Minwax Premium Water-Based Polycrylic Clear Wood Finish, 1 gal

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I own two businesses (Custom woodworking and Homemade Decor) and Minwax Polycrylic (in its many forms) is always my go to top coat! I love that I have the versatility of choosing which sheen I want for each project. It really gives each item that custom finish.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I bought this for some custom corn hole boards that I made. It doesn't yellow and applies easily over vinyl decals on corn hole boards.

Used this for years on many wood projects after staining, and on restoring and old cedar chest. Brought back the finish on my kitchen cabinets and able to use the kitchen same day. Only down fall is on large surfaces there isn't much time to "work the product" like regular poly urethane.

I am currently installing cherry picture frame paneling in our former dining room, which we've converted into a billiards room (who REALLY ever uses their dining room anymore anyway?). I just finished 12 4x8 1/4" cherry plywood panels with 2 coats of Polycrylic over a coat of Minwax water-based sanding sealer, and the results are simply incredible. The Polycrylic has been a joy to apply, brushed out very nicely to a completely even finish, and left NO brush marks at all. It dried very quickly, and I was able to apply the next coat in a couple of hours. A quick sand with 220 is all that's needed before the next coat. In the past, I've always used 2 coats of dewaxed shellac, then two coats of nitrocellulose brushing lacquer - but I am now a believer in the Minwax water-based products. Shellac and lacquer are much more difficult to apply, and they produce no better results than Polycrylic. In fact, I think I actually like the look of the Polycrylic on cherry better than lacquer - and it produces NO FUMES AT ALL (lacquer fumes will literally knock you out). It doesn't even need to be rubbed out like I have always done with the lacquer. For my future cherry projects - or any projects - Minwax Polycrylic will be my go-to finish! I'm very impressed and quite pleased with the results. Pictures are of the finished panels glued on the walls. The “picture frame” trim will be next. It will be 5/4” solid cherry. Can't wait to see how it finishes with the Polycrylic!

I had a carpenter make a rolling "wine bar" that was paint grade, but being amazing, he used a top quality basswood plywood with maple trim. Once I saw it I decided I didn't want to cover it up, just protect the wood. He recommended a water based product, as did Home Depot (way easier to use, to clean up, and the fumes are much less). I bought this in Clear Satin. I used the technique and patience of a deranged raccoon. I had watched a YouTube video of a women discussing how careful you need to be, to only stir slowly and not shake the can, to only go one way and in the direction of the grain, be wary of brush strokes and bubbles, etc. Nope. Tom Sawyer would have laughed at my application process. It's thick and sticky on wood so I spread in cross-hatch, then went back and smoothed it out with the grain. I sorta sanded lightly between 1st and 2nd coats. I did use a microfiber rag to dust before each application. I think it turned out beautifully. If you are afraid to try, go with Satin as it does dry clear (but goes on milky).

Redid my old (26 year old) pine cabinets. Used a famous chalk paint product for the color. Was advised from a friend that to put a final finish on then instead of the wax finish as suggested from paint company. I used Minwax polycrylic on them. Besides producing a beautiful finish, these cabinets seem sturdier. Easy cleanup and also easy to maintain. I brush coated each door on both sides...everyone loves my new kitchen and their considering doing the same as they contemplate cost of new cabinets verses redo their own!

I recently painted our kitchen cabinets and applied rustoleum top coat to finish. I was so disappointed at how tacky it was, with high gloss and brush strokes highly visible. I decided to wet sand it and this time applied Minwax polycrylic matte and I am amazed at how clean the finish is. Also I love how easy it is to apply and that it's fast drying. Would highly recommend this.

I do high-end paper mache sculptures, with acrylic paints. The Polycrylic adds a perfect gloss to them, and makes them hard as a rock. No surprise there. It's a fantastic product, already worthy of five stars. Minwax upped their game, though, when using PLASTIC CANS!!! The lid comes off easily, NEVER sticks hard, and when the gunk builds up, you can just peel it off. Then the lid goes on tightly and securely. If there was a way to give six stars, I would.

I used this product in Satin Finish on a new cherry table. As a sealer it is good. The final finish coats however are not high quality. I am an experienced furniture finisher. Lacquer, french polish, spar varnishes, brushing and spraying. Polycrylic spray cans seem to have some inconsistency of product possibly due to shelf time. They (I used 5 from 2 different sources) sometimes spit globs which sometimes level out; and tiny solid particles. Followed instructions as to shaking and kept a moist cloth to try to wipe off nozzle periodically when I had globs on the first try for a nice finish coat. No Luck. It seems that if you try long passes on large areas the cans splatter. I have used the Helmsman Urethane with great results. The nozzle is of much higher quality.

I used this product to finish a very important job which they wanted to see a super flat finish, that's why I used ultra flat polycrylic. Today after 8 months of having delivered the job, I am returning with all the doors and drawers to be repair and refinished and still I have to repair and refinish everything that is in the house because it could not be brought to the shop. The finish disappears as if it had never been done, the surfaces are stained with any product including water. WORST PRODUCT EVER. I'm doing this for 20 years and I never see something like this in such a short period of time.