Varathane 250241H Water-Based Ultimate Spar Urethane, Quart, Satin

Ok, this product became one of my favorite, but not for the original intended use. I wanted to clear coat some counter tops in my sailboat, and wanted some UV resistance because you know, it's a boat, in Florida. However, as a clear coat on a very light uniform plastic surface (doesn't absorb the product) it was impossible to get rid if very tiny, hard to see (but still there) brush strokes). Most of the time the brush strokes weren't visible, but depending on the light, they would appear and I didn't like that. HOWEVER: I then tried the product on wood, and there was not the slightest brush stroke. PERFECT. Also, I love that it is indeed crystal clear and doesn't alter the color of the wood. I ended up using it on my teak and holly sole inside the boat, despite the fact that it is not recommended for flooring, for several reasons: - it is VERY EASY to apply. - it dries INSANELY FAST, at least in Florida. I could re-coat every 5 minutes. - no sanding required - doesn't alter the color of the wood, but beautifully enhances the grain (like when the wood is wet). - seals the wood / waterproofs the wood - doesn't yellow the holly wood (originally white) like teak oil or varnish or other clear coat would. The result is fantastic, took me less than 1 hour for a 30 foot boat, and can be redone anytime easily and quickly if needed. So who cares if it doesn't last 10 years, it is cheap, fast, easy, looks great, and requires no maintenance, no sanding, no mess when re-applying in the future, while protecting my teak&holly sole well. I highly recommend this to any boater who doesn't want to spend a week on varnishing or coating the sole and wants an easy 100% guaranteed perfect result (no strokes, no bubbles, no issues, apply right off the can as you want with a foam brush you CANT GET IT WRONG. LOVE IT.

Finally a product I can use outdoors that actually does what it says! I do a lot of birdhouses and Christmas decor for outdoors, and often use white paint. Others claim they do not yellow or discolor the paint, but this Varathane 250241H Ultimate water based actually works like it claims! I used it on a birdhouse and a fence peaked for outside that has a lot of white and it did not discolor at all. Also quick drying and got all three Coates on in one day😁 super happy and highly recommend!

I came across this on my hunt for a sealant that was outdoor-rated, wouldn't add a yellow tint, and wasn't glossy. This is perfect. Very easy to apply and dries completely clear. I thought I preferred matte finishes, but the satin really brought my projects to the next level. Photos show chair, bench, and plant stand with just stain, compared to after 3 coats of the spar urethane had been applied and dried. I did feel like the sealant helped to draw out and enhance the color, resulting in a slightly darker tone (chair may have one additional coat of stain in the after photo, and the bench in the after photo is taken on a cloudy day instead of the sun-soaked first photo). Time well tell how well this protects, but after a month in the Denver sunshine and 90+ degree days, the wood looks as good as it originally did. Haven't dealt with too much rain in this dry climate, but the water definitely sits on the surface until it evaporates and isn't being absorbed into the wood.

Thicker liquid than expected, application was easy and was able to rinse off brushes with water no problem. Dried finish was as expected.

Used this varnish on my oak front door. Loved how it turned out. It took 4 coats to cover bc it is a water based varnish. Haven't worked a lot with varnish so this was an easy compromise. Easy clean up too.

DO NOT SHAKE. Shaking will create bubbles in the finish. This is a great product don’t be surprised it looks white for a few seconds it settles out and dries don’t over brush it let it dry two hours no need to sand for the next coats Four coats will make a smooth clear matte or gloss depending on which product finish that will make you happy for years to come Be sure to read all the directions on the can. The people who gave it bad reviews obviously didn’t read the directions.

Drys clear, no yellowing. It also spreads easily.

Have used this products many times before. Dried clear. Be careful not to shake can which introduces bubbles. Cans arrived quite dented and scuffed. Fortunately the safety seals held the lids on the cans.

I've used other varathane finishes before that - in retrospect - really sucked compared to this! It dries to the touch SO fast, and within a couple of hours I can touch the object (in this case i'm clear-coating some corbels for outdoor use) and it doesn't feel soft or tacky at all! Other varathane clear coats I've used, it took months to stop feeling tacky/completely harden. I'm converted! Urethane is hands down superior to polyurethane! I love that it's water-based - the fumes aren't bad at all. Being a urethane it dries/cures super fast and is more flexible/reliable with extreme variations in temp. UV protection..what more could you ask for? I'm glad I went with the satin as opposed to gloss, as it's definitely a preferable finish for my needs. It's just ever so slightly glossy. It's a large can and I barely used any for my cobels, so I'll definitely be using this on a couple of small furniture pieces I was going to refinish!

I used this over chalk paint restoring an outdoor, carved wood lawn ornament. Very nice finish.

Good

This product is great. 5 star great. The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars is because the delivery person threw it on our porch and dented it. I use it to seal acrylic and mixed media art.

Not as good as expected for its very high cost. The color comes darker than that shown on the container. It may or may not protect the wood but it certainly spoiled the natural outer look of my teak doors and windows.