Minwax Water-Based Wipe-On Polyurethane, Satin, 1 Pint

This is a water based 'wipe on' poly. Like all water based top coats, this covers well, is easy to clean up, and does not add any color to the base material (other than possibly darkening a reflectively flat surface). And, as a previous reviewer mentioned, this dries quickly and this feature can be a double edged sword. If you do not apply this over your entire surface within a short period of time, you can easily get ridges or overlaps that don't settle out. This particular product, however, has one advantage over all other water based top coats I've used, it is very thin (low viscosity) and is truly designed for 'wipe on' application. In fact, I would not recommend brushing this on since wiping on is significantly easier to apply the needed thin coat. I have not tried to spray it, it might spray well, but I really like the wipe on aspect and use this product where wipe on is preferred (built-ins or small projects). It is important to note that this is wipe 'on', not wipe 'in'. For each coat this should be applied in one smooth motion, with no more than a quick retrace to pick up excess. Any attempt to 'work' it into the surface will probably make the finish worse and loses the advantage of this finish, which is the ability to apply several thin coats within a day. In 4 hours I can apply 3 coats and I'm done. No sanding in between and very easy cleanup. So far I've only used this as a top coat for Milk Painted trim on some kitchen cabinets and I am very pleased with the results. My only complaint is that it is not widely available and I need to pay outrageous shipping costs for a single pint. Even with the shipping costs combined, however, this finish is worth the price.

love this product for furniture refinishing, wipes on beautifully with a soft rag, my first choice for top coat

The Minwax Clear Wipe-On Poly is the first and only product I’ve purchased for my furniture refurbishing projects, and it has completely exceeded my expectations. This water-based polyurethane is incredibly easy to work with, providing a beautiful satin finish that enhances the natural beauty of wood while sealing and protecting it effectively. I use sponge painting brushes to apply an even layer of coating, and the results have been consistently impressive. The finish is smooth, durable, and adds a professional touch to my projects. Even furniture I coated two years ago still looks fantastic and shows no signs of wear, which gives me hope for its long-term durability. For anyone looking to refurbish or protect their furniture, I highly recommend this product. It’s simple to use and delivers stunning, lasting results!

Easy application, large amount for several small projects. I just wish it was a little duller of a finish or be available in Satin. The semi-gloss sheen should be great if you don't want a full on gloss on furniture. I'm using this in my modeling & on wooden folding knife scales. Do apply in very thin coats with very light very fine grit sanding in between coats for best results. My projects are small enough I apply it with my finger tip.

This is my dogs wood food bowl holder, it was actually a shade lighter before and had no real polish/varnish so I decided to try and do it myself. I’ve neverrr done any kind of wood work so I was nervous, but I chose this one because its whipe on! It does exactly as stated, no brush strokes left on it, super easy, dries very fast and there was no real smell! I could even do it inside in a separate room where I let it dry! Just put some kind of cloth or sheet under so if it drips, but even then it was easy to get out of the floor! Also keep in mind, it DID make my wood a slight shade darker, it is something to be informed of. It wasn’t a lot just some but important to be aware of. Mine was the satin water based and as you can see not a lot of gloss at all which is what I wanted! Just smooth! very happy 😍

Love this product no streaks easy and o apply

I purchased the clear satin wipe on poly. I was refinishing an old table. I think it's maple but not 100% sure. This was my first time working with poly. The previous owners had put what seemed like a hot pot on the table leaving a very deep burn mark. I first sanded down the entire table and sanded out the burn marks. Then I applied about four or five coats of this poly. I used some cheap sponges I bought on Amazon. I just squirted a bit of the product on the table and used to the sponge applicator and lightly applied it evenly. I used a flashlight to shine on the table to highlight any bubbles. I just went over that area again lightly with the sponge. This stuff dries pretty fast so you need to work quickly. Overall they were not many issues with the bubbles. It would just happen when I had too much product on an area. After applying the first coat, the raw wood will absorb the poly and fluff up. So after the first coat I used a fine grain sandpaper and lightly sanded it smooth with a few strokes by hand. I let it dry overnight in between each coat. If parts of the table feel a little rough between coats, just run sand paper over it very lightly. Make sure to remove dust. I applied the poly outside because on the container it says that the fumes are toxic and should not be breathed in. Then I let it dry for a few hours before bringing it inside. I found that the odor was surprisingly extremely mild, even right after application. After it was dry, there did remain a slight odor. But it was not too unpleasant. It just smells like that smell you get when you buy new furniture. I guess that's what poly smells like. I only applied this poly and nothing else. I was really pleased with the results. It really brought out the golden rich color of the maple, and left it with a beautiful glow and a subtle shine. It was really nice to only have to buy a single product and get these kinds of results.

I never have much luck with polyurethane, I always end up with a drip I didn’t notice until it was completely dry. When I needed to seal a butcher block style table I found this. It was so easy to use. I used a foam brush to apply it, I tried a rag first but the foam worked much better. On the round legs I did use the rag after the foam to make sure I didn’t have and drips. It turned out wonderfully, so glad I found this product, will definitely use it again.