Oil Or Water Based Polyurethane
Furniture shouldn t be placed on the flooring for 12 hours after the last coat is applied.
Oil or water based polyurethane. Let s cover a few basics before discussing which is best for specific wood types. However it has been discovered in recent years that water based polyurethane works just as well. Some still insist that durability is the main deciding factor between water based oil based polyurethane. Oil based polyurethane has a more distinct odor and takes a longer time to dry than water based ones.
Oil based poly can last around 10 years. As you can see from this picture the difference is pretty dramatic. Today though water based polyurethane has evolved with better formulations that are equally durable as oil based polyurethane. Since these solids create the protective finish you need to.
That means you must sand it between coats to create a mechanical bond to the next layer. Water based polyurethane has both a duller color and a duller finish. How water based and oil based polyurethane are different. Oil based polyurethane looks better.
Up to 4 coats can be applied in a day. Oil based polyurethane adheres well to nearly everything too except itself. It basically has two kinds. It has a more depth both in color and shine and it looks the way we expect hardwood to look.
Oil based used to be unquestionably more durable. Polyurethane paints and varnishes used to only be oil based. Water based polyurethane can be recoated in 4 6 hours. High quality water based polyurethanes is considered by many homeowners flooring professionals to be equally durable.