Min-Wax Poly Acrylic Water Based Top Coat

[Mark J Bachler]

It says on the can that it can be applied over oil based stain. I'm just learning about water based finishes but I didn't think putting them over oil based anything was correct.

[Sam Blasco]

yep, it can, no problems. It is also crystal clear and will add none of that rich amber tone alot of us like. But it builds nicely and is a pretty hard finish. Clean up is a breeze.

[Dave Anderson NH]

As a further note, poly-crylic is not actually a varnish or a urethane. It is actually a water based lacquer. I've used it in a couple of time critical applications where I didn't have time to allow 2-3 weeks for the finihs to cure before rubbing out. Sam is correct, it doesn't add any amber tone to the wood and dries crystal clear. I used it on a bookcase that my son wanted me to make for my Daughter in law as a Christmas present 3 years ago. He came to me the week before Christmas with the request and after I blew his doors off for his wonderful sense of timing, poly -crylic was the only option. It actually thurned out quite nice.

[Jim Becker]

Virtually all water-bourne products are acrylics but may have resins, such as urethane, added to get a "certain" property. There are differences in forumulas and characteristics depending on the manufacturer and line...Target Coatings USL, for example, even behaves like lacquers in that it will fully "burn in" between coats. For those not familiar, that terminology is generally used to reflect the behavior where each coat becomes "one" with the previous coat(s)...there are no layers as there are with varnishes and other evaporative finishes.

[aurelio alarcon]

Sounds great. But how do they spray?

[Jim Becker]

Sounds great. But how do they spray?
Most of the water bourne products outside of the "retail" things like Miniwax are designed for spray-only.

[Butch Hayes]

When I emailed Minwax, they replied that their water based poly-acrylic is in fact a polyurethane. I can't attest to the chemistry, but that is what they report back to me.

[Jim Becker]

When I emailed Minwax, they replied that their water based poly-acrylic is in fact a polyurethane. I can't attest to the chemistry, but that is what they report back to me.
All's that means is that there is cooked urethane resin in the mixture...same as it does in the oil-based form. But it needs to be carried in something that works in water and according to a finishing expert at another forum that I trust a lot on these things, acrylics are what you'll usually find in that space.

[Butch Hayes]

Sounds right to me.

[Dan Mages]

I am actually using it right now on a project. So far, I am quite happy with the outcome of the finish. Since it is water based, clean up is a breeze.

Dan

[Mark J Bachler]

What about spray tip sizes when spraying water based.

[Jim Becker]

What about spray tip sizes when spraying water based.
The stock # 3 projector set that came with my Wagner gun works well for the water bourne products that I use. It also sprayed oil-based Rustoleum just fine, too, albeit thinned.