Water-based polyurethane
Water-based polyurethane thins and cleans up with water and dries much faster than the oil-based kind: both makers below allow a recoat in 2 hours. General Finishes describes its High Performance topcoat as a water-based acrylic/urethane blend and gives it 21 days to cure at 70 °F and 50 % humidity.
Minwax says Polycrylic needs 3 hours before light handling and 24 hours before normal use, to sand between coats with 220-grit paper but not steel wool, and to wait 24 hours before applying it over its oil-based Wood Finish stain.
Water-based polyurethanes, by their makers
Water-based polyurethanes: recoat across makers
2 h
span 2 h
Only two sources publish this: General Finishes and Minwax (Sherwin-Williams)
Water-based polyurethanes: coverage across makers
550 sq ft/gal
span 500–600 sq ft/gal, per coat
Only two sources publish this: General Finishes and Minwax (Sherwin-Williams)
| Product | Touch-dry | Recoat | Use | Full cure | Coverage | Thinning and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
Compared with other finishes
- Polyurethane vs lacquer
- Oil vs water-based polyurethane
- Polycrylic vs polyurethane
- Hardwax oil vs polyurethane
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.