Minwax has ruined enough of my projects. I’m looking for recommendations for wood finishing products, particularly stains and wiping varnishes, that actually work, are readily available on the East coast of the United States, and are not manufactured by Sherwin-Williams.
Coatings chemist here.
If you’re willing to go waterborne, try General Finishes. Their stains and clears have always performed well for me.
I’ve not really used water-based finishes before. How do they compare to oil-based urethane in terms of feel and durability?
I have used flat and semi gloss water based poly on several dressers over 5 years ago. They have help up very well, no yellowing. I primarily use water based stains and everything turns out great. There is a slightly different technique then with oil based. Like “popping” the grain with a spritz of water and a light sanding to get rid of the “fuzz”. I believe the WoodWisperer has some really good videos on using water based finishes if memory serves correctly.
