Which Topcoat Should I Choose?

General Finishes offers a complete coatings system with a finish for every objective.

General Finishes Professional, Industrial, and OEM Water-Based Topcoats

• Enduro Professional Tintable 2K Clear Poly
• Enduro Professional Tintable 2K White Poly
• Enduro Professional 2K Conversion Varnish
• Enduro Professional 1K White Poly
• Enduro Professional 1K Clear Poly
• Enduro Professional Pro Series Clear Poly
• Enduro Professional Pro Series White Poly
• Enduro Professional Pre-Cat Lacquer

General Finishes Retail Water-Based Topcoats:

• High Performance Topcoat
• Flat Out Flat Topcoat
• Enduro-Var II Topcoat
• Exterior 450 Topcoat
• Wood Turners Finish

General Finishes Exterior Water-Based Topcoats:

• Enduro Professional Tintable 2K Clear Poly
• Enduro Professional Tintable 2K White Poly
• Enduro Professional 2K Conversion Varnish
• Exterior 450 Topcoat
• Exterior 450 White

General Finishes Oil-Based Topcoats

• Arm-R-Seal 
• Seal-A-Cell
• Gel Satin Topcoat
• Wood Bowl Finish
• Butcher Block Oil
• Outdoor Oil
• Hard Wax Oil 

GENERAL PRACTICE:

1. Oil-based topcoats and ENDURO-VAR II will amber over time.
2. All other water-based and High Performance top coats dry clear.
3. Never use any water-based topcoat with long oils such as Danish, Tung or Linseed.
4. Water-based top coats clean up with soap and water. Oil-based topcoats require mineral spirits for cleanup.
5. If you use water-based topcoats over oil-based finishes, make sure that you wait 72 hours between the two products. It is essential to let the oil finish dry longer.
6. For more complex projects with many details and corners or large surface areas such as cabinets, we recommend either ARM-R-SEAL liquid oil-based topcoats or water-based topcoats. Large surfaces such as cabinets or tables and complex projects with lots of detail are easier to cover with a liquid topcoat rather than a GEL SATIN topcoat.
7. Enduro Professional Topcoats are thinner and intended to be sprayed
8. HIGH PERFORMANCE can be brushed or sprayed. It can be thinned by adding 5-10% distilled water if needed. 

Compare all topcoats