Best Water Based Polyurethane for Floors: [Top 5 Review]

best-water-based-polyurethane-for-floors

Getting the best water-based polyurethane for floors is not the easiest job as there are hundreds of different products in the market.

A water-based polyurethane can help to make your furniture, bedding, or even carpets in some cases more durable. But it’s very vital for your floor as well, and it’s crucial to pick the right one to do in the first place. That’s going to help you get a more effective coating overall, which is vital.

To help you with that, let’s review some of the best water-based polyurethanes that are perfect for floors and a detailed buyer’s guide to help you pick the best one.

Product Image
Varathane 200241H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Quart, Satin Finish
1 qt Minwax 64444 Clear Polycrylic Water-Based Protective Finish Semi-Gloss
Varathane 200261H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Half Pint, Satin Finish
Minwax Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane, Warm Satin, Clear, 1 Gallon
RUST-OLEUM 230231 Satin Water Floor Finish
Product Title
Varathane
Minwax
Varathane
Minwax
Varathane
Editor Rating
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
Prime Status
-
Product Image
Varathane 200241H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Quart, Satin Finish
Product Title
Varathane
Editor Rating
5/5
Prime Status
Product Image
1 qt Minwax 64444 Clear Polycrylic Water-Based Protective Finish Semi-Gloss
Product Title
Minwax
Editor Rating
5/5
Prime Status
Product Image
Varathane 200261H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Half Pint, Satin Finish
Product Title
Varathane
Editor Rating
5/5
Prime Status
Product Image
Minwax Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane, Warm Satin, Clear, 1 Gallon
Product Title
Minwax
Editor Rating
5/5
Prime Status
Product Image
RUST-OLEUM 230231 Satin Water Floor Finish
Product Title
Varathane
Editor Rating
5/5
Prime Status
-

Best Water Based Polyurethanes For Floor

Water-based polyurethane is the perfect fit for you if you want to have a hassle-free coating on the floor that doesn’t smell too much, dries out quickly, and comes affordable as well. But not all the products you see in the market live up to their price.

To help you pick the best one, let’s review the top 5 water-based polyurethane that you can use on your floor.

1. Rust-Oleum Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane (200241H)

Varathane 200241H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Quart, Satin Finish
1,106 Reviews
Varathane 200241H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Quart, Satin Finish
  • Protects indoor wood surfaces such as furniture, windows, cabinets, trim and more

If you know about water-based polyurethane, you must’ve heard about Varathane. They produce some of the best water-based coatings that you can use on your floor for enhanced durability.

Product Features

Rust-Oleum 200241H Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane is undoubtedly one of the best coats that you can get for your floor. Some of the features that help to make it an exceptional coating for your floor.

  • Very Fast Dry Time: This coat has the fastest dry time that you can get. It dries out 30 minutes to the touch, and you can recoat the whole floor after 2 hours. That can be very helpful at times that you are in a hurry.
  • Amazing Durability: Having enhanced longevity is the main reason for using the polyurethane on your floor. And the Rust-Oleum 200241H Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane gives the best scratch and stain resistance to your floor. You should apply at least 4 coats to get the best results with the coating.
  • Easy to Clean: An amazing thing about this water based coat is that you can clean it without much trouble.

Pros

  • Amazing scratch and stain resistance
  • Very low odor
  • Can be cleaned with water

Cons

  • Not the best option for sheerness

2. Minwax 64444444 Polycrylic Protective Finish Water Based

1 qt Minwax 64444 Clear Polycrylic Water-Based Protective Finish Semi-Gloss
23,505 Reviews
1 qt Minwax 64444 Clear Polycrylic Water-Based Protective Finish Semi-Gloss
  • PROTECT WOOD SURFACES – Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish protects and adds beauty to your interior wood projects, including woodwork,...

Minwax is another well-renowned company that produces some high-quality coats that you can use on your floor. They are pretty affordable compared to the higher-end brands, but they provide very top-class performance.

Product Features

The Minwax 64444444 Polycrylic Protective Finish Water Based is a solid option for you if you are looking for a solid water-based polyurethane coat for your floor. Let’s go over some of the amazing features that make this coat one of the best coats that you can get on the market.

  • Gorgeous Finish: This coat gives you a very beautiful finish with the protection. Also, it doesn’t cause color residue whatsoever. That’s just perfect for the floor, and it also gives amazing protection as well.
  • Easy Clean: The Minwax 64444444 Polycrylic Protective Finish is very easy to clean as well. You can just use warm water to clean it off, it’s that easy.
  • Very Simple to Apply: You can apply this water based coat without any trouble as it has a very easy application. You can get done very quickly with the whole process.

Pros

  • Protects and adds beauty to your floor
  • No-hassle clean
  • Best value for your money

Cons

  • Not the best option for furniture

3. Varathane 200261H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane

Varathane 200261H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Half Pint, Satin Finish
1,234 Reviews
Varathane 200261H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane, Half Pint, Satin Finish
  • Protects indoor wood surfaces such as furniture, windows, cabinets, trim and more

Varathane is one of the most well-renowned companies that produce some of the best coats that you can use for your floor. Also, their products are fairly cheap and still maintain high quality.

Product Features

Varathane 200261H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane is one of the best water-based coats that you can get for your floor. Let’s take a look at some of the features of the amazing product that makes it a great polyurethane.

  • Amazing Finish: This water based coat gives a very good finish that is clear and looks very natural on your floor. That’ll help to make your floor look very gorgeous.
  • Enhance Durability: This water based polyurethane helps to increase the longevity of your floor and protects it from scratches and stains.
  • Quick Dry: The Varathane 200261H Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane dries out very quickly. It dries out in just 30 minutes to the touch. And you can reapply the coating after 2 hours.

Pros

  • Great for increasing the durability of your floor
  • Gives a classic and natural look
  • Dries super fast

Cons

  • Can give a yellow effect

4. Minwax 710330000 Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane

Sale
Minwax Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane, Warm Satin, Clear, 1 Gallon
897 Reviews
Minwax Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane, Warm Satin, Clear, 1 Gallon
  • PROTECT WOOD SURFACES – Minwax Oil-Modified Polyurethane Wood Finish protects and adds beauty to interior projects, including woodwork, floors...

Minwax has some of the most premium polyurethane products that you can use on your floor. That’s perfect for you if you want to get the best possible coating for your floor.

Product Features

The Minwax 710330000 Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane is the best option for you if you don’t like to compromise the quality for the money. Let’s cover some of the main features that make it a very impressive coat that you can use on your floor.

  • Low Odor: This water based polyurethane has the lowest order that you can find on the market. That’s a vital feature that you must have if you have some kind of breathing issues.
  • Very Quick Dry: The Minwax 710330000 Water Based Oil-Modified Polyurethane dries out very quickly so that you can be more efficient with your time.
  • Beautiful Finish: This coat gives you an exceptional finish. It gives you a clean and natural finish without any yellow effect.

Pros

  • Very high-quality water based polyurethane
  • Very low odor
  • Best value of your money

Cons

  • Can be a bit tricky to clean

5. RUST-OLEUM 230231 Satin Water Floor Finish

RUST-OLEUM 230231 Satin Water Floor Finish
257 Reviews
RUST-OLEUM 230231 Satin Water Floor Finish
  • The product is Gallon Sat WB FLR Finish

The last water-based polyurethane we are going to look at is from Varathane as well. It’s definitely one of the best manufacturers that produce the best water-based polyurethane coats that you can use for your floor.

Product Features

The RUST-OLEUM 230231 Satin Water Floor Finish is undoubtedly one of the best water-based polyurethane that you can get for your floor. Let’s discuss some of the amazing features of this amazing product that’s one of the best coats that you can get for your floor.

  • No Odor: The most impressive feature of this water based polyurethane is that it has no odor. That’s great for someone that has a breathing problem, which can be a massive issue.
  • Excellent Durability: The RUST-OLEUM 230231 Satin Water Floor Finish gives your floor amazing durability, which saves it from scratches and stains.
  • Quick Dry: This water based coat dries out super fast, and that can be very helpful most of the time.

Pros

  • Best quality water based polyurethane
  • No odor whatsoever
  • Best value of your money

Cons

  • Not the best clear finish

How To Choose Water Based Polyurethanes For Floor?

Now you have a list of the top 5 polyurethane that you can use on your floor to increase its longevity. But you must know what to look for in the coat before you buy the polyurethane. Otherwise, you can’t pick the right product for yourself. Let’s go over an in-depth buyer’s guide to help you with that.

Water based or Oil based

People often tend to get confused about whether to pick a water-based or oil-based coat for their floors.

The oil-based polyurethane takes very long to dry and has a bit more smell to it if you compare it to the water-based one.

On the other hand, water-based polyurethane has less smell to it and it tends to dry pretty quickly. Also, it’s pretty affordable too if you compare it to the oil-based coat. Also, it looks more clear, natural, and it gives way more durability as well.

Smell

The smell is a pretty big concern for a lot of people. And if you have breathing issues, the odor can be a critical thing that you need to get rid of somehow.

In that case, you should only buy from branded companies that maintain VOC and environmental standards, which is critical. Also, make sure to consider the proper type of ventilation while applying the coat on the floor. That’s going to help you avoid all kinds of smell issues in the first place.

However, water-based polyurethane has naturally less smell, which is a great thing for you. So, you can simply avoid oil-based ones and get water-based coating for the floor.

Curing Time

The curing time means how much time it’s going to need to properly dry out.

Water-based polyurethane can dry pretty fast, which is amazing. That way, you don’t have to wait around for very long as it can be very annoying at times.

However, oil-based coats tend to take very long to dry out properly. That’s why you should always consider buying water-based polyurethane instead.

Cost

You should never compromise the quality to save money when it comes to getting a coat for your floor.

But you can save money by being water-based polyurethane rather than going for an oil-based one. These are typically less pricey than the oil-based ones, and you can get more out of them as well. So, it’s a great idea to look for a good water-based coat when you go to buy a coating for your floor.

Look

That depends on how you prefer the floor to look in the first place. Water-based polyurethane will give you a clear and pretty natural look on the floor.

On the other hand, an oil-based coat can be a bit shiny, which some people might find appealing. So, either way, go for a coat that looks the best to you. Remember to check, if the coat has a yellow effect, which can ruin the whole thing if it goes unchecked.

Durability

That’s the main reason to apply polyurethane in the first place. And that is to increase the durability of your floor and to help it maintain the new form for longer.

The water-based polyurethane can provide you pretty good durability, and that’s amazing for your floor. Also, there is no risk of damaging the floor with this coat as it’s completely safe to use.

Ease of Cleaning

That is another thing that you should consider before buying polyurethane for your floor. It can be a bit of an issue if you get a coating that’s hard to clean, especially if you have to clean it regularly.

That’s why it’s better to get a coating that is easy to clean and doesn’t require much effort at all. And the water-based polyurethane is just the perfect fit in that case. It’s a lot easier to clean it off if you compare it to the oil-based polyurethane, which takes a lot of effort to clean off from the floor.

Best Water Based Polyurethane for Floors

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water-based polyurethane going to be better for my floor?

Water-based polyurethane is a far better option than any other coat that you can use to increase the durability of your floor. It’s very easy to apply, which is great if you have to use it regularly. And you’ll be able to clean it off with some water and soap and that’s very easy to do as well.

How long is it going to take to dry out the water-based polyurethane coat?

You should wait for at least 1 to 2 hours before you put another layer on top of the coat. However, you don’t need to wait for more than 6 hours when you put the final coating on the floor. Waiting for any longer won’t do any good to you, and it’s completely unnecessary as well.

Should I use a brush or a roller to apply the coat on my floor?

Rollers will be a better option than using a brush as it has a better converge and other benefits. That’s because if you use a brush to apply water-based polyurethane, it’s going to leave brush marks.

On the other hand, the roller helps to eliminate those marks. And also, you’ll get a better range to work with, which will make the whole process a lot easier and faster as well. That’s why you should go for a roller as it’s a far better option than a brush.

Yet, you can use a brush for that as well if you want to. Just make sure that you use the best brush that you can get, and the bristles are very soft for the application.

Final Thoughts

We just went through a lot about the best water-based polyurethane for floors. Now you have a list of products as well as the knowledge to pick the best one for you.

Remember, don’t go for saving extra money if you have to compromise the quality.

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