# Varathane clear finish



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

This is what is recommended as one of the alternative finishes over Varathane Gel Stains:

RustOleum.com

My question is: What is the nature of this thing? The words "polyurethane" are conspicuously absent from the label. Also this product seems only available in Canada, not in US. Is it a lacquer?

BTW it seems to work fine as far as I can tell. I sprayed a few pieces with it, both over stained and unfinished pine.


----------



## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

crquack said:


> This is what is recommended as one of the alternative finishes over Varathane Gel Stains:
> 
> RustOleum.com
> 
> ...


There is a class of finish called "spar varnish" that is supposed to hold up to almost anything. I would think that your product is a varnish but because it doesn't say "spar" it would primarily be for indoor use. The marine industry uses spar varnish on the wood elements of fresh and salt water boats.


----------



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Found some more information on Varathane at woodanswers.com


----------



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

Note that this is a US site which does not mention the product in question at all.

Most varnishes I know take a long time to dry. This stuff dries in minutes. Also, can you do a varnish in a spray can? 

Anyway, I e-mailed them, see what they come up with.


----------



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Oddly enough on the US version of the Varathane website they call this product polyurethane right on the lable. They also provide tech documents and MSDS sheets. Wonder why the info is missing on the CDN site. ?


----------



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

Because it is *not* the same product? Just a wild guess. I am still waiting for their response.


----------



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

The Canadians came through, here is the text of their reply:

_Thank-you for contacting Rust-Oleum Consumer Brands Canada. 
The Professional is an oil base polyurethane, you can use it over the gel stain. , the Wipe on Poly is another alternative of the professional, it is a polyurethane . this is a another version applicable with a rag . Both can be applied over our Gel Stain. 
You can also apply a water base Varathane Polyurethane over the gel stain if you can let it dry longuer ( 72 Hours)
If you have any other questions please contact us at 1-800-387-3625_

Why they do not make/sell a wipe-on poly, why they do not tell you that it is a polyurethane and why no MSDS/product document on their web site is a puzzle.

No reply form the Americans so far...


----------



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Must be different laws about how you name/describe products. Funny I would have thought Canadian laws tougher.


----------



## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

CanuckGal said:


> Must be different laws about how you name/describe products. Funny I would have thought Canadian laws tougher.


I found it odd that the Canadian version has a skull-n-bones on the front and the American version didn't.


----------



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

The Americans just confirmed.

Maybe the bilingual labelling squeezes the space a bit.

OTOH the skull and bones are pretty much multi-lingual...


----------

