Oil-based vs water-based polyurethane
Water-based polyurethane recoats in 2 hours from both makers below; oil-based takes 3–4 hours (Minwax Fast-Drying) to 24 hours or more (General Finishes Arm-R-Seal). General Finishes gives its water-based High Performance 21 days to cure and its oil-based Arm-R-Seal 30.
They thin differently: General Finishes thins Arm-R-Seal with mineral spirits and High Performance with water. Coverage is close: 500 sq ft per gallon for each oil-based product, 500–600 for the water-based ones.
Side by side
| Property | Oil-based | Water-based |
|---|---|---|
| Touch-dry | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 12+ h | General Finishes High Performance: 30 min |
| Recoat | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 3–4 hGeneral Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 24+ h | General Finishes High Performance: 2 hMinwax Polycrylic: 2 h |
| Ready for use | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 24 h (light use) | Minwax Polycrylic: 24 h (normal use (light handling after 3 hours)) |
| Full cure | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: 30 days | General Finishes High Performance: 21 days |
| Coverage | Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane: 125 sq ft per quartGeneral Finishes Arm-R-Seal: up to 500 sq ft per gallon | General Finishes High Performance: up to 600 sq ft per gallonMinwax Polycrylic: 125 sq ft per quart |
| Thinning | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: Mineral spirits | General Finishes High Performance: Water, GF Extender or GF Accelerator |
| Makers say it is for | General Finishes Arm-R-Seal: furniture, cabinets | General Finishes High Performance: furniture, cabinets |
| Makers say not for | Not printed by the makers we read | Not printed by the makers we read |
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. |
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.