Less expensive than water-based polys. It’s a good water borne poly. Also, it sounds like you may have done this yourself, and that is the cause of the bubble (from the mixing). Also, make sure to consider the proper type of ventilation while applying the coat on the floor. It meets all the relevant environmental standards for low emission of solvent vapors and has low-odor so that you are safe even in long working sessions. Your email address will not be published. This is because the manufacturers keep testing and improving the formulas.  8 to 10 years ago, I used to recommend oil based polyurethane over water based poly. Please note that some of this site’s links are affiliate links, and TheFlooringGirl.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. My designer discount at the paint stores usually more than offsets the cost for the hour consultation. felt pads, doggie socks, Ebook – What to look for when buying a home with hardwood, Best brands of polyurethane (oil an water based brands), Oil vs water based polyurethane – pros and cons, How many coats of polyurethane you should use, California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Policy, Slightly lower VOCs (Bona Traffic is 150 VOCs and Bona Traffic HD is <125 VOCs). Yet, you can use a brush for that as well if you want to. Are you about to sand your floors? Protects and adds beauty to interior wood surfaces including woodwork, furniture, doors and cabinets. Want to see the floor cleaning products I recommend? Easy Clean: The Minwax 64444444 Polycrylic Protective Finish is very easy to clean as well. Rust-Oleum 200241H Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane is undoubtedly one of the best coats that you can get for your floor. BEHR Fast Drying Water-Based Polyurethane is a clear protective finish that shields your interior wood surfaces that are stained with BEHR Water-Based Wood Stain. Question 2: How long is it going to take to dry out the water based polyurethane coat? Varathane 200261H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, 4. I didn’t even know they made one. Read more here. That’s why you should go for a roller as it’s a far better option than a brush. The reviews are outstanding. RUST-OLEUM 230231 Satin Water Floor Finish. On the other hand, an oil based coat can be a bit shiny, which some people might find appealing. Answer: Rollers will be a better option than using a brush as it has a better converge and other benefits. You can read more about polyurethane in these 2 articles:  Best brands of polyurethane (both oil and water based) and Oil vs Water based poly – pros and cons. We refinished our floors 10 years ago and went with oil based poly because of $ and the limited experience I had with minwax water poly was that it was near impossible to apply without bubbles, even using their specified water poly brush. ft., recoat after 2 hours, Durable formula provides outstanding stain and scratch resistance with excellent clarity, Satin finish provides a classic and natural look, Protects and adds beauty to interior wood surfaces including woodwork, furniture, doors and cabinets, Crystal clear finish is ideal for use over light woods like maple, ash and birch as well as over Minwax Water-Based Wood Stains, Ultra fast-drying formula allows for quick recoats in 2 hours, Water-based formula allows for easy soap and water clean up, Available in gloss, semi gloss, satin, matte and ultra flat, Dries to the touch in 30 minutes with coverage up to 31.25 sq. You can’t go wrong with either of these, and you’ll be in great shape with either selection.  it’s really when you move down a grade to the number 3 choice that you’ll start to see a quality difference. water based. If your hardwood floors are stained white or gray or have a white-wash stain, you need to use a water-based polyurethane. Also, there is no risk of damaging the floor with this coat as it’s completely safe to use. Varathane® Crystal Clear Water-Based Polyurethane is specially developed to let wood’s natural beauty show through with the highest clarity over other water-based polyurethanes. The Minwax® Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane is the best polyurethane because it’s great for anything you need to coat around your home. Required fields are marked *. Some of the features that help to make it an exceptional coating for your floor. Minwax One Coat Polyurethane Satin Water-Based Polyurethane (1-Quart) Item #740144 Model #356050000. Avoid these common pitfalls that can impact your floor’s durability! That’s going to help you avoid all kinds of smell issues in the first place. To apply, you simply wipe it on with a cloth. One is the water-based polyurethane and the other one is the oil-based polyurethane. You should never compromise the quality to save money when it comes to getting a coat for your floor. And if you have breathing issues, the odor can be a critical thing that you need to get rid of somehow. Rust-Oleum Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane (200241H), 2. Minwax has some of the most premium polyurethane products that you can use on your floor. In addition, Bona Traffic is environmentally friendly.  It has very low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) – less than 150.  It has low odor.  It’s GreenGuard certified meaning it’s safe for children and pets and it’s school certified. 58 Reviews. If so, feel free to buy me a coffee and support my blog. Minwax Polyshades – Stain & Polyurethane in 1 Step. That’s perfect for you if you want to get the best possible coating for your floor. Water-based poly provides added durability to wood surfaces. And you can reapply the coating after 2 hours. Satin Polycrylic™ Protective Finish is a crystal clear, ultra fast-drying protective topcoat. This is the polyurethane solvent of choice for … Remember to check, if the coat has a yellow effect, which can ruin the whole thing if it goes unchecked. A water based polyurethane can help to make your furniture, bedding, or even carpets in some cases more durable. We use this when our customers want (or are required by their co-op) to use water borne poly, but their budget won’t accomodate Bona Traffic. Please note that this article contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission if you purchase them.  I only recommend products we use and love.  You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page. 403 Reviews. On the other hand, water based polyurethane has less smell to it and it tends to dry pretty quickly. Oil based poly will give you a slightly darker and more yellow look than water based.  This is great for darker colors as it gives you a darker and richer look.  But, on light color (or natural) wood, it makes the wood look more yellow and dated (and it yellows more over time).  If you are going for lighter and more natural color, or using a gray or white washed color, water based poly is a better option.  It will be lighter and won’t amberize as much. Water based polyurethane can dry pretty fast, which is amazing. Thanks. That’s because if you use a brush to apply water based polyurethane, it’s going to leave brush marks. So, either way, go for a coat that looks the best to you. Pro Finisher 1 gal. General Finishes High-Performance Water-Based Polyurethane– Best for Interior and Exterior. Let’s discuss some of the amazing features of this amazing product that’s one of the best coats that you can get for your floor. Fantastic product. The Minwax® Water Based Wipe-On Poly (water based) is the final polyurethane on this list because it is very easy to use. YES! You can just use warm water to clean it off, it’s that easy. Varathane is one of the most well-renowned companies that produce some of the best coats that you can use for your floor. Unlimited pot life. Waiting for any longer won’t do any good to you, and it’s completely unnecessary as well. That’s a vital feature that you must have if you have some kind of breathing issues. Did you find my tips helpful? I’d recommend that you use a professional this time, and I’d probably use Bona Traffic HD for a lighter look without the yellow. Varathane Water-based Polyurethane Diamond Floor Finish for Hardwood Floors. (134) Write a Review. A polished wooden floor glows richly while exuding an air of luxury and warmth. When it comes to water based polyurethane, there is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion out there. The water based polyurethane can provide you pretty good durability, and that’s amazing for your floor. that will go much better with you gray washed pine table. Also, it’s pretty affordable too if you compare it to the oil based coat. Let’s take a look at some of the features of the amazing product that makes it a great polyurethane. Now you have a list of products as well as the knowledge to pick the best one for you. So I wanted to set the record straight on one of my favorite waterborne polyurethanes, Loba 2K Supra, which is a magnificent product. The good news is, we’ve tested tons of these increasingly popular true water based polyurethane, and found the best of the best. 4.6 out of 5 stars. In 2020, wooden floor houses are in style. It dries out 30 minutes to the touch, and you can recoat the whole floor after 2 hours. Polyurethane protects the wood from water/spills and direct sunlight exposure. 2.  When you have a dark species.  Often darker and redder woods, such as Brazilian Cherry and Brazilian Walnut, tend to look better and richer with an oil based poly. I’m hoping the manufacturer will get back to me on the last product they used. Another brilliant feature of this water based polyurethane is that It only takes 30 minutes to dry and gives a clear coat so it is recommended to use on any wood. Amazing Durability: Having enhanced longevity is the main reason for using the polyurethane on your floor. In that case, you should only buy from branded companies that maintain VOC and environmental standards, which is critical. In this article, I will share the best brands of water based polyurethane on the market, where you can buy them, as well as when water based poly makes more sense than oil based poly. Question 1: Is water based polyurethane going to be better for my floor? Your email address will not be published. You also have the option to choose between different types of finishes as well. 3.  When you are refinishing maple and going natural.  While maple is lighter than oak, it’s is more sensitive to the light and UV rays, so if you use an oil based poly, it will turn yellow…and look very dated and worn quickly (often within 1 year). Rick – I’m not familiar w/ Benjamin moore poly, as an FYI. Oil-Based Polyurethane. This is my first choice vacuum for hardwood floors, the best steam mop for tile floors and best hardwood floor cleaner. Answer: Water based polyurethane is a far better option than any other coat that you can use to increase the durability of your floor. Loba 2K Supra has been coming in at a VERY close second place. It does cost more than an oil based polyurethane, but it’s equally as durable, smells way less, dries much faster and has lower VOCs (volatile organic compounds). And the Rust-Oleum 200241H Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane gives the best scratch and stain resistance to your floor. The last water based polyurethane we are going to look at is from Varathane as well. It seems to have all the qualities of Bona Traffic – high durability, virtually no yellowing, low VOCs, low smell, quick drying and curing time. The only reason we have Bona Traffic ranked ahead of Loba is due to the longevity of testing. It’s specifically designed for hardwood floors and to hold up to heavy traffic, pets…and even commercial traffic. It dries and cures a bit faster, especially over the the 1st 24-48 hours.  (This can be a big benefit for households with dogs as well as those in a rush to move into a new home as the movers are less likely to scratch the floors). Let’s cover some of the main features that make it a very impressive coat that you can use on your floor. 2 componment. It’s the most durable, looks the best, yellows the least, smells less and cures fastest. That’s why it’s better to get a coating which is easy to clean and doesn’t require much effort at all. High grade waterborne polyurethane: Loba 2K Supra is on par with Bona Traffic HD. The Minwax 710330000 Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane is the best option for you if you don’t like to compromise the quality for the money. It’s definitely one of the best manufacturers that produce the best water based polyurethane coats that you can use for your floor. now the floors are yellow and we are thinking of just replacing them with LVP or engineered wood. Now you have a list of the top 5 polyurethane that you can use on your floor to increase its longevity. It’s a lot easier to clean it off if you compare it to the oil based polyurethane, which takes a lot of effort to clean off from the floor. That’s one heck of a deal on a GREAT polyurethane!  (check current price). Also, it doesn’t cause color residue whatsoever. ZAR 32512 Aqua Water Based Polyurethane. When you want a very dark stain.  If you are going for a dark stain, oil based poly tends to look better. Question 3: Should I use a brush or a roller to apply the coat on my floor? Remember, don’t go for saving extra money if you have to compromise the quality. Very Fast Dry Time: This coat has the fastest dry time that you can get. You can see all my recos on my Amazon Influencer page. However, you don’t need to wait for more than 6 hours when you put the final coating on the floor. Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane is a crystal clear, non-ambering, protective topcoat that allows you to complete project 3X faster. BEST WATER-BASED POLYURETHANE BONA TRAFFIC HD. It has the highest durability and is considered commercial grade which means it’s great for busy restaurants and retail stores, … Water-based: Looks like milk in the can but dries crystal clear. 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