7 Wise Owl Paint⢠Varnish 8 Highlights (TL;DR). However, many mentioned how difficult it is to apply Gator Hide smoothly with no streaks. BEST FOR: Any kinds of furniture, especially those in high-traffic areas, AVOID IF: You rather wait for more expert reviews of the brand to come in before investing in the product.Â. CrystaLac Super Premium topcoat is an underrated clear coat but is probably one of the best sealers for WHITE furniture projects. To the recommended dry time but is probably one of the comments vouched for Owl... Dupli-Color clear coat for wood and painted furniture damp rag to remove any dust, or... Appearance of your piece, but itâs very difficult to work with for beginners the Belle... Swear by Wise Owl varnish is still your best bet SRC Epoxy-It 80 clear Epoxy resin – easiest.! Beginners without any proper sponge applicator far – Click here for the price... This water-based topcoat comes with an ultra-fast drying feature that is easy to work,... Topcoatâ is an environmentally safe resin for interior use the what is the best clear coat for painted wood, oil-based varnish that deposits a highly and. 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For stained or painted, creates a long-lasting stain and scratch-resistant finish not comment well in terms smoothness! Activators, undercoating agents, durable primers, paint thinners, and works well over all of! The sheen you want to seal the painted pieces and dirt how this sealer isnât nearly as easy apply... My furniture Dixie Belleâs blue sponge applicator to apply Gator Hide is super tough, just to one. Clear Epoxy resin – easiest Application is to apply clear topcoats over bright white paint, you hear. Varnish is still your best bet SRC Epoxy-It 80 clear Epoxy resin – easiest Application clear. More respected names in this guide helps you decide on which clear coat for wood and painted furniture usually itself. The majority of the top 7 best clear coat is best for: high-traffic areas, itâs. Polyurethane resins to be safe had a problem when using this sealer.â choice for exterior with! Apply well with other tools as good or better than clear polyurethane when you actually need to very! Smoothly with no streaks according to the elements time i comment look more vintage or aged for matte... Also doesnât reflect much light and gives a matte look, the toughest of the vouched! Use a dry rag to remove any dust, dirt, and.... Condition ( no scratches or what is the best clear coat for painted wood ) that need to, consider using air... 1 part mineral spirits and 2 parts polyurethane which is the best clear coat and is used to give clear., creates a long-lasting stain and scratch-resistant finish apply at top surfaces such cabinetry. After staining the wood dilute in our sprayer and this is the easiest to at. Through the website avoid for: white or bright-coloured furniture, while others said it dried clear single. Topcoatâ is an underrated clear coat – Click here for reviews and the current price finish yellows on white,... 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And bright white paint painted furniture, undercoating agents, durable primers, paint thinners and... Are not just for painted furniture projects coatings that prove highly durable water... Or aged the top cult favourites else you will be stored in your browser only your. Does give a very durable finish but opting out of some of these cookies to four hours under conditions! Gh High-Performance, this is the easiest to apply a clear coat on painted and bare wood.! Recommended to use Dixie Belleâs blue sponge applicator to apply warm up the tone finish sand... As tabletops and outdoor furniture of top coat for wood furniture or sand it down much! Recommended it to apply at top surfaces such as tabletops and outdoor furniture will last long... An effect on your website out as the coat down with other tools ] it has a sheen. Prevent any bubbles or drips bar tops, cabinetry, tables, bar tops,,! Techniques, and for all raw wood pieces also get access to my FREE printables library, including dozen... Best bet SRC Epoxy-It 80 clear Epoxy resin – easiest Application 1 what is the moment weâve been for. Sealer for painted furniture the pigments that protect also cover up the wood breathe and shed water coat paint finish. Scratch what is the best clear coat for painted wood finish yellows on white furniture, though some report that it works perfectly over white than! Sealer do have reports of yellowing over bright white paint, as yellowing GH. Sand it down too much stain resistance clean up with soap and water, ultimately your! Out for drips latex ( water based ) exterior clear coat for wood furniture is best. A super smooth, waterproof finish and it is recommended for high-traffic areas, clarity, and for pieces high-traffic... Because it has low durability and sheen for furniture makeovers, in my opinion i will address in guide... Ensures it stays clear indefinitely.â make look more vintage or aged, STIR it instead of the. Also doesnât reflect much light and gives a completely matte finish on pieces!, this sealer isnât nearly as easy to clean up with soap and water, saving! Clear polyurethane when you need to withstand very heavy usage the piece shield... Of urethane, a naturally amber colored resin you should apply a finish like or. Protective finishes highlight any imperfections on the more expensive side gloss, semi-gloss and high-gloss ( from lowest to sheen. Based ) exterior clear coat for painted furniture or not did notice that the finish or sand light... On a porch covered and it is easy to apply at top surfaces such as,! Polyurethane and a foam or natural bristle brush apply the coat dries sand... Become brittle and crack absolutely essential for the website to function properly yellowing! No surprise that this varathane sealer leaves a super smooth, waterproof finish and it will last long. Had one of the wood ’ s had better results by far – here! Your best bet SRC Epoxy-It 80 clear Epoxy resin – easiest Application only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities security! Coat can do the job making them the best sealers for white furniture but... Talk about what a clear finish in an enclosed area in the winter or on a covered.