Oil Vs Water Based Polyurethane Reddit

I ve heard people say that there are some water based polys coming out in the last decade or two that are impressive when it comes to durability and can stand up against the traditional oil based polys but i haven t experienced one yet.
Oil vs water based polyurethane reddit. Water based poly on the other hand has almost no smell. Finally water based poly dries a lot faster giving dust less time to settle out of the air into your finish. Generally lasts around 10 years. Water based finishes have come a long way in the past few years.
And when you add in an extra 1 2 coats your cost will increase further. However i usually use oil based polyurethane and this just seems to be in a completely different tier as far as durability goes. Oil based polyurethane has a more distinct odor and takes a longer time to dry than water based ones. I was wondering what people thought about oil vs water based polyurethane.
Water based poly tends to cost more than oil based poly. Polyurethane paints and varnishes used to only be oil based. Because water based polyurethanes only contain 30 35 solids vs. Oil based contain 45 50 solids you will need to add more coats of water based poly.
As a professional flooring company in new york city our 1 choice for polyurethane is the water based bona traffic line. Water based polyurethane will give off little if any odor compared to oil based poly a real issue if your finish room happens to be in your basement. Most buildings in the city do require water based because of the oil based toxic odors. Most water based polys contain only 30 to 35 percent solids compared with the 45 to 50 percent solids in oil based products.
I used to exclusively use oil based but have recently switched to water based. Water based polyurethane cost is two to three times higher than oil based products. It sounds like oil based poly adds a little more color to the wood and a better seal with less coats. It basically has two kinds.
From what i can gather the only advantages of water based poly are quick drying and drying clearer. However it has been discovered in recent years that water based polyurethane works just as well. Water based polyurethane will not stink up the house like an oil based poly. Since these solids create the protective finish you need to.
Oil based is softer which can offer greater scratch resistance. When cost and coats are calculated this works out to about 35 to 50 cents per square foot for oil based poly and 80 cents to 1 35 per square foot for water based polyurethane. It is safe for people and pets to occupy a house while undergoing coatings of water based poly. Oil based poly is a thicker poly but it is also softer.