The Best Clear Coat for Furniture for 2021 (& Best Top Coat for Chalk

A clear coat (often referred to as a poly or topcoat) basically a clear protective finish that you brush on your painted or stained furniture piece after it has dried. It gives the piece a shield against scratches, water rings from drinking glasses, and just dirt in general.

The protective coating makes cleaning furniture pieces easier because dirt can’t penetrate into the paint surface. Instead, it wipes cleanly and easily from the topcoat!

Why should I protect my painted furniture with a topcoat? Any hard furniture that gets a decent amount of use regularly needs protection. We recommend using a clear coat on dining tables, coffee tables, desks, end tables, or entry tables as these are all used daily and subject to wear and tear.

Dark painted furniture pieces are especially susceptible to showing smudges and dust so I use a clear coat on those to provide protection. Also, it’s a good idea to use a top coat on any furniture pieces exposed to regular humidity in bathrooms or your kitchen. Whether you are looking for the best top coat for chalk paint or even for latex paint or stain, this is a good general rule of thumb:

BOTTOM LINE: If your painted furniture piece will come into regular contact with water, food, or little fingerprints, you need a topcoat for the ultimate protection!

This even goes for latex-painted furniture pieces. Although latex paint is very durable, it still benefits from an extra coating of protection. The top coat makes the surfaces harder and therefore more durable but most important clear coats are much more waterproof than latex as latex paints can bubble up if water penetrates the surface.

Unlike latex-painted pieces or stained pieces, chalk painted furniture needs a protective finish unless you know a drinking glass won’t be set on it. If a chalk painted piece without wax or a top coat comes into contact with water, the paint can actually re-liquefy!

So if a cold drink is placed on unsealed chalk paint, you could be left with a puddle of paint on your now-ruined furniture piece not to mention the potential of wet paint on your rug or clothing.

Perhaps you are familiar with using wax as a protective coating on chalk paint but did you know you can more easily apply a top coat and your surface will be better protected from water?

While wax can waterproof a surface, there is a definite learning curve with applying wax properly. If not enough wax is not properly buffed onto the surface, it can be easily penetrated with water and the surface will be ruined if a cold drink is left on the surface. Also, wax has to be reapplied every 6 months to a year to be effective! Later, we’ll discuss the best chalk paint top coat as opposed to waxing!

By applying a clear coat to unsealed chalk paint, you can get a more durable, waterproof finish, but without the time, effort, and extra expense of wax!

There are two basic types of topcoats for furniture: water-based and oil-based. Traditionally, oil-based polyurethanes were the main clear coats used on furniture but now more water-based formulas are on the market. Here’s a little about the pros and cons of each:

It used to be that all polyurethanes were oil-based but now you are seeing several polyurethanes that are water-based and just as durable! Polycrylic is also a water-based product and one of the topcoats we tested. Water-based clear coats are easy to clean up, have low odor and the finish is much less likely to change over time.

Water-based top coats also dry quickly and can be used on bare, stained, or painted wood. Can be used on bare, stained, or painted wood.

Oil-based polyurethanes were always the more durable choice but now they have a lot of competition as water-based formulas have improved. Oil-based products have a strong odor and can take longer to dry. However, the longer drying time can mean fewer brush strokes.

Oil-based topcoats can have an ambering effect, which means that over time the clear coat can cause the surface of the furniture piece to yellow. If you have a dark stained piece of furniture, this won’t be detectable and can even warm up the color of the wood slightly over time. But if you have a white painted furniture piece, you can see how yellowing would be problematic!

Oil-based polys are very water-resistant but are not recommended for outdoor use as they may crack or yellow when exposed to UV light.

Any furniture piece can benefit from a protective finish but especially those that get a lot of use on a daily basis will be better safeguarded from damage, fingerprints, and smudges.

Often, the oils from your hands can react with the not so smooth surface of chalk paint or matte latex. Over time, those fingerprints and smudges will make your piece look dingy – and not in a rustic farmhouse way.

Those dreaded water rings from drinking glasses can easily ruin a furniture piece but with the right amount of clear coat, you can leave glasses on your coffee table overnight with no damage to the surface!

Applying a good chalk paint clear coat make horizontal surfaces so much easier to wipe. I can’t imagine having a tabletop without a clear coat for easy clean-up after means.

Many faux finishes use glaze and special techniques to highlight different features of the furniture. Sometimes those glazes are not waterproof so you can easily seal in those details for good with a top coat!

Also, a clear coat will save you time on touching up furniture pieces later. It will also allow you to scrub furniture without ruining the paint finish.

• Minwax Water-Based Polycrylic Protective Finish (click here for the current price)
• Varathane Water-Based Polyurethane (click here for the current price)
• General Finishes Flat Out Flat Topcoat (click here for the current price)
• Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane (click here for the current price)
• Crystalac Water-based General All-Purpose Top Coat (click here for the current price)
• Varathane Ultimate Polyurethane, Oil-Based (click here for the current price)
• General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat (click here for the current price)

We did a blind test on 7 of the most popular clear coats for furniture. I found these by going to 4 different Facebook furniture groups I am apart of. Each group consists of hundreds of professional furniture painters. After finding out their favorite clear coats, I narrowed down their favorites to the top 7.

Using painter’s tape, I made seven different sections on each of two pieces of wood. One was painted and one was stained. On each section, I put a total of three layers of topcoat with light sanding in between. I used an inexpensive foam brush to apply the protective finish.

After letting the last coat dry, I let the two wood planks cure for two weeks to reach maximum hardness and water impermeability for each sample. Then, I put glasses of ice water on each sample for 24 hours to see which samples allowed a ring to appear.

Criteria for the Best Top Coat For Furniture Projects:

1. Easy of Application
2. Surface Smoothness
3. Expense
4. Durability
5. Water Permeability
6. Sheen
7. Clarity

After testing seven different topcoats, Varathane’s Water-Based Polyurethane was the clear winner! This clear coat is great for interior products including furniture, cabinets, trim, and doors. Varathane states it has the best scratch and stain resistance available and based on our findings, I believe them! It has a low odor, with easy soap and water clean up. It also dries quickly once applied.

Many reviewers have used it in a paint sprayer with no problem and have even used it without sanding between coats. Just be sure to not shake the can (only stir) to reduce bubbles. One reviewer found that when they brushed it on there were several bubbles in the finish but those bubbles popped during the drying time to leave a smooth coat with no brush marks! Click here for more reviews.

Varathane’s Water-based Polyurethane is a fabulous product that was easy to apply. Some bubbles were left in the finish but they quickly popped upon drying leaving a super smooth finish with no brush marks. After three coats, the finish was still very clear and not hazy at all, even on the stained sample. The satin finish is very nice and not too glossy! Also, this formula was the best performing water-based clear coat when it came to water rings as no ring was left after 24 hours.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CURRENT PRICE FOR THE BEST CLEAR COAT FOR FURNITURE

This topcoat was also the best clear coat for a tabletop because it’s resistant to scratches, stains, and water. One common concern for a dining table is the clear coat’s ability to protect against condensation from glasses and this top coat performed best!

To my surprise, it was also the best budget-friendly clear coat for furniture. Crystalac’s Water-based topcoat was a close second but the price is almost twice as much. See the current price here.

You can see how I used Varathane’s Water-Based Polyurethane on the coffee table we built over the faux stain: DIY Farmhouse Coffee Table with Turned Legs

The best sealer for chalk paint is General Finishes Top Coat which does an outstanding job of preserving the look, feel, and color of chalk paint. Their Flat High-Performance Top Coat is a clear, flat, water-based topcoat and excels at making chalk painted or milk painted projects much more durable.

This was one of the two products that didn’t leave any evidence of drink rings even after the drinks were left on sealed wood overnight.

The very ingredient that gives chalk and milk paints their velvety look and powdery feel works against them in the durability department. This is especially the case with chalk paint that can even come off on your hands or if you rub up against it. For that reason, chalk paint always needs some sort of sealant on top.

Wax is not the only option when it comes to Although wax can be used to increase chalk paint’s durability, it requires frequent reapplication. However, General Finish’s High-Performance Top Coat in Flat (click here for the current price) was picked as the best chalk paint topcoat and sealer because it preserves the look, feel and color while increasing the durability of milk paint and chalk paint even with one coat. It dries quickly and can be easily cleaned up with soap and water.

(See the Runner Up for the Best Sealer for Chalk Paint if you want a lower-cost version here: Varathane Waterbased Polyurethane in Matte This is also an amazing sealer for chalk-painted furniture!

Wax usually comes in a can and comes in a paste consistency. It has to be buffed on the surface with a special brush or rag and not too much can be used. There is definitely a learning curve as far as technique and the wax has to be reapplied regularly to maintain the durability of the finish.

Clearcoat is a clear liquid that can be brushed on the surface with a regular brush. Application is easy and it’s a once-for-all protective finish that is much more budget-friendly than wax.

The best sealer for chalk paint should not only be durable but easy to apply. Fortunately, there are lots of alternatives to wax on the market. Any traditional sealer that you can brush on a a foam brush takes a lot less time and skill than waxing. Also, the wax and special bush are another cost consideration when picking the best chalk paint clear coat.

Be sure there are no areas of your chalk paint that are peeling. This can happen easy close to distressed areas. Sand off any paint that is peeling up too much so the clear coat lays flat on your chalk painted furniture surface. You can brush on the clear coat the same way I show you in the video with latex.

Several reviews said that the topcoat looks milky and opaque when applied but that it because completely clear once it dried. I love that this sealer has almost no odor making it perfect to use indoors when refinishing furniture projects making it a great chalk paint clear coat (Click here for more reviews on the best sealer for chalk paint).

We love that it has a very consistent, velvety matte finish that had no streaks or bubbles. The finish and feel of this chalk paint clear coat are very reminiscent of wax without the cost and hassle. It stood up well to the water test but not quite as well at the Varathane Water-Based, although the results were outstanding especially for a matte finish which is inherently not as water-proof. There were also no brush strokes in the finish!

Any type of polyurethane can be used over chalk paint. Some are just better options for others but water-based and oil-based polyurethane can go over chalk paint just like latex paint. Any of the brands listed in this post, including our top pick, can be used if you want to use poly over chalk paint.

Any of the top three choices would work beautifully on milk paint but if you like a super matte finish, this one is your best bet for use on milk paint whether it is General Finishes Milk Paint or Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint!

CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE & REVIEWS

Since writing this post, Varathane’s Waterbased Polyurethane came in a satin sheen but not in a flat/matte sheen. Fortunately, there is now a flat sheen available here making it an other great option as a chalk paint clear coat: Varathane’s Waterbased Polyurethane in Flat

The Varathane Water-based Topcoat was the best option for latex-painted furniture as it settles well and protects latex furniture from water which could cause bubbling or peeling on unprotected latex surfaces. Our top three clear coats would all do well on painted furniture – CLICK HERE TO COMPARE THE TOP THREE.

It’s easy to clear coat over latex furniture with a few simple tips! After painting your furniture piece, let it dry for 48 hours.

Lightly sand your furniture piece with steel wool with very fine sandpaper with high grit (300+) or lightly sand with your mouse sander. (Click here for the best mouse sanders under $25)

Wipe off any sanding dust with a moist rag or paper towel.

Then brush on the clear coat in long strokes in one direction with an inexpensive foam brush (like this one). When you are finished with your first coat, don’t touch it and let it dry according to the directions on the can.

My Best Tip: How to Protect Painted Furniture and Stained Pieces-

To give painted furniture maximum protection, top coat paint with 3 coats of clear coat. This will give your piece maximum hardness and durability. This sounds excessive but our top three clear coats all have very fast dry times, which will cut down on the time to finish your project. Sand very lightly in between and follow the dry time recommended on the can.

For the best protective finish for stained wood, I’d pick General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat. This General Finishes Top Coat provides maximum durability and is very waterproof. One reviewer complained about slight yellowing on a white piece of furniture but that’s actually a plus for stained furniture as it warms up the tone slightly making it the best clear coat for wood. After sanding lightly, all three top clear coats would be a great choice for stained furniture.

Just like clear coating painted furniture, be sure to let the stain dry for at least 48 hours and sand very lightly. For stained finishes, I recommend “sanding” with a paper bag so you don’t mar or scratch the stained finish. The paper bag is enough to rough up the surface so the clear coat sticks to the stain but it doesn’t leave any scratched in the stain.

To provide a thick clear coat for wood, add three thin layers of clear coat for maximum durability. Use an inexpensive foam brush (like this) and brush in one direction for each coat. Allow each coat to dry according to the instructions on the can.

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Minwax’s Water-based Polycrylic Top Coat is a commonly used clear coat for furniture refinishing. All seven topcoats are good products but I found our top three clear coats all performed better than Polycrylic in terms of durability and water permeability. There was a pretty obvious water ring left on the polycrylic sample but it provided a very smooth finish.

Several furniture painters have trouble with polycrylic streaking or forming stripes on the surface. I’ve seen this problem as well but what helps is to add a little extra product per coat on your surface. By adding extra polycrylic, it seemed to minimize streaking significantly!

Oil-based polyurethanes are great when it comes to having a waterproof surface as they both left no glass rings on the surface of each sample. HOWEVER, there were several bubbles in the Minwax surface and both caused pretty severe ambering of the painted surface.

The Minwax polyurethane separated so it took me a while to stir the product so it was once again consistent. If you don’t stir in the solids, your finish will be high gloss.

So, while they could both be used for stained surfaces, they would not be a good option for painted furniture, especially light or white paint colors. If you want to use an oil-based polyurethane, Varathane’s had better results by far – click here for the current price.

Sheen refers to the amount of shine on a piece of furniture ranging from high gloss, gloss, semigloss, satin, and then matte for the least shine. Matte is the most popular now as you will see it often on farmhouse style or chalk painted furniture.

The shinier the piece the more durable and easy the surface is to wipe off. So, if you need a more durable finish, satin is often a good option because it’s not very shiny but is a hard, waterproof surface.

The more gloss a surface has the more it will show imperfections in the surface so a matte sheen is much more forgiving than a semi-gloss. The clear coats I experimented with were all matte and satin finishes:

Don’t forget to download your FREE step-by-step printable checklist that shows you the exact process I’ve used on dozens of furniture pieces while saving you time and money!

Someone asked me how to refinish a piece of furniture that had been clear coated with an oil-based polyurethane. I would not attempt to refinish over this surface without at least sanding and adding a primer and I describe it in this post here: How to Paint Furniture the Easy Way. Remember, you are not sanding to remove the surface you are just barely roughing up the surface to accept primer or paint ( How to Stand Furniture in 5 Minutes).

A good rule of thumb is that nothing will stick to wax except primer. So, don’t put any clear coat over wax including polyurethane. You can however wax over polyurethane if you like the buffed look of wax but a much easier option is using our pick for the best chalk paint topcoat.

If your chalk painted piece will not come into contact with any spills, drinking glasses or you aren’t worried about the finish rubbing off on your hands, you don’t have to seal it. But most of the time, you’ll want to be able to set a drink on a piece of furniture. Also, you don’t want to worry about the color rubbing off on clothing. Therefore, it’s a good idea to seal all chalk painted furniture. See the best chalk paint topcoat here.

If you are wondering how to seal chalk painted kitchen cabinets, your best bet is General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat for a more durable finish or General Finishes Flat Out Flat Top Coat for a more matte finish. I wouldn’t recommend painting kitchen cabinets with chalk paint as I discuss in my post: A Better Alternative to Chalk Paint. If you are wondering what clear coat to put on latex-painted cabinets, I would consider going without one. If you use a good latex made for cabinets, it should be durable and water-resistant enough without the trouble of a topcoat. However, if you have chalk painted cabinets, you will need some sort of protective finish.

Spray clear coats seem like they are incredibly convenient and if you are working on a craft project, they are. But for furniture, spray clear coats are generally a bad idea as they are notorious for leaving stripes on your furniture piece. Trust me; opt for the brush-on top coats!

A stain is a product that penetrates wood pores instead of covering them. Therefore, the surface can still be easily scratched as there is no protective finish for a typical stain. For that reason, it is best to seal all stained wood to prevent scratches from ruining the finish. Gel stains are thicker and more protective so you can get away without a clear coat for lightly used pieces. Just lightly sand with a paper bag before sealing with a clear coat.

To see my best furniture reveals click here: 15 Stunning Painted Furniture (Before and After Reveals)

Milk Paint vs. Chalk Paint vs. Latex

Best Tips for Painting Furniture

A Better Alternative to Chalk Paint for Furniture

How to Paint Furniture Legs Quickly & Easily

The Best Way to Stencil (Without Paint Bleed!)

Faux Stain with Latex Paint

General Finishes Milk Paint Review

Faux Driftwood Finish for a Weathered Wood Look

How to Make IKEA Furniture Look Expensive with Paint

How to Fix Damaged Wood: Caulk, Wood Filler, or Epoxy?

What are your thoughts, my friend? I love to hear your thoughts and answer any questions! Scroll down to leave a comment and I WILL reply! ❤️

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Welcome to Renovated Faith, where I share about DIY projects, my faith and everything in between! When I’m not spending time with my family, you will find me redoing furniture in the garage or watering plants in my greenhouse. This blog is about transformation. Anyone can renovate a house but only God can transform our hearts!