What to Know Before Clear Coating Painted Furniture

Wax and Polycrylic are the most popular clear coat options for water based furniture paint. Here are some of the main things to know about wax and Polycrylic before you choose:
Wax – Wax is a great clear coat to do on pieces that have been painted with chalk paint. Pieces painted with chalk paint are designed to be waxed afterward. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t use Polycrylic if you wan’t to have a shinier finish. Wax is easy to apply, the wax needs to to be applied with a soft cloth. Once you apply a thin coat and rub it in thoroughly over the piece, you’ll want to let it harden for a day or so and then buff it until it shines a day or so later. Wax looks great and it’s great for a nice sheen, but as a protector from dings and scratches, I don’t consider it to be as tough as a few coats of Polycrylic would be. For that reason, wax is fine for dressers and such, but for a dining table or something that will take a lot of abuse, I would recommend Polycrylic.
Polycrylic/Polyurethane – Polycrylic and Polyurethane are basically the same thing, but in my opinion, Polycrylic is a little better, but that’s just my opinion, based on my experience. Polycryclic can be sprayed on with a paint sprayer or even out of the a spray can, but I wouldn’t recommend using it from a spray can, it’s too hard to get a nice even finish. I would recommend brushing it on with a high quality paint brush. I wouldn’t recommend rolling it on with a paint roller. It just doesn’t work, or at least not for me. Paint on a coat, then let it dry and do another or even up to 3-4 coats if you’re working on a table or something that needs extra protection. Also, don’t feel like you need to clear coat the whole piece if you just need an extra coat of protection on the top of the piece. Just make sure you try to match the sheen as much as possible.