# Should I use wipe on polyurethane or spray-on for my antique dining room furniture?



## BrowneBearLLC (Apr 8, 2015)

In my option you get a better finish with a spray. Why? You build it up with a number of coats and the chances of having runs or sags are almost non-existence. You can also get into areas that are hard to coat. The spray sets up almost on contact which will give you a good uniform coverage. 
Cons, you have to deal with overspray, heath concerns and cleaning the sprayer


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Hope your not talking about a rattle can of poly.
If so use a brush not a spray can.
No wipe on is going to give you enough coverage.
Just moving the chair will wipe it all off.


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## audmod (Jun 4, 2015)

This is the design. I'm completely new to this, and the spray poly I have is the rustoleum ultimate poly spray in satin. And i have a can of minwax wipe-on poly. I'm worried that with all of the little details and turns that I'll end up with brush marks, but I thought I would consult you fine folks because you definitely have more knowledge of this than i.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Good gosh man...
If your new at this I can't imagine what you would be like in 5 - 10 years. The chair looks flawless and blends in good.

If you wish to keep and antique appearance brush.
If not, spray..

Will you be redoing the seat, got a picture..?


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## audmod (Jun 4, 2015)

Thank you Ron, I think most of the credit goes to the awesome gel stain that I've been using. I think I'm in love with it, lol. What kind of finish would u recommend that I brush on? It's hard to find info on what kinds of products to use for what kinds of applications, since I keep running into commercial ads, each of which insists that their product is the way to go.

I don't have any pics of the seat cushions, just have the wood seats and need to find pads and fabric for them.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Hopefully two knots will be along to help the work they do is flawless. If not try the search feature for a couple of their posts.


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## audmod (Jun 4, 2015)

Thanks for the tip! I'll look them up.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

You will never get enough material on the set with a wipeon approach, it would take forever for it to build up to an acceptable level.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

I know this video deals with a marine product, but basically products such as clear coats have come a long way and boils down to pretty much personal preference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6X-0Y9xMY0


Here are some more basic tips.
http://www.familyhandyman.com/search/index?search=furniture&page=1&rs=50&sort=0


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## audmod (Jun 4, 2015)

That was a great video! It demystified a few things about staining the wood and how much to sand. Thank you!


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## taylorjm (Apr 11, 2013)

Go get some good quality oil based poly. Not the big box store stuff or minwax, go to a real live paint store and ask what they have. You can try the water based, but I'm old school and only use oil based with a good quality brush made for poly. You will be shocked with the results. I'm used to using the old masters product line and bought some minwax stain one time for a quick project and it was the most awful product I've ever used. I couldn't even figure out why a store would sell it. It was like colored water. Never again!


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

All depends on what kind of finish you want, oil based will give an amber hue, water based will be clear.


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## audmod (Jun 4, 2015)

Taylorjm- I love the Old Masters brand! That's actually the gel stain that I used on the chair in the picture above. The guy at the local shop recommended it, and it is working amazingly well. It sounds like oil based finish is what I'm looking for, trying to restore the original look of the dining room set (before it was neglected in a shed for two decades).


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## taylorjm (Apr 11, 2013)

I've also had really good luck taking the old masters gel stain and mixing it in with their oil based poly. I used the red mahogany gel stain, tinted the poly with it, then scuffed up the kitchen cabinets and brushed on a couple coats and it looked great. Here was a sample pic when I was playing with colors. My end result wasn't this dark. I refinished the cabinets years ago so I knew that the previous poly was also old masters oil based, so I knew it would bond without any adverse reaction.


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## audmod (Jun 4, 2015)

Oh I love that color. So rich and beautiful!


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