How to Choose (and use) the Perfect Top Coat

Once you're through painting or staining a piece, the last step is to seal it with the right top coat.
Should you use wax? Or a water-based polycrylic?

Or maybe an oil-based polyurethane? It's not exactly a secret that we are HUGE fan-girls of General Finishes products, including their top coats. Here's a rundown of their water-based sealers, and some recommendations on what-to-use (and how.)

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General Finishes water-based sealers range from matte to glossy. The general rule is this: the shinier, the harder your finish. And conversely, the flatter, the softer your finish will be.

With that said, we can special-order gloss finishes for you, but we don't keep them in stock because most of you - and we - don't use them often. (More on that later.)

So which one should you use?

Flat-out Flat and High Performance Flat
Generally, we recommend these for vertical surfaces and pieces that aren't going to get a lot of wear-and-tear: buffets and credenzas, occasional tables, headboards. Flat/matte finishes give a soft, finish that mimics hand-rubbed wax, with a little more durability than wax.

High Performance Satin
We typically go for a satin finish over stain for dining tables - it's got sheen without being shiny. You can also use it for cabinets, chairs, and other surfaces that are likely to get a little more wear-and-tear.

High Performance Semi-Gloss and Gloss
Remember, shinier = harder. So if you're re-doing your kitchen cabinets, you want and need something that is scrubbable and stain-resistant. Don't want shiny? No problem. Start with two coats of Gloss or Semi-Gloss for durability, then buff with steel wool, wipe clean and finish with a coat of Satin to create a durable, beautiful sheen.

Exterior 450 Flat and Satin
This is our newest love. It is UV-resistant, and is a fabulous sealer over outdoor pieces like porch leaners, wreath posts, planter chairs....the list goes on and on.

As with the High Performance sealers, your sheen will have a bearing on how well it wears. If you need the best of both worlds, apply two coats of the shinier finish and finish with a third coat of flat or satin.

Want a quick video show-and-tell of these finishes, and our best tips for applying them? Here's a recent in-store demo I did that covers all the ins and outs of using these fabulous finishes.

Do you have a question or comment about top coats? Leave a comment below!

P.s., we have a full slate of demo videos we've recorded - stop by and watch in-person when we schedule one, or catch us on replay on our Facebook page.