Water based equivalent for oil urethane

[Andrew Seemann]

Hi,

I recently picked up a Fuji MiniMite 4 and am looking to try water based finishes, which I have resisted for years. My standard finish is a couple coats of SealCoat followed by 2-3 coats of Minwax satin fast dry polyurethane. I like the look of this and would like to match it as close as possible. I checked the archives but didn't find anything recent. My project list for this will include a dining table and a coffee table both of cherry.

I want to keep the shellac sealer part, as it solves a lot of issues, especially if I put a coat of oil based stain on prior to the shellac or am using a blotchy wood like cherry or birch. I'm most looking for something equivalent to the Minwax urethane in both performance and color. I know I could tint something to match the color, but I really would like something that would work straight out of a can (dilution is OK ). I've never been a fan of complex finishing routines and custom mixing. It just makes your life so much easier when you can use something straight-from-the-can, as-directed. Non-yellowing is a requirement as well. Thanks!

[John TenEyck]

Non yellowing is an interesting requirement considering the Minwax OB poly you now use will yellow. Assuming that is OK then you might want to try Minwax's WB Oil Modified Poly: https://www.minwax.com/wood-products...d-polyurethane

Target Coatings makes a similar alkyd modified product, EM-2000. TC's also has another product with a nice amber tone, EM-9300 and it is very durable. You can add their cross-linker to both of those products, too, to increase the chemical durability even further.

John

[Jim Becker]

I'll second the suggestions that John just mentioned. Although the EM9300 is the only Target Coatings product I have not yet actually used, I'd not hesitate to employ it for when it's properties were the right choice for the job. I've used both the EM2000 emulsified alkyd product and the EM8000cv conversion varnish with great success, the latter with the crosslinker for the reason that John mentions.

[Andrew Seemann]

Are there any offerings from General Finish that might work? I don't have a source for the Target Coatings locally, and I'm not sure how I could get it shipped in winter without it freezing. Rocker is local and and easy and carries General Finishes. I saw Enduro Var and wondered about that.

For non-yellowing, I was probably more thinking of that gross plastic yellow look that some old water based finished got. I'm guessing they have engineered that out of modern finishes by now.

[Jim Becker]

Water borne finishes, if anything, have a colder, bluer look, not yellow. EM2000 and EM8000 that I mentioned are some of the few "warmer" water borne products available. The fact that you plan on continuing with the SealCoat is a good thing in this respect, because it will add in the warmer, slight amber that's necessary to look "normal" on many wood species. GF Endurovar and other GF finishes are excellent. If you do decide to try the Target Coatings products, get on their mailing list so you get the coupon codes. the current one is for 25% off...which is meaningful for sure.

[John TenEyck]

I made the corner shelf cabinets to match the aged lacquer finish of the main cabinets. The finish was Sealcoat shellac followed by GF's Enduro Clear Poly.



My friend gets great results with Enduro Clear Poly with his Fuji 3 stage unit. Enduro Clear Poly is dead clear, which is why I didn't mention it in my prior post. You probably can't buy it at Rockler, though, but they usually carry EnduroVar, which might be even a little more chemically durable.

John