Clear coat also helps in providing an easy in cleaning whatever surface it is applied on. The white surface of all paints looks unattractive if it does not have the requisite shiny finish. There is a multitude of bright coats/ sealer/ finish available in the market.
Table of Contents
What to Consider Before Buying the Best Clear Coat for White Paint?
There are certain factors that you need to consider before buying the best finish for your dining table or any other furniture for that matter. Here are some of the essential factors that you need to consider while purchasing the best topcoat for wooden furniture:-
What Are the Best Clear Coat for White Paint?
Any furniture or door that is used more often is prone to have its shine fade away. Specifically, the white-colored furniture or doors are more prone to catching dirt, scratches, and have its shine fade apart.
The best clear coat for white paint is the one which brings back life to your old furniture and doors and gives them a new look. And you also use Paint Remover for clear surface dust.
The clear coat should be usable on all kinds of products and surfaces, should be the quick-drying product, should last longer, and provide a glossy and clean look.
The coverage area in one gallon of the said clear coat should be enough to deal with all your touch-ups in one go.
While there is no specific standard to call one product best clear coat for white paint, but based on one's requirement, the clear coat can be chosen.
Minwax 65555444 Polycrylic Protective Finish
Overview
Do you want to beautify your house and refresh your furniture without having to spend a hefty sum on new furniture? Try the Minwax 65555444 Wipe-On Poly Finish Clear, which will give your furniture a new life and bring the kind of glossiness to your furniture that you would have never seen.
This clear coat, when applied, leaves a fragile layer over the surface, which ensures the glossiness we seek in an ideal clear coat. This self-leveling topcoat can be applied easily without worrying about any brush marks.
The sealer for wooden furniture protects the surface from water, chemical, or smoke stains. Made of high-grade polyurethane, this clear coat is available in both Satin and Gloss look.
The weakness of this product is the weak resistance against stains and scratches.
While its glossiness is unmatched, the thin layer of this topcoat leaves the furniture prone to getting scratched and stained due to the general usage.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
Rust-Oleum 200041H Water-Based
Overview
Rust-Oleum 200041H Water-Based is one of the best clear coats available in the market, which not only protects the indoor furniture but can also work its magic on doors, windows, and cabinets.
This clear coat is water-based and hence provides excellent shine to the surface. The clear coat needs just 30-mins to dry and be able to be touched.
Once applied and left to dry for 30 mins, the precise coat results in a beautiful finish to the surface. 1 gallon of Rust-Oleum 200041H clear coat covers an average area of 130 sqft, which is considered good enough, mainly if it is applied on furniture, in which case it can cover most or all of the furniture in one go.
This clear coat is formulated to ensure scratch and stain resistance and gives an extremely glossy look. One of the downsides of this product, however, is the odor on the application; the clear coat leaves a smell, which may be annoying for some people. The clear coating is water-resistant and hence can be easily cleaned by simply wiping.
Bottom Line
The shine of this clear coat does not get pale over time and remain as fresh as new.
If you don’t know much about clear coats and just want a reliable, clear coat to do your job, Rust-Oleum 200041H should be your first choice without any question due to its balanced features.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
KILZ Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior Latex Primer
Overview
Did you just order your furniture, but their finish does not satisfy you? Can you see the pores in the furniture, which is giving it a really bad look? Try the KILZ Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior Clear Wood Finish, one of the best wood finishing topcoats available for furniture.
This clear coat helps in covering all the pores in your furniture and works perfectly to smoothen out the surface of the wood.
This topcoat eliminates the need for a separate wood filler and does the job by itself while providing the necessary filling to the wooden surface.
KILZ Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior Wood Finish is formulated in a way that it does not need sanding b/w the application of two coats.
It merely removes all the imperfections and gives you a strong glossy and smooth look.
This quick-drying top coat provides protection against stains and scratches on the furniture. Made of high-quality polyurethane, this topcoat can be applied to indoor items.
The downside to this product is its limitation to the indoor surfaces. This topcoat is vulnerable to the sunlight and hence cannot be used on surfaces that are expected to be placed outdoor.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
General Finishes QTHSG High Performance
Overview
General Finishes QTHSG is a high-performance topcoat, known for its hardness and durability. This clear coat can be considered as the best furniture wax for chalk paint. Formulated using the polyurethane, this clear coat has features of PolyAcrylic touch.
The finish can be safely used for outdoor surfaces that incur heavy sunlight due to the presence of the UV resistant material in it, which saves the clear coat from cracking under the direct sunlight. Interesting enough, the product can be used on floors as well, thus showing that this top coat can withstand extreme conditions.
The product is equally efficient for furniture as well as wooden walls and doors. It provides the same amount of clean and glossy touch regardless of where it is applied.
The downside to this product is the lack of glossiness. While the clear coat is tough and protects the furniture, it lacks the requisite intensity of glossiness, which is expected from a high-end clear coat.
If you are seeking to bring a shine to your furniture, you should move on in the list, and if you find durable protection against the scratches and stains, then this is the product you should choose.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
Minwax Brushing Lacquer 155100000
Overview
Talking of top coats, the Minwax Brushing Lacquer 155100000 is known for its balanced nature and its ability to provide protection to the wooden surface, while equally providing the requisite glossiness and smoothness. This topcoat can be used over both the wooden and metallic surfaces.
This topcoat can be easily applied without sanding the prior coating, and it dries quickly in merely 30 minutes. The downside to this product, however, is the need for dual layers, and the 2 hours wait between the two layers makes the application of this top coat slightly cumbersome. Nonetheless, the final glossy finish that this product is unmatchable.
If you want to get an all-in-one top coat for all your metal as well as wooden furniture, the Minwax Brushing Lacquer 155100000 should be your foremost choice due to its formulation.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
Watco 63041 Lacquer Clear Wood Finish from Rust-Oleum
Overview
It is the best interior sealer for white paint on any surfaces. The product plays the role of being a protective layer on your paint coat to increase the paint's longevity. This product helps to increase the glossiness of your paint for quite a long time.
The sealer is scratch-proof on wood, metal, and cement. It also helps the paint to stay stain-free. But the product can't do its best on exterior surfaces.
The finish can be applied on surfaces that are not sanded. It also dries quickly and lets you use your surface without worries.
Most of the time, you can cover a surface with just one coat from this sealer. But you can have the second coat for the best result. The coverage from a quart of this finish is almost 300 square feet in general.
Special Note: The sealer dries within an hour to get another coat easily. You can also use the surface instantly after getting dry.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
Interior Clear Wood Finish Gloss Brushing Lacquer by Deft Inc
Overview
This top coat works super fast on interior doors and furniture. You can apply it on most color shades. The product is fully clear and doesn't ruin the color scheme of your surface.
The coat can get dry within half an hour. You don't need any ventilated place to make the product dry after the application. It also has less smell that can make you worry less.
The finish stays clear and smooth for years. Unlike other cheap products, it doesn't lose its clarity. It stays clear and keeps up the actual look of your surface.
The product works fine while fighting against stain and scratches. You can use it as a protective layer of your new paint. Also, the coverage and thickness let you finish the coating without any difficulties.
Special Note: You can use the sealer with both sprayers and brushes despite the manufacturer insists to use brushes only.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
Waterlox Original Sealer
Overview
It is a clear coat over white paint on any surface in your home. The product is both efficient and effective to protect the paint coat for staying like new.
This product might not be fully transparent. But it stays as a guard on your surfaces to protect mainly from moisture. The waterproofing formula can do well on exterior surfaces as well.
You can roughly use a surface coated with this sealer without any worries. It helps wood, metal, tiles, and other surfaces not to get any type of scratches at all. The sealer doesn't let stain cause harm to the outlook of your furniture or walls.
You can cover a large surface like your floor using this top coat. A couple of coats of this product can prove to be vital for many years.
Special Note: You can directly use the product on any rough surfaces. A surface without any paint like wood can also stay durable with only the help of this top coat.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
OLD MASTERS’ CLEAR SATIN Finish
Overview
Almost everyone can afford this budget gelled coat for their home interior and exterior. It can work well on any type of paint you have on your surface.
The top coat can be applied easily using a brush or foam. The formula is sticky, but you can create a layer on woods without hustling a lot.
The gel is pretty simple but effective in many cases. I recommend this for small DIY projects at home.
Moreover, the product can do the job within a couple of coats. It is not like other polyurethane coats that need several layers to be protective for a surface. Two coats of this product can save the look of a surface from fading even when it gets older.
Special Note: The dry time of this gel is okay in any condition. It can get dry within six hours commonly on wooden surfaces.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
Varnish Oil from Tried & True Wood Finish
Overview
It works as the best polyurethane for white paint if your surface is wooden. The product might be a bit costly for a few people. But still, it is the best option to use for the wooden interior.
The oil's key feature is the durability. It can protect a wooden surface for more than a decade. The layer of this oil can be thicker. But it is still transparent and keeps the actual color of the paint on the surface.
The varnish oil has less smell, which can get vanished within a day after application. You can use it in a place where the ventilation system is not too vital.
The layer of this oil does the job of keeping the surface safe from scratch marks and stains. It is hard to rip off the oil layer from any object. It gets stronger when it becomes older.
Special Note: Despite being one of the strongest varnish oils, this product doesn't change the color shades of wooden furniture, floor, or wall. It lets the wood look natural.
What I Like
What I Didn't Like
You should negotiate in spending some money on good interior paints. Because high quality paints feature lots of facilities like moisture blocking, odor blocking, smooth finishing, good coverage, and much more.
A clear coat, also known as a poly coat or topcoat is a protection layer over the paint, which improve the finish of your paint. The clear coat also helps in protecting your painted surface against all kinds of scratches, watermarks, and stains. Even if your paint quality is not as useful to resist the stains, the clear coat will help in providing much-needed protection.
How to Choose the Best Clear Coat for White Paint?
Drying Time
Top coats can often take a long time in drying. If you are into a DIY project and you are short on time, you need to look for top coats that come with the least drying time to touch and least drying time before recoating.
Clear Finish
Certain clear coats may provide a very strong resistance against scratches and stains, but would not provide much glossiness. On the other hand, certain coats may provide perfect glossiness but are not thick enough to give the requisite resistance; hence, the topcoat should be chosen based on specific requirements.
Wood/ Metal
Most of the topcoats are formulated for wooden surfaces. However, there are a few topcoats that can be applied to both wooden as well as metallic surfaces. Multi-Surface top coats, however, often come at a high price.
Sanding
Some topcoats require sanding between any two coatings, while there are others that require no sanding in between the coating. Based on the time you have for the waxing and polishing process, you can choose your top coat accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions of Best Clear Coat for White Paint
How to Apply Clear Coat on Wood?
The coating is something that can bring the very best from a piece of wood. There are several kinds of coatings. The oil-based polyurethane coating is one of the best.
Before you start coating, you must have to make sure the wood surface is dust-free. Sanding is important for a smooth final painting. So, you can start by sanding the wood. We recommend you to use medium size of grit sandpaper. It will help you to remove any kind of major scratches. You can also go for the electric sander.
It will be helpful for large projects. After you sanded with a medium grit sandpaper, you can further look for extra-grit sandpaper. Remember, the more you can smooth your wood surface, the clearer coat you will have.
How to Seal White Painted Furniture?
This is one of the crucial parts of the whole painting process. If you fail to seal your furniture properly, then it won’t look gorgeous for sure. To make you white or other colour paint gorgeous you just have to know how to seal painted furniture.
Basically, if you use something heavily, you’ll need topcoat or sealing. It protects your furniture glow. If you neglect it anyhow, make sure you are very kind while using your painted project.
Applying topcoat or sealing is pretty simple. But be careful. You can paint with a soft brush and make sure you apply coats in light. Take enough time to dry every coat properly before you apply another coat.
Can You Put Clear Coat Over Paint?
yes, you can put clear and smooth coat over paint.
To be frank, clear coats don’t cost much, nor in money neither in labor. It only takes enough patience and practice. Ventilation before painting is too important. When you decide to put another coat over paint, make sure it dust-free. Take a piece of foam or brush and clean it perfectly.
We suggest not taking a large-sized brush. Take a small or medium brush and paint with one direction. For a smoother surface over paint it several times. But yes, take a few minutes before you start painting another coat.
How Long for Polyurethane to Dry on Furniture?
polyurethane is the protector of your paint. You can simply put one or two coats of polyurethane and protect your projects. There are two types of polyurethane, and every type of it gets different time to try. The water-based polyurethane take comparatively shorter time to dry, where oil-based polyurethane takes longer time.
In case of water-based polyurethane, you should for at least 6 hours to dry every coat. And it is 24 hours for oil-based polyurethane. For example, you want to apply three oil-based polyurethane coats on your furniture. In that case, you need to wait 3 days to complete the painting. Because, after every coat you have to wait for 24 hours.
Do You Sand the Final Coat of Polyurethane?
The last coat of polyurethane is what it looks like or how it feels to touch. So, it is expected that you don’t need to sand it again. If it is not what you want, then you can go for another coat. For smoother painting, you can sand and paint over your project. Once you are done with your final coat or top coat, you don’t need to sand it.
The excellence of polyurethane is to make your DIY projects more smooth and better looking. As long as you are done with your topcoat, don’t touch that project with bare hands or with any gloves. Wait until it dries totally.
How to Get a Mirror Finish on Wood?
Mirror finish a very interesting thing for any wooden project. There are some tricky things you need to follow before you try this amazing thing. You should keep your projects inside when you apply it. If it is your car or backyard table, try to keep it inside.
First, you need to sand your project very well. You can use 320-grit sandpaper. It will possibly give you a smooth surface.
You can have a mirror finish by two different ways. One is varnish, and another is lacquer. You can get it by rubbing on shellac layers too. This is called the French polish. But it takes too long to dry. That’s why people tend to move to varnish or lacquer nowadays.
Conclusion:
In the end, no matter what kind of paint you have used on your furniture, if you do not apply the clear coat, it will remain unattractive. And its finish will not be as good as it should be. Wooden furniture, especially, needs special polishing and clear coating to look all glossy and new. So what are you waiting for? Get working!
You May Like Also:
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.