betty586•7d ago

I swore by oil-based poly for years, but a recent refinish changed my mind.

Water-based dries faster and smells less.

3 comments

3 Comments

barbara917d ago

What brand did you end up using? I switched to water-based last year and the easier cleanup alone sold me.

patel.michael7d ago

I had three cans of Minwax water-based stuff sitting in my garage for a year before I tried it, convinced it couldn't be as tough. My big moment of truth was finally doing a table top, and not having my whole house smell like a chemical plant for days had me sold. I even bought an extra can because I was sure the first coat would be terrible, a real vote of no confidence from my old-school habits. Turns out the only thing I messed up was my own stubbornness.

kim_martin16h ago

That "tough" part is where we differ. I refinished my kitchen cabinets with water-based stuff last fall and it's already showing wear in high-touch spots. Sometimes the old smelly ways just hold up better.