Polyurethane vs lacquer
The clearest difference in the makers’ figures is speed. Lacquers recoat in an hour or two at most (PPG and Minwax brushing lacquers: 2 hours; Sherwin-Williams’ pre-cat: 30–50 minutes; General Finishes’ water-based Enduro: 1 hour). Oil-based polyurethane takes 3–4 hours (Minwax) to 24 hours or more (General Finishes); water-based polyurethane 2 hours.
PPG says its brushing lacquer is not for floors or outdoor use. General Finishes names cabinets, trim, doors and furniture for both its water-based polyurethane and its water-based lacquer.
Side by side
| Property | Polyurethane | Lacquer |
|---|---|---|
| Touch-dry | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 12+ hGeneral Finishes High Performance: 30 min | ProLuxe (Deft) Brushing Lacquer: 30 minMinwax Brushing Lacquer: 30 minGeneral Finishes Enduro Pre-Cat Lacquer: 10 minTarget Coatings EM6000: 25–30 min |
| Recoat | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 3–4 hGeneral Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 24+ hGeneral Finishes High Performance: 2 hMinwax Polycrylic: 2 h | ProLuxe (Deft) Brushing Lacquer: 2 hMinwax Brushing Lacquer: 2 hSherwin-Williams Sher-Wood Hi-Bild Precat: 30–50 minGeneral Finishes Enduro Pre-Cat Lacquer: 1 h |
| Ready for use | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 24 h (light use)Minwax Polycrylic: 24 h (normal use (light handling after 3 hours)) | ProLuxe (Deft) Brushing Lacquer: 24 h (service)Minwax Brushing Lacquer: 24 h (normal use) |
| Full cure | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 30 daysGeneral Finishes High Performance: 21 days | General Finishes Enduro Pre-Cat Lacquer: 21 days |
| Coverage | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 125 sq ft per quartGeneral Finishes Arm-R-Seal: up to 500 sq ft per gallonGeneral Finishes High Performance: up to 600 sq ft per gallonMinwax Polycrylic: 125 sq ft per quart | ProLuxe (Deft) Brushing Lacquer: up to 500 sq ft per gallonMinwax Brushing Lacquer: 125 sq ft per quartGeneral Finishes Enduro Pre-Cat Lacquer: up to 600 sq ft per gallon |
| Thinning | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: Mineral spiritsGeneral Finishes High Performance: Water, GF Extender or GF Accelerator | General Finishes Enduro Pre-Cat Lacquer: Water, GF Extender or GF Accelerator |
| Makers say it is for | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: furniture, cabinetsGeneral Finishes High Performance: furniture, cabinets | ProLuxe (Deft) Brushing Lacquer: furniture, cabinetsGeneral Finishes Enduro Pre-Cat Lacquer: furniture, cabinets |
| Makers say not for | Not printed by the makers we read | ProLuxe (Deft) Brushing Lacquer: floors, outdoor wood |
The products behind it
| Product | Touch-dry | Recoat | Use | Full cure | Coverage | Thinning and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product | — | 3–4 h | 24 hlight use | — | 125 sq ft per quart | Sand lightly with 220 grit between coats; 3 coats for most durability. |
| General Finishes Arm-R-Seal One source: General Finishes, the maker of that product | 12+ h | 24+ h | — | 30 days | up to 500 sq ft per gallon | Thinning: Mineral spirits.Conditions: 70 °F, 50 % RH.A thin oil-based topcoat GF says to apply in thin coats with a rag. |
| General Finishes High Performance One source: General Finishes, the maker of that product | 30 min | 2 h | — | 21 days | up to 600 sq ft per gallon | Thinning: Water, GF Extender or GF Accelerator.Conditions: 70 °F, 50 % RH.Water-based acrylic/urethane blend; 25 % volume solids; 3–4 coats. |
| Minwax Polycrylic One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product | — | 2 h | 24 hnormal use (light handling after 3 hours) | — | 125 sq ft per quart | Sand with 220 grit between coats, no steel wool; 3 coats; wait 24 hours over Minwax Wood Finish stain. |
| ProLuxe (Deft) Brushing Lacquer One source: PPG (ProLuxe, formerly Deft), the maker of that product | 30 min | 2 h | 24 hservice | — | up to 500 sq ft per gallon | Conditions: 77 °F, 50 % RH; apply at 50–90 °F.Nitrocellulose; 19 % volume solids; not for floors or exterior; clean up with lacquer thinner. |
| Minwax Brushing Lacquer One source: Minwax (Sherwin-Williams), the maker of that product | 30 min | 2 h | 24 hnormal use | — | 125 sq ft per quart | No sanding needed between coats; 3 coats, a fourth if desired. |
| Sherwin-Williams Sher-Wood Hi-Bild Precat One source: Sherwin-Williams (industrial wood), the maker of that product | — | 30–50 min | — | — | — | Conditions: 77 °F.Dry to sand or recoat in 30–50 minutes; four-month pot life once catalyzed; a spray product for shops. |
| General Finishes Enduro Pre-Cat Lacquer One source: General Finishes, the maker of that product | 10 min | 1 h | — | 21 days | up to 600 sq ft per gallon | Thinning: Water, GF Extender or GF Accelerator.Conditions: 70 °F, 50 % RH.Despite the name, a water-based self-crosslinking acrylic; touch-dry in 10 minutes; 23 % volume solids. |
| Target Coatings EM6000 One source: Target Coatings (EMTECH), the maker of that product | 25–30 min | — | — | — | — | Water-based acrylic spray lacquer; dry in 25–30 minutes at 3 mils wet; 24 % solids by weight. |
Related
Work it out for your project
Times are the makers' own at the temperature and humidity they name, and several of them say cooler, damper conditions slow their finishes. For how much to buy, the finish coverage calculator uses these same coverage figures. Every finish side by side: the finish dry time chart. What the federal rules say about finishes and food: food-contact finishes.
Elsewhere in finishing: shellac and the shellac cut calculator; for repairs before the finish, wood filler vs wood putty; and for the glue-up, wood glue types.