I have traditionally used oil based polyurethanes, mostly Minwax because of
availability, but I've used General Finishes in recent years too. The long
dry times can be a real pain and tend to collect lots of dust. The fumes
are also annoying indoors. Another issue I have had with oil based polys is
that they tend to dissolve and pick up oil based gel stains on the first
coat.

So last year I tried Minwax Polycrylic Water Based poly on a bed frame. It
applied easily with a brush, and seems to be fairly durable. Best of all,
no odors and it dries quickly.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the Polycrylic at my local Lowes, so I
picked up some "Minwax Oil-Modified Water Based Polyurethane". It seemed to
apply nicely, didn't pick up the stain like oil based poly, dries quickly,
and doesn't have any odor. Unfortunately, it only seems to come in 1/2 pint
or gallon cans. I don't need a gallon, but I've already gone through two
1/2 pint cans on the first coat. It is also rather expensive. I'll probably
pick up enough 1/2 pint cans to finish this project, but doubt I would use
it again just due to availability. Kind of a shame.

Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would recommend?

Anthony Watson
www.mountainsoftware.com
www.watsondiy.com

On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 6:44:44 PM UTC-6, HerHusband wrote:


Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would recommend?


I use Varathane floor finish, often. There's an oil & water base. Our local Lowes carries both. I don't use the oil based.

Water based: About $45 a gallon. The shelf life is pretty good, too. I use a gallon maybe every 6 months to a year. My latest project may take half a gallon. It's pretty durable, too... should be, it's a floor finish. I put it on a CDX plywood sewing table, for upholstery. Still in good shape.

It doesn't yellow, as spar urethane does. I like the results I get from it. I use it most often on salvaged lumber and not-so-fine of woodworking projects.

For my higher end stuff, more refined projects, I spray lacquer.

Water based Varathane project:
Here, Braxton is putting the third coat on a mantle, salvaged cypress: https://www.flickr.com/photos/438361...in/photostream

The installed mantle: https://www.flickr.com/photos/438361...in/photostream

Sonny

HerHusband wrote:
I have traditionally used oil based polyurethanes, mostly Minwax because of
availability, but I've used General Finishes in recent years too. The long
dry times can be a real pain and tend to collect lots of dust. The fumes
are also annoying indoors. Another issue I have had with oil based polys is
that they tend to dissolve and pick up oil based gel stains on the first
coat.

So last year I tried Minwax Polycrylic Water Based poly on a bed frame. It
applied easily with a brush, and seems to be fairly durable. Best of all,
no odors and it dries quickly.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the Polycrylic at my local Lowes, so I
picked up some "Minwax Oil-Modified Water Based Polyurethane". It seemed to
apply nicely, didn't pick up the stain like oil based poly, dries quickly,
and doesn't have any odor. Unfortunately, it only seems to come in 1/2 pint
or gallon cans. I don't need a gallon, but I've already gone through two
1/2 pint cans on the first coat. It is also rather expensive. I'll probably
pick up enough 1/2 pint cans to finish this project, but doubt I would use
it again just due to availability. Kind of a shame.

Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would recommend?

Anthony Watson
www.mountainsoftware.com
www.watsondiy.com

I also like polycrylic. Lowes (online) lists it in quarts in gloss,
semi-gloss and satin. I bought mine at Lowes in the quart size, but
it has been a few years ago.

--
 GW Ross 

 I am a mental tourist. My mind 
 wanders. 

On 2/9/15 7:41 PM, Sonny wrote:

The installed mantle: https://www.flickr.com/photos/438361...in/photostream

Sonny


Hmmm, about the drums. :-)
The head says Premier but those lugs and badges don't look like Premier.
What year?


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

HerHusband wrote in
:

Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would recommend?

I've been happy with Varathane water based. The local Lowes
stocks it on an intermittant basis (for some reason everything
in the finishing aisle is intermittant - as if the manager
keeps changing his mind about what to stock).

I noticed in Home Depot the other day that some of the Minwax
products were only available in tiny cans, not quarts. Dunno
if that's Minwax being stupid or Home Depot.

John

On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 8:36:21 PM UTC-6, -MIKE- wrote:

Hmmm, about the drums. :-)
The head says Premier but those lugs and badges don't look like Premier.
What year?


I'm not sure... maybe early 1980s. I'll ask.

They are my older brother's. Jonas, my nephew, likes to play, also, brought them to the camp/farm. No neighbors, out there, to bother.

Sonny

On Tue, 10 Feb 2015 03:25:25 +0000 (UTC), John McCoy
wrote:

HerHusband wrote in
:

Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would recommend?

I've been happy with Varathane water based. The local Lowes
stocks it on an intermittant basis (for some reason everything
in the finishing aisle is intermittant - as if the manager
keeps changing his mind about what to stock).

I noticed in Home Depot the other day that some of the Minwax
products were only available in tiny cans, not quarts. Dunno
if that's Minwax being stupid or Home Depot.

John
It's the despot. Helps the "turnover ratio" when the manager can say
they moved 40 cans a month instead of 10 - - -

wrote:
On Tue, 10 Feb 2015 03:25:25 +0000 (UTC), John McCoy
wrote:

HerHusband wrote in
:

Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would recommend?

I've been happy with Varathane water based. The local Lowes
stocks it on an intermittant basis (for some reason everything
in the finishing aisle is intermittant - as if the manager
keeps changing his mind about what to stock).

I noticed in Home Depot the other day that some of the Minwax
products were only available in tiny cans, not quarts. Dunno
if that's Minwax being stupid or Home Depot.

John
It's the despot. Helps the "turnover ratio" when the manager can say
they moved 40 cans a month instead of 10 - - -

You think? I have a retail back ground and I don't recall excessive
turnover meaning much more than lost sales.

On 2/9/2015 9:36 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 10 Feb 2015 03:25:25 +0000 (UTC), John McCoy
wrote:

HerHusband wrote in
:

Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would recommend?

I've been happy with Varathane water based. The local Lowes
stocks it on an intermittant basis (for some reason everything
in the finishing aisle is intermittant - as if the manager
keeps changing his mind about what to stock).

I noticed in Home Depot the other day that some of the Minwax
products were only available in tiny cans, not quarts. Dunno
if that's Minwax being stupid or Home Depot.

John
It's the despot. Helps the "turnover ratio" when the manager can say
they moved 40 cans a month instead of 10 - - -

Is the Minwax in an oil base ? - restrictions to volume might be the issue.

I ran into this in Ca and could buy in my county Quarts, but over the
hill in congestion city only in pints and half pints. So after a
while, they put our county on restrictions because of the other county.
They just came over the hill and bought what they wanted.

Martin

wrote:
On Tue, 10 Feb 2015 03:25:25 +0000 (UTC), John McCoy
wrote:

HerHusband wrote in
:

Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would
recommend?

I've been happy with Varathane water based. The local Lowes
stocks it on an intermittant basis (for some reason everything
in the finishing aisle is intermittant - as if the manager
keeps changing his mind about what to stock).

I noticed in Home Depot the other day that some of the Minwax
products were only available in tiny cans, not quarts. Dunno
if that's Minwax being stupid or Home Depot.

John
It's the despot. Helps the "turnover ratio" when the manager can say
they moved 40 cans a month instead of 10 - - -

It's been a while since I left the Depot, but back when I worked there, they
were going more and more to automatic restocking that was determined by
Atlanta, and less and less by the store. I'd suspect that by today, the
department heads and the store managers have even less to do with stocking
levels than they did when I was there.

--

-Mike-

On 2/10/2015 5:38 AM, Mike Marlow wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 10 Feb 2015 03:25:25 +0000 (UTC), John McCoy
wrote:

HerHusband wrote in
:

Anyway, I am curious what other water based poly you would
recommend?

I've been happy with Varathane water based. The local Lowes
stocks it on an intermittant basis (for some reason everything
in the finishing aisle is intermittant - as if the manager
keeps changing his mind about what to stock).

I noticed in Home Depot the other day that some of the Minwax
products were only available in tiny cans, not quarts. Dunno
if that's Minwax being stupid or Home Depot.

John
It's the despot. Helps the "turnover ratio" when the manager can say
they moved 40 cans a month instead of 10 - - -

It's been a while since I left the Depot, but back when I worked there, they
were going more and more to automatic restocking that was determined by
Atlanta, and less and less by the store. I'd suspect that by today, the
department heads and the store managers have even less to do with stocking
levels than they did when I was there.


Exactly and if you have staff that does not put new inventory where it
can be found in the stock room it does not find it's way to the sales
floor. Then the computer sees no sales of that item and reduces stock
levels.

Martin,

Is the Minwax in an oil base?

The poly I was buying is called "water based, oil modified", whatever that
means.

restrictions to volume might be the issue.

Lowes sells the same poly in gallon sizes, so I doubt volume is a factor.
They just don't carry that poly in quart sizes.

They also sell regular oil based poly in quart sizes.

Actually, I haven't really seen the Minwax water based oil modified poly in
quart sizes online either. Kind of weird.

Anthony Watson
www.mountainsoftware.com
www.watsondiy.com

On 2/10/2015 4:01 PM, Dave Balderstone wrote:
In article , Martin Eastburn
wrote:

I ran into this in Ca and could buy in my county Quarts, but over the
hill in congestion city only in pints and half pints. So after a
while, they put our county on restrictions because of the other county.
They just came over the hill and bought what they wanted.

Jayzuz! Do they cook meth with the stuff? That's nuts.

Oh, you did say California...

Wood workers were using their brand for years and when EPA or CA-EPA put
the clamps on it - vocs and all that - tax higher and in smaller cans.
Some were spraying other paints as well. Larger cans ran out
and only the small sample cans were there. Touch-up size. Same on
gasoline nozzles - sucking nozzle over the gas line or just a metal
one that goes into the tank... Our county was just like 1940 - some
still pumped for you for a while. But smog in Southern Ca was really
bad and medium to nominal in Northern. Government stepped in and
said Mother may I is NO. I'm sure the general rules are around the
country due to the vapor that harms ozone...

Martin