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Customer Reviews for Varathane 1 qt. Clear Satin Water-Based Interior Polyurethane

Internet #100169146

Model #200241H

Store SKU #420301

  • Easy to apply superior poly protection for interior wood surfaces
  • Self leveling, smooth clear finish with max top coat durability
  • Fast dry, durable formula covers up to 125 sq. ft. per quart

Customer Reviews

  • 4.5
    out of 2,954 reviews
  • 84% recommend this product
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Showing 1-30 of 2,954 reviews
I used it on some cabinets and they turned out nice!
I used it on some cabinets and they turned out nice!
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  • Recommended
1 found this review helpful
Great poly. I use it to top coat my furniture for my small buissness. Very durable, dries fast. N...
Great poly. I use it to top coat my furniture for my small buissness. Very durable, dries fast. Nice even coverage.
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  • Verified Purchase
  • Recommended
The project was tedious and challenging but totally worth it. Steps I used are as follows (with l...
The project was tedious and challenging but totally worth it. Steps I used are as follows (with lots of drying time in between): sand the tile with 150 grit sandpaper, deep clean, caulk the grout lines to disguise flaws (we had a lot of cracks in grout, 2 coats of Kilz bonding primer, 3 coats of base gray chalk paint, 1 coat of linen white chalk paint, then fine paint detailing to make the edges sharper since some of the paint bleeds through the stencil (I used a clean old makeup brush). I finished up with 3 coats of Rust-Oleum Satin finish polyurethane to protect everything. I used spray glue to try and prevent bleeding by spraying the stencil, then rolling on the white paint. Even though I used gorilla spray glue, I had some bleeding so I used the makeup brushes to clean up the edges. The glue was helpful; when I tried without it, the bleeding was much worse. Toward the end, I cut the Nagoya Tile Stencil to make getting around the nooks and crannies easier. If you have a little space you might want to buy two so you have one to trim down.
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    • Recommended
    9 found this review helpful
    Works great...
    Works great
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    • Verified Purchase
    Recently refinished my dining set. This worked perfectly. First- time refinishing anything!! Love...
    Recently refinished my dining set. This worked perfectly. First- time refinishing anything!! Love the results!
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    • Verified Purchase
    • Recommended
    The product worked just as it should ...
    The product worked just as it should
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    • Verified Purchase
    2 found this review helpful
    This is an okay polyeurathane but I recommend no more than 3 coats! The can says the apply at lea...
    This is an okay polyeurathane but I recommend no more than 3 coats! The can says the apply at least three, I did 4. It darkened the stain a little bit (which I ended up not minding) but on the fourth coat, my finish became cloudy. I later read this is probably due to a 'flattening agent' in the satin poly that causes cloudiness with too many coats. Satin finish (low gloss) is my favorite and looks great. This poly goes on easy and dries very fast (within an hour or two) and has very little odor. I sanded about 300 grit in between coats and the finish came out nice and smooth. As far as scratch resistance, I find it still scratches pretty easily. There were a few small scratches after working with it on my clean workbench top.
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    • DIY
    1 found this review helpful
    This is an okay polyeurathane but I recommend no more than 3 coats! The can says the apply at lea...
    This is an okay polyeurathane but I recommend no more than 3 coats! The can says the apply at least three, I did 4. It darkened the stain a little bit (which I ended up not minding) but on the fourth coat, my finish became cloudy. I later read this is probably due to a 'flattening agent' in the satin poly that causes cloudiness with too many coats. Satin finish (low gloss) is my favorite and looks great. This poly goes on easy and dries very fast (within an hour or two) and has very little odor. I sanded about 300 grit in between coats and the finish came out nice and smooth. As far as scratch resistance, I find it still scratches pretty easily. There were a few small scratches after working with it on my clean workbench top.
    by
    • DIY
    1 found this review helpful
    This is an okay polyeurathane but I recommend no more than 3 coats! The can says the apply at lea...
    This is an okay polyeurathane but I recommend no more than 3 coats! The can says the apply at least three, I did 4. It darkened the stain a little bit (which I ended up not minding) but on the fourth coat, my finish became cloudy. I later read this is probably due to a 'flattening agent' in the satin poly that causes cloudiness with too many coats. Satin finish (low gloss) is my favorite and looks great. This poly goes on easy and dries very fast (within an hour or two) and has very little odor. I sanded about 300 grit in between coats and the finish came out nice and smooth. As far as scratch resistance, I find it still scratches pretty easily. There were a few small scratches after working with it on my clean workbench top.
    by
    • DIY
    1 found this review helpful
    This particular clear-coats' viscosity is thin enough not to produce 'brush marks' if applied qui...
    This particular clear-coats' viscosity is thin enough not to produce 'brush marks' if applied quickly. Its' brother, the 'triple coat', I would definitely NOT recommend if using a brush to apply. It dries quickly and tends to leave brush marks. A soft roller would be a preference in either of the two in application.
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    • DIY
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    • Recommended
    1 found this review helpful
    I used this product with my electric sprayer and it worked out perfectly. The cost is a little hi...
    I used this product with my electric sprayer and it worked out perfectly. The cost is a little high to my liking however the outcome was great. I would buy this product again because of the way everything turned out.
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    • Recommended
    2 found this review helpful
    Dried evenly and omitted very few fumes.
    Dried evenly and omitted very few fumes.
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    • Verified Purchase
    • Recommended
    Easy to use and looks great
    Easy to use and looks great
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    • Verified Purchase
    • Recommended
    1 found this review helpful
    Product worked very well. Use a lambswool or sponge-type applicator to apply. I used a Shur-Line ...
    Product worked very well. Use a lambswool or sponge-type applicator to apply. I used a Shur-Line pad for walls and floors and it worked beautifully on my hardwood floor. Remember: prep is everything. Make sure to use a fine grit sand paper for final sanding, then vacuum well and use tack cloths. I used 3 coats of poly and floor looks great! Easy to apply, dries as stated. Did all 3 coats in one day, with 2-3 hours of dry time between each coat. Make sure to wait 7 days before replacing furniture for best cure of poly.
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    • Verified Purchase
    • Recommended
    Very good stuff i use it all the time. Only draw back is the dry time is a little slow
    Very good stuff i use it all the time. Only draw back is the dry time is a little slow
    by
    Response from Rust-OleumSupportJul 18, 2019
    Thank you for your feedback, Bob! In ideal condition, Rust-Oleum Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane can be recoated after 2 hours and is ready for light use after 24 hours.
    - Rust-Oleum Product Support 3 Rustoleum
    • Verified Purchase
    • Recommended
    1 found this review helpful
    I was making a couple of Alder wood table tops for end tables to be used inside the house. I aske...
    I was making a couple of Alder wood table tops for end tables to be used inside the house. I asked the guy at the paint counter at Depot what he thought about this water based product versus oil based. He recommended oil based. Long story short, I ended up not being real happy with the oil based product as even the "Satin" finish was too shiny and it also showed brush strokes, so I put a light sand on the table top and tried a couple coats of this product. Surprisingly, it was better than the oil based product. It dries much quicker, does not have any smell, cleans up with water and I now have the smooth matte finish I was looking for. The product goes on milky white and looks a bit uneven, but it dries quickly, and it provides a nice smooth finish once dry. If you are looking for a matte finish, I recommend this product over oil based poly.
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    • Recommended
    5 found this review helpful
    Love this product, easy to spray and it protects your project.
    Love this product, easy to spray and it protects your project.
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    • Verified Purchase
    • Recommended
    I don't know who thinks this is a matte, non-reflective surface, but I'm in the painting business...
    I don't know who thinks this is a matte, non-reflective surface, but I'm in the painting business and this is a low-gloss satin sheen if I've ever seen one. I needed a flat, matte finish and I get shiny. Not good and wouldn't recommend based solely on that.
    by
    Response from Rust-OleumSupportJun 17, 2019
    That was not the intention! To achieve the right finish, keep in mind that a minimum of 3 coats of Rust-Oleum Varathane Water-based Polyurethane is required. Make sure to also thoroughly mix the can beforehand as well as often during application too. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 5 Rustoleum
      1 found this review helpful
      No odor was great, super easy cleanup with soap and water. Took only 3 coats for wedding card bo...
      No odor was great, super easy cleanup with soap and water. Took only 3 coats for wedding card box and loved the matte finish. Loved that it took 2 hours or less drying time between coats. Highly recommend
      by
      • Verified Purchase
      • Recommended
      I bought this to put on as a topcoat on corn hole boards that I built. It worked well. I put th...
      I bought this to put on as a topcoat on corn hole boards that I built. It worked well. I put this on using a foam roller. It caused a it to bubble. Sanding between coats was required. Interior use only.
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      • DIY
      • Verified Purchase
      The product was suggested by a blogger who had painted her kitchen cabinets with chalk paint and ...
      The product was suggested by a blogger who had painted her kitchen cabinets with chalk paint and didn't want to use wax for the surface on her cabinets. She loved it and said that it didn't yellow. I have just completed painting my kitchen cabinets with chalk paint and used the product for my final sealer (instead of the wax). It went on smooth - has a soft luster finish similar to using the wax would have been on the cabinets. I have been using the cabinets for about 3 months. Love it. So far it is holding up well in my busy kitchen. I would recommend this product. Only down side is it comes in horribly small containers and it's hard to get a brush that fits in it.
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      • Verified Purchase
      • Recommended
      2 found this review helpful
      This Matte water based Polyurethane is fantastic! We wanted some projects sealed and protected bu...
      This Matte water based Polyurethane is fantastic! We wanted some projects sealed and protected but didn't want a gloss or semi gloss finish, And this matte finish was perfect, when I open the container and saw it was white on the inside I was a little skeptical about this stuff drying clear, but it sure did and left a great finish, we went over it with 000 steel wool to smooth the surface, I put 3 coats on some serving trays we made, and we couldn't be happier, Also used this on our new coffee table I made same result. Fantastic product!
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      • DIY
      • Verified Purchase
      • Recommended
      When you apply it by brush it will look like it's not going to turn out well. However, after it d...
      When you apply it by brush it will look like it's not going to turn out well. However, after it dries, the brush strokes disappear and the finish is fantastic. Just lightly brush with the wood grain through any spots that may look like they are thick to remove any drops. This was applied over a wipe on stain on a pine door I also purchased from Homedepot.
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      • Verified Purchase
      • Recommended
      I'm using this product on a basement remodeling project where I'm enclosing the staircase leading...
      I'm using this product on a basement remodeling project where I'm enclosing the staircase leading down into my basement with 3/8" plywood beadboard. After I cut the panels to the dimensions needed, I sand them with 100-grit on a variable-speed random-orbit sander with dust extraction, then smoothen them with 150-grit, then finally with 220-grit. This gives a silky-smooth wood surface ready for finishing. After carefully cleaning all sawdust, I liberally coat them with the Varathane Clear Gloss Polyurethane, using a mini sponge roller and backbrushing with a good quality synthetic bristle brush. Allowing generous drying time (recommend a few hours), I sand again lightly with 320-grit, clean the sawdust, and apply a second coat. The resulting mirror lustre is ultra-smooth to the touch and great protection of the surface for any traffic area.
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      • DIY
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      • Recommended
      1 found this review helpful
      Water based finishes appear to have improved since I last tried some years ago. This product was ...
      Water based finishes appear to have improved since I last tried some years ago. This product was straightforward and easy to apply. My project came out very nice. My brush was easy to clean, the biggest advantage of water based products. I'm very happy with the results. See what you think in the attached photo.
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      • Verified Purchase
      • Recommended
      2 found this review helpful
      Followed the instructions of the Varathane stain and poly to a T. A week after the last coat of p...
      Followed the instructions of the Varathane stain and poly to a T. A week after the last coat of poly was applied, it looked great but since its on a table it also has to hold up which is why the "superior scratch resistance" advertised on the can was so important to me. Well that's the part that couldnt be the farthes from the truth. To show how easily it scratches, I used my fingers on the bench surface and took a picture. Pretty comical except the I had to sand it all back down and start over. That is not comical.
      by
      Response from Rust-OleumSupportApr 3, 2019
      Let's talk about this! To ensure full durability with Rust-Oleum Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, it is essential that a minimum of 3 coats are applied and that each new coat is only applied when the previous coat feels hard and has dried clear. You also want to ensure that the polyurethane is being applied to a stain that is completely dry as well. We hope you will give us a chance to try and make things right with you. Please give us a call at 800-901-0411 to talk with us further.
      - Rust-Oleum Product Support 3 Rustoleum
        2 found this review helpful
        I use this A LOT !! It has never failed to make my projects stand out !! Easy to use, easy to san...
        I use this A LOT !! It has never failed to make my projects stand out !! Easy to use, easy to sand, and especially easy to clean up !!!!!
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        • Recommended
        2 found this review helpful
        Very good
        Very good
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        • Verified Purchase
        • Recommended
        A very quick drying cover on an antique telephone chair / desk!
        A very quick drying cover on an antique telephone chair / desk!
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        • DIY
        • Verified Purchase
        • Recommended
        Superior natural-looking bare wood protection without the artificial appearance of a gloss or sem...
        Superior natural-looking bare wood protection without the artificial appearance of a gloss or semi-gloss product.
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        • DIY
        • Verified Purchase
        • Recommended
        Showing 1-30 of 2,954 reviews

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