Customer Reviews for Varathane 8 oz. Clear Satin Water-Based Interior Polyurethane (4-Pack)

Great product--used to seal a stenciled bedroom floor. The matte finish was perfect.

This product is much too thick. It goes on with really obvious brushstrokes and leaves lines and residue everywhere. 'd spent days giving a door 4 coats of tinted stain and it looked fantastic. I then gave it one clear coat with this product and now it's ruined. Take a look at the before and after photos. I will have to sand and re start. I've done dozens of restorations with many products and this is the worst I've ever used. I cannot understand how the people at Varathane would think this is an acceptable product to sell.

This product was very strange at first because it is almost like a cream. But it dries super smooth and clean, even when using a disposable foam brush. No worries about air bubbles either. It dries within a couple hours, so putting multiple coats on in a day is achievable. I'm super pleased.

The product applied easily and finished nicely. I used a standard brush to apply the coating to stained stair treads. No brush marks remained in the finush when it dried. It applied evenly and leveled nicely. It dried quickly to apply the second coat. I used the satin finish. Looks great

I apply this water based satin finish with a HPLV sprayer and have been very happy with the results. I use it straight out of the can with a large nosel like a 1.7 and crank the pressure to nearly 30 psi. As always, test your settings on cardboard before applying to a project. I like to lay it on kind of heavy so that it levels out on horizontal surfaces like table tops. Vertical surfaces require a lighter touch to avoid sags. The real advantage of water based finish is their reasonably fast drying time. Usually it will flash over in around 45 minutes. This is a big help in reducing little imperfections caused by environmental fallout. Not fast like lacquer, but way better than oil based finish. It doesn't smell nearly as bad as oil products, but don't forget to wear a respirator. Happy spraying!

This product is easy to use, has low odor, and clean up is easy. I use this product on numerous builds and have ALWAYS been pleased !!!!!

First time finishing a floor. Chose water-based for quick drying, low odor claims. This product was exactly as claimed. It goes on smooth and easily, not messy to work with, cleans up fast. I applied five coats allowing at least two hours drying time. It dries very quickly but I followed the instructions to be sure. The floor looks great, has a nice shine, and smooth to walk on. I would not hesitate to use this floor finish again, it has been about four weeks and still take notice of the floor when entering the room. Used about 3/4 of one gallon to complete a 12x20 area.

Applied to a new farm table. Expected it to be durable but it is not. With very light use scratches started showing up right away. Reapplying product to scratches had no affect.

I like how quickly this product dries, the crystal clear color and I trust Varathane. I kick myself because I didn't research well enough to figure out which applicator to use. I used a foam roller and look at the bubbles! These are recycled wood cabinets, sanded, primed with Kilz high adhesion primer, General Finishes Milk paint, and Varathane... Not thrilled with how bubbly it looks & feels, but it does feel durable. Not too bad for free cabinets, my time, and a few products.

This is the first time I have tried a water based polyurethane. It is slightly thicker than oil based and looks milky out of the can. And thus, application took some getting used to. However, the final result matched well with oil based products. Of course, the advantage is very easy cleanup and low odor.

I was quite literally surprised and delighted by how easy it was to apply this Varithane Clear Gloss Water-Based Interior Polyurethane varnish. Although the instructions on the can warn about nauseous vapors and side effects from the fumes, I detected almost no odor whatsoever from this product. It is very thin and milky looking in the can and brushes on easily. Stirring doesn't seem to make a lot of difference in the consistency of the product and it dries very quickly. I chose to try it out on a wooden windowsill in my house that had gotten rain and sun damaged over the years. Much of the original varnish had flaked off, so a brief sanding with 150 grit sandpaper took the rest of it off. I wiped the sanding dust off with a damp cloth and applied three coats of this varnish over a period of 4 to 5 hours, allowing it to dry at least two hours between coats. I am well pleased with the results. Halfway through the process, my wife brought me an old wooden foot stool that was in even worse condition than the windowsill. Some weeks back I had offered that it could be refinished and she was happy to remind me of my "promise" to repair it. So, without further ado, I took it outside to sand it down and prepare it for refinishing. Again, it was an easy process to apply the recommended three coats of the varnish. One of the reasons it is so easy to use is that it's water-based so cleaning my brush and stir stick was as simple as washing them off in the kitchen sink. I'm anxious to try it out on the new UFP-Edge Coastal Teal Charred Pine Project Boards from which we're building a headboard.

I do mosaics and often the pieces are white. I've been burned before by so called crystal clear finishes yellowing up my pieces. I used this on a triple test - white tile, white grout, and gold ceramic. It finished beautifully, no streaks across the gold and the white remained perfectly white. I wish I had taken a shot of it before drying, it looked like I poured milk everywhere, but it dried without a streak and a great glossy finish. Picture attached is after, but it quite honestly looks the same as before, just with a protective finish now. I do agree that it's drippy, but I just run my brush in the center of the piece first so it's not dripping by the time I get to my edges. In any case, that's really not an issue for me.

I didn’t have any complaints. The product served its purpose.

Works well

I really like this water-based poly. I used it on hand-milled cherry and it gave it a great finish. It's glossy without being what I'd consider high gloss. I love that it's water based because it makes it so much easier to clean up. It's very easy to apply and dried relatively quickly. For my purpose one coat was sufficient, but you could add a second coat to kick up the gloss if you're so inclined.

I love the water-based polyurethane. No horrible odor like the old oil-based stuff, and it doesn't turn things yellow like the oil-based poly tends to do. It goes on really nice with a simple bristle brush. Looks streaky when you first put it on, but the brush marks disappear as it dries. The only thing to watch out for, as with all poly, is drips hanging on your piece - if you don't catch them they will turn into rock-hard dried drips. :) The water-based poly dries really fast too - it says re-coat in an hour but if the weather is warm I've found you don't really need to wait that long. We got five coats on a box we were making in just one day. Three coats is pretty good, but four or five is nice and smooth. We did do a light sanding after the second coat, with 220 grit paper - I think this helped it be super smooth. One thing I really love is the easy clean-up. Just like with latex paint, you clean it up with warm, soapy water, easy peasy.

Perfect for finishing polymer clay projects! Gives a nice, durable, clear shine.

I was a little skeptical about a water based polyurethane but now I wouldn't go back! Cures HARD and self levels like no finish I ever used before. Using a foam applicator my table top looks like it was professionally sprayed! Of couse clean up is a breeze and fumes aren't an issue. Did it in my kitchen. HIGHLY recommend!

My wife was the one to recieve her polyurethane from delivery this morning and she is one happy wife now so this week we are going to take care of the cabinets to make them look fantastic ,Varathane is a very good brand so I cant wait to see the finished product when the cabinets are done...I recccomend that my friends check this out and get thereselves some good polyurethane.

I love this product. Goes on easy, dries fast and easy cleanup. Not quite the richness as the Spar Urethane that I use for exterior projects but for interior projects it is great.

They say the product will go on a little milky when you apply but it's stayed a little milky in the Finish was very disappointed in this product

It does everything it claims to - easy application, quick dry & great finish. This will be my brand from here on out.

Easy to apply, dried quickly and sands super smooth. Used it over latex paint and it came out great.

There are many things that I like about water-based varnishes. For instance, they don’t smell - at all. You won’t get that chemical/ solvent taste in your lungs that seems to linger for hours after you are done using the product, all the while wondering how many brain cells were destroyed. You don’t need to worry about using it in locations where there may be open flame, and igniting your workshop. There aren’t clean-up issues involving the purchase and storage of yet more solvents or brush cleaning products, and wondering what to do with the rags. Best of all, the brushes clean really easy. I coated some wood shelving with 4 coats and it looks great. You can re-coat in just a couple hours, since it dries quickly. I found that even a foam brush can just be wrapped in a plastic bag for reuse for several days without drying out. This saves a lot of time and hassle. Technically a polyurethane finish, this is milk white when in the can, but dries clear quickly. Since it dries so fast, there is less time for dust in the air to get on the surface and diminish the quality of the finished product. I normally don’t use high gloss varnishes, but there are times where they are the better choice, like situations where the wood may become wet or need frequent cleaning. Spills seem to wipe up easier with a gloss finish, and the slightly rustic look that I was after with this project turned out great. Better for the environment, better for your health, easier to apply, easier to clean up and an equal or better end result. Why go back to oil and solvent based finishes again?

This is a good product. I use lots of polyurethane, both oil-based and water-borne, including older Varathane water-based polyurethane. This is at least as good as their other water-based but I'm not sure it's any better, just slightly more expensive with slightly less coverage (100-125 sq-ft versus 100-150 for a quart). It goes on easily and after 3-4 coats it's fairly level and glossy, even without rubbing out the finish. Of course, light snading is required to remove any raised grain. Time to re-coat is short (about 2 hours) and recommended curing time to normal use is only 3 days – shorter than the 7 days for the other type. It's tone over wood is similar to other water-based finishes, clear and pleasant but cooler/paler than an oil finish. It brings out the figure of wood nicely, perhaps more vividly than other water-based finishes I use regularly. It's a great choice for light color woods needing a smooth, clean look (like inside of cabinets and drawers) and it certainly stands up to normal use. Overall all I like it and recommend it.

The 1 qt. Clear Gloss Polyurethane worked well on my interior wood door project. I used the Varathane 1 qt. Clear Gloss Water-based Interior Polyurethane and covered a little over 100 Sq Ft.. The polyurethane provides a clear finish and brings out the wood's natural beauty. Easy clean-up as it's water based. Also, according to the manufacturer: Ideal for multiple interior applications including furniture, doors, cabinets and trim Water-based formula that provides a hard crystal-clear finish Clear gloss finish Covers up to 100 sq. ft. Does not require sanding between coats Resists stains and scratches Cleans easily with soap and water

I love the look of the finish and the ease of application.

Excellent product. I've used this product to paint over latex paint to protect from wear. I've used this product mostly for cabinets and cabinets doors. The best part about it is that it's water-based, so cleanup is very easy!

Goes on easy, dries quickly. Several coats can be applied in a relatively short time. Result is great. Used it on the top of this console.

Product is actually pretty good. Sprays easily enough and for the short time I've had it applied, has held up well. My low rating is based on the poor performance of Rustoleum as a company. I ordered 6 gallons of this from Home Depot. The product was drop shipped from Rustoleum (meaning HD never touched it). When it arrived, the boxes they were in were in very good shape and showed no signs of rough handling during transit. What I found inside however, was a different story. The cans were pretty dented, beat up and generally in poor shape...it's a wonder they weren't leaking. Given the boxes (both inner and outer) showed no damage, some employee at Rustoleum shipped these to me in that state. Not impressed. Rustoleum's mission is to make new customers and keep them......this was the last order they get from me.....I'm going back to General Finishes.