Welcome to my article on the Best Clear Coats for Kitchen Cabinets in 2024.
What is the best clear coat for kitchen cabinets? We’ll get into our top 10 products a little further down the article, but first, let’s discuss exactly what is a clear coat, and why you might want to use one.
Contents
Best Clear Coats for Kitchen Cabinets in 2024 – Introduction
When it comes to the kitchen, our eyes will first look for kitchen cabinets. And what if they look amazingly attractive due to its finishing! Yes, though it is easy to think about building kitchen cabinets but to give it a stunning finishing requires a great deal of research.
From choosing to the design of the cabinet to the final style, color and quality, it takes much time to think.
Most importantly, the concern is about the finish look of the cabinet. And it is easy to get confused about the choices of clear coat for kitchen cabinets.
For that this article will give you the reviews of best clear coats for the kitchen cabinets that will give the best finish look to your kitchen cabinets.
What is a ‘Clear Coat’?
“Clear coat simply” refers to the ‘varnish’ or the final finish that we give to the kitchen cabinets by applying it like a paint. This not only provides a clear and attractive finish to the cabinets but it is also durable from corrosion or heat.
Different Types of Clear Coats
Though there are hundreds of options to buy the varnish, it is better to know about the types of clear coats. There are basically two types of clear coats: water-based clear coats and oil-based clear coats.
Oil-Based Clear Coats versus Water-Based Clear Coats
Clear coats work as a hard and resistant surface for the kitchen cabinets. While oil-based clear coats are much more durable than the water-based clear coats, Water-based clear coats dries much earlier than oil-based clear coats. Also, water-based clear coats odors less than the other one.
The 10 Best Clear Coats for Kitchen Cabinets Are:
| S.No | Top Clear Coats for Kitchen Cabinets | Product Link |
| 1 | General Finishes Exterior 450 Water Based Topcoat, 1 Gallon, Semi-Gloss | Buy Now |
| 2 | Rust-Oleum 260165 Ultimate Polyurethane, 1 Quart, Matte | Buy Now |
| 3 | Minwax 63333444 Polycrylic Protective Finish Water Based,1 Quart, Satin | Buy Now |
| 4 | Minwax Water Based Helmsman Spar Urethane, Quart, Satin | Buy Now |
| 5 | Minwax 409170000 Wipe-On Poly, Pint, Satin | Buy Now |
| 6 | Rust-Oleum Watco 63041 Lacquer Clear Wood Finish, Quart, Clear Gloss | Buy Now |
| 7 | Deft Interior Clear Wood Finish Satin Lacquer | Buy Now |
| 8 | Minwax 15200 Gloss Brushing Lacquer Spray, Clear | Buy Now |
| 9 | Deft Interior Waterborne Clear Wood Finish | Buy Now |
| 10 | Deft Water Based Polyurethane Urethane | Buy Now |
Detailed Reviews of the Best Clear Coats for Kitchen Cabinets
General Finishes Exterior 450 Water Based Topcoat, 1 Gallon, Semi-Gloss
General Finishes is known for its best finish and is one of the well- known brands. This has diverse sheens from satin, gloss to semi-gloss which can be used as per desire. The best thing about it is that it contains a UV stabilizer which keeps away the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Any side which is in contact with sun rays will get protected from its UV effect. Apart from this, it is very durable and gives a high-grade finish to the cabinets without making scratches for a very long time. Since it is a water-based clear coat, it dries instantly within around 2 hours.
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Rust-Oleum 260165 Ultimate Polyurethane, 1 Quart, Matte
Rust-Oleum is a big name in paint and clear coat and is one of the most trusted brands. It is a water-based clear coat and thus dries faster and harder. Its crystal clear gloss layer brings the natural beauty of the wood, but it should be applied after staining the wood. For the best result, combine it with the light stain that obtains its maximum beauty.
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Minwax 13333 Clear Polycrylic Water-Based Protective Finish Satin
It is a very well known brand and the most recommended one for professionals. Many are familiar with this product due to its long usage history. This is another water-based clear coat with fast-drying formula and dries faster. Within few hours it dries. It has a very low odor and most importantly, it is available in several versions. Since it is a bit thin, more than one coat of it is needed to make the surface harder. All these properties make it a very desirable product.
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Minwax Water Based Helmsman Spar Urethane, Quart, Satin
If you are looking for a clear coat with maximum durability, then it is the best designed for longer durability. Since it has a UV stabilizer, it is best for outdoor use but it can also be used in indoors. It stays away the harmful sun rays to break polyurethane. Not only this Helmsman product is cheaper than the General Finishes, but it is more durable than the latter one. It resistant to all kinds of weather conditions without damaging the varnish and wood. It is most suitable
for the area that experiences very hot or very cold weather conditions. Thus, this clear coat gives a great finish as well as durability.
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Minwax 409170000 Wipe-On Poly, Pint, Satin
It is not used as to simply paint with a brush but meant to be wiped on with a cloth. This makes the final look a bit different. This product is liked mostly because it is available in either full gloss or a clear satin. Due to this reason, it gives many variations to the textures of your finish so that you have more than one choice.
People who like the hand-rubbed finish will only come from this wipe on the product. The only issue with this is that it is not as thick as paint while applying. But it is suitable where you want a thin finish.
This product is apt for cabinets as it preserves the natural beauty of the wood. It is an oil-based clear coat and takes a bit longer time to dry. Hence, one needs to wait longer to apply another coat if one wants. However, this oil-based clear coat will form a softer surface and gives a good grip ideally for kitchen cabinets.
The one thing that needs to be considered is also that since it is a oil-based clear coat, it will darken the tone of the wood when it is applied. Hence, if one needs a darker shade then it is the best product but if not then this product needs to be replaced with any water-based clear coat.
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Rust-Oleum Watco 63041 Lacquer Clear Wood Finish, Quart, Clear Gloss
This product is known for its high-quality lacquer. Though it is a bit more expensive than the other clear coats, it has some amazing qualities. The most excellent feature of this product is that it can be used to fill the little gaps and cracks that are present in the kitchen cabinets.
It also gives the best finish with no color when properly applied to the cabinets. Another great property of it is that it has a self- leveling formula which prevents the brush strokes to form and hence suitable for visible pieces of wood in cabinets. It has a crystal clear gloss layer gives the hard finish, and thus protects from any kind of wear and tear.
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Deft Interior Clear Wood Finish Satin Lacquer
It is another type of lacquer but has different qualities. It is made up from 100% of nitrocellulose. It gives the wood a very glossy finish and so it is appropriate for those who want shiny and glossy kitchen cabinets. This product dries very quickly, approx in 30 minutes.
It is very resistant to any kind of scratching. Every coat of it gives great finish without wasting any time. However, it is highly flammable and its chemical composition is not very much environment-friendly. Also, it smells bad until it dries and it does not suitable for the spray gun.
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Minwax Brushing Lacquer
This product’s features are similar to the Deft Interior one. It is another example of nitrocellulose lacquer.
It can only be used with a brush and not as a spray gun until it is mixed with water or alcohol to make it thinner. It is highly flammable due to its toxic chemical composition.
Also, it dries within 30 minutes but one needs to wait for approximately 2 hours before applying another coat. Nitrocellulose lacquers has filler and a solvent.
With the help of these two, it blends seamlessly and creates a crystal- clear gloss finish. The cons of this product is that it is a bit expensive than the other products mentioned in the list. Also, it smells badly until it dries.
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Deft Interior Waterborne Clear Wood Finish
This is a water-based clear coat which means that it has more pros than cons. It does not smell bad; it is neither flammable nor toxic.
It is a semi-gloss clear coat that gives great shine and gloss to the cabinets without creating a glare.
It is suitable for the darker shades of wood, thus does not needs a high level of sheen. It also dries very quickly and used can be with both spray gun and a brush.
The only problem is that since it is a water-based clear coat, it requires a light sanding before applying the next coat. It is also not suitable for outdoor use and is perhaps the most expensive clear coat on the list.
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Deft Interior Exterior Water-Based Polyurethane
This product is perhaps the best option for use in kitchen cabinets due to its multifunctional qualities. Though it is a bit expensive, it is very durable and can be used for different purposes.
Be it indoor, outdoor or marine, it is widely used for its great quality.
It is resisting to extreme weather conditions such as warm or cold atmosphere. It also resists the UV rays of sun from damaging the wood or its layer.
It is not an entirely water-based clear coat, it has some amount of oil base and thus gives the qualities of both water and oil base clear coat.
The oil base present in the product gives a very good finishing to the kitchen cabinets.
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Best Clear Coats for Kitchen Cabinets in 2024 – Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed our article about the best clear coats for kitchen cabinets! Whether you’re just touching up the finishing to your cabinets, or completely redoing your entire kitchen, we hope you’ve been able to find the right product to give you the finish you want.
Here are some other articles that may interest you:
Best 10 Finishes for Wood Kitchen Table
About The Author: Hi There! I’m Dave. I’m a certified millworker and carpenter, and have been working in the industry for over 10 years. I created this website to pass on my knowledge so that other enthusiasts, no matter what their skill level, can enjoy the craft as much as I do. I hope you enjoy!
