Rust-Oleum Varathane 200261H 1/2-Pint Interior Crystal Clear Water-Based Polyurethane, Water-Based Satin Finish

It works well good quality levers a good finish easy to use.

Looks unlikely when you first put it on - very milky. But it dries (quickly) to a completely transparent finish, not colouring the wood at all, just making it look more vibrant. Other quite unusual thing is it's a genuine satin finish. Since all the EU regs started restricting what manufacturers could put in varnish, I've had trouble with products advertised as matte or satin which come out as gloss. This is the genuine article, and you can get a flawless finish by building up the coats and then sanding with increasing fine sandpaper. 10000 grade takes you to a perfect sheen.

Good product

Easy to apply nice finish

Does the job. Very very expensive. Over priced.

I have a 2000 x 800mm walnut stave desk (like a kitchen worktop), only 27mm thin which had already been oiled with OSMO a few times to seal, darken and protect the desktop and the oil finish was at least a week old before I tried to apply this.Reason for buying this polyurethane was that before I started to use my desk ‘for real’ in my office, I was a bit nervous about hot coffee cups and plates staining the desktop over the coming years, plus walnut is quite soft so could easily dent as things fall on it - but the OSMO oiled surface looked beautiful and I really didn’t want to change it very much appearance wise. So I really “ummed and arred” about whether to leave as it was, or add a layer of varnish/lacquer/polyurethane to add an extra of protection and take a risk on it altering the colour / natural look.I decided on this as seemed to tick all boxes - low odour, fast drying, colourless, water based and easy to apply. Having applied using a foam pad I can confirm it’s all of those things. First coat took about an hour to be touch dry everywhere, and recoated after two hours. Second coat was dry in 30minutes, but left about 6 hours before I put things back on my desk (instructions say 24hrs but hey, it’s a desk, not a floor and life’s too short).Yes, small tin. Very small tin, but after two coats I still have 80% left (yes, instructions say minimum 3 coats, but again, hey it’s a desk that’s already protected so just a little extra on top).

It took a long time to arrive from date of purchase but it is worth the wait. I have tried other products but some left a milky coating on top of furniture I upcycle. I had 3 pieces to do.1st cherrywood unit. The varathane does appear to have a milky finish when 1st applied but it soon disappears leaving a clear top coat which is not streaky or discolouring.I was slightly more hesitant on painting wood finishes on my other pieces of furniture but it didn’t bleed through or drag the paint colour.When I first received the pot it is small but a little goes a long way. I have put 2coats on everything and still have some left over.This product appears to do its job perfectly and would most definitely buy it again.

I like the product. It is effective and easy to use. However it is not a half pint in UK. It is less that that, so I feel a bit short changed.