Do you have a fascination for decking up the walls of your living space? Investing in good quality paint coats not only enhance the texture of the walls at your home to uplift your mood but also protects the walls from scratches and yellowing. A clear coating over latex-based paints is all you would need to guarantee an unblemished look. Be it acrylic based painted surfaces or any non-oil-based paint a water-based clear coat can protect any surface – the interior walls of your home or exterior surfaces.
The Clear Coat will help you to get the shiny coating on any surface. With the best clear coat reviews from the experts, it’s the time to check out more about the best products. We are listing the best clear coat reviews from Amazon, which will help you decide which is the best clear coat for motorcycles or even the best clear coat reviews for walls.
Water-Based v/s Oil Based Coats
A clear coat that is water-based has remarkable advantages over oil-based solutions. While the latter often comes with an amber hue and leaves the surface with a yellowish tint, a clear water-based coating is all clear and transparent. So, if a crystal clear surface with a glossy finish is all you have been looking out for all this while, clear coat is going to be the ideal choice for you.
Besides being devoid of any colour, water-based coats are also easier to dry. They take really less time to dry up when compared to the oil-based variants. The paints from MINWAX and Rust-Oleum are undoubtedly among the top-quality coats.
Best Clear Coat Reviews from Amazon | Water-Based Clear Coats
Here’s a sneak peek into some of the top featured clear coat on top of latex paints to lend your walls the perfect finish it deserves.
#1 – MINWAX 1555 5000 Polycrylic Water-Based Protective Finish
This water-based protective finish ensures to leave your wall paint with the perfect shine it had been lacking for such a long time. In addition to ultra-fast drying, this finishing coat is the right choice for you if crystal-clear wall finishing is what you are looking for. Unlike a lot of other typical paints, MINWAX 1555 5000 is absolutely devoid of any toxicity.
Suited best for wooden furniture at your home, this coating needs to be gently applied on the surface with a soft-bristled brush. Cleaning is no hassle at all – all you need to do is just apply warm water on the interior wall where the coat has been applied.
#2 – Rust-Oleum 260164 Ultimate Polyurethane
It is an all-in-one coating that can be applied both to the interior as well as to the exterior. Extremely lightweight and water-based, this coating solution is an ideal choice for paint lovers seeking a semi-gloss finish with just the right balance of transparency.
It is easy to maintain with just water and soap and this makes it a perfect choice for professional painters who are concerned about maintenance.
#3 – MINWAX 7105 10000 Water Based Helmsman Spar Urethane
Providing excellent protection from sunlight, rain, and moisture and temperature fluctuations, this water-based coating solution is all you need for a crystal-clear surface. The major differentiator of this paint with the other two is in the additional UV protection that this offers.
This proves to be an ideal solution in an environment subjected to extreme climatic conditions and fluctuations in atmospheric temperatures. The special oils that make up this solution allow for adjustable compression and expansion based on changing weather conditions. The semi-gloss coloured coating also is the right solution for painters who are worried about protecting the latex painted surfaces from moisture or rain.
Which Coat is Best for Outdoor Paints?
Most exterior surfaces are good even without a sealer or an extra layer of protection. Generally, paints for exterior surfaces come with hard chemicals in order to offer surfaces with the resilience they need from extreme weather conditions. Although not always needed, it is a good idea to add an extra level of protection to these surfaces with a good quality coating that is compatible with the surface.
When it comes to exterior coating, sealers might not be the best option. Choose any acrylic based medium – Polycrylic or polyurethane should be fine. While these are easy to apply, they also prevent the surface from abrasion. If the surfaces are acrylic painted or painted with latex, water-based polyurethane is best suited for waterproofing the surfaces. However, oil-based paints call for solvent-based and not water-based polyurethane. The decision of getting the right coat depends on the Best clear coat reviews from the experts.
What Equipment to Have for DIY Coats and Sealer Projects?
If you have been itching for this challenge for a while and now finally you have made up your find to apply the professional coating on the latex painted surfaces all by yourself, you are in the right place. Here’s a list of all the important equipment you need to ensure you have by your side before you start.
- First and foremost, you need to know what exactly you need to apply the coat too. Is it the wall which has lost its shine and charm or the wooden desk that has become dull with the dust and dirt that has accumulated over the years?
- Once you have decided what exactly to apply the coat too, the next thing is to make sure you have the right coating solution for the right kind of medium. If you are trying to apply a coating on top of an acrylic painted surface or latex paint, a water-based coat is what you would ideally be applying. So, make sure you have it by your side. However, if you are applying the coat on an oil paint-based surface, you should have a solvent-based coat.
- Have a piece of lint cloth and sandpaper to scrub the dust and grease from the surface to be coated. It is very important to have a good quality cloth and paper to ensure that the surface is adequately scrubbed for the coat to suitably sit on the surface while at the same time, care should be taken such that excessive hard paper does not wear off chunks of the cement base or wooden flakes.
- A pair of good quality gloves can ensure that you don’t need to torture your hands rinsing repeatedly with soap and water after the rigorous exercise and massage with paints and coats. Gloves are also essential in preventing any harm to your skin caused by certain chemicals present in the coating liquid.
- A good quality painting brush is an indispensable tool for applying the coat in a professional way. The brush quality ensures that there are no traces of leftover synthetic fabrics on the surface after the coat has been applied. With good quality brushes, you also don’t end up applying extra pressure while using the strokes to paint the surface.
How to Apply a Clear Coat?
Applying coat to the wall or wooden surface is super easy and exciting! Get your painting brushes ready and put on the pair of gloves to dive into the exciting world of painting.
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to help you with a headstart.
- A very important pre-requisite for applying a coat finishing over the latex paint is to ensure that the surface is free from any dust, dirt, and oil or grease. If the surface is not dry, it is not ideal to coat the surface without scrubbing it with a piece of lint cloth or sandpaper first.
- Once you ensure the surface is ready, all you need is to take out the soft-bristled painting brush and dip it in the coating solution. Then, with gentle strokes paint your favourite wall the way you want.
- Now, sit back and relax for a few minutes till the coating dries off. Then, apply another level of coating. And that’s it.
- Don’t leave behind your brushes all smeared with the paints. After you are done applying the coat, don’t forget to clean up the mess with soap and water. You could also dip the painting brushes in spirit solutions so that the brushes can be used again in the future.
Can You Apply Varathane Over Latex?
Varathane is a water-based polyurethane coat or sealer that goes perfectly well with raw wooden surface or ones that have already been coated with latex paints. Easy on the surface and quick to dry, this sealer can give a long-lasting shine to the wooden furniture at your home or office. At the same time, it ensures top-notch protection from scratches or dust.
If the sealer is applied on an exterior surface, it should have been pre-covered with latex paint for the coat to suitably cover the surface. For wooden surface, this is not mandatory. Even without a latex paint, the Varathane sealer can do its job perfectly well.
What Factors to Be Considered While Choosing the Right Coating?
There is a gamut of coating solutions available in the market. To select the perfect, it might seem to be an overwhelming task for the absolute amateur in the world of paints and solutions. Not to worry though! With the best clear coat reviews from the experts in the industry, we’ve listed the necessary factors to be considered.
The below handy checklist is all that you need. It covers some of the top factors that you should consider before purchasing the best coat to apply on the latex paint.
Does it contain toxic substances?
A clear and easy way to select the right coating is by following the method of elimination. Right at the outset, it is important for you to realize that most coats and paints have a lot of chemical substances which come with varying degree of toxicity. These chemicals often lend a lot of benefits in terms of durability, gloss effect, and many other aspects which can easily eyewash customers with limited knowledge about paints and paint-based solutions.
Although most such solutions come with some chemicals, you should ideally look for ones which have insignificant traces of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Generally, you should try to avoid coating solutions that emanate a strong and pungent odour. Water-based solutions are generally a safer choice with respect to toxicity.
Time to Dry
Often professional painters prefer coating solutions over latex paints that can be dried easily and in short time span. Even DIY painters, who have acquired a new fascination towards painting the walls all by themselves, prefer this. How quickly the coat can dry up is often considered to be a top factor while deciding the ideal coating solution.
Cleansing
Not all coating solutions are easy to clean or maintain. While some of the coats need proper washing with hard soaps, there are others which demand nothing other than just water. While selecting the perfect coat for wrapping a protective layer on top of the latex paint, you need to consider how easy or difficult it could be to clean up the coating. Coats that provide an extra layer of security to the surface of the paints always go an extra mile in the consumer’s preferences; however, if it takes loads of time to cleanse – definitely it doesn’t qualify as a clear winner.
Colour
While most coats are transparent devoid of any colour, there are still a few available which have a colour base. Mostly the colour base for coats is very light which does not mask the colour of the paint underneath. Depending upon your choice, you should select one.
Surface to apply on
The coat to apply on the latex paint surface often is different depending on where you are planning to apply it – a wooden surface or a cemented wall. The nature and texture of the coat would differ based on the surface where its applicable.
What If Your Paint Takes a Long Time to Dry?
Waiting for the coating paint to dry can be a little boring. As a professional painter at someone’s house, you may really not have many choices to utilize this time effectively. Maybe you could take out your mobile phone and browse for some quick hacks to make it really easy and fast to dry the surface.
Next time you landed up at somebody’s house to fix the paints, the below hacks can ensure the best use of your time.
Ensure there is adequate ventilation
This is not a problem if you are working in the exterior sections of a house and the weather is not cloudy. With adequate light and air, the surfaces dry up faster. However, if you are working on the interior sections of the house, ensure to keep the windows open and stack the curtains towards the sides for proper passage of light and air. Also, working in a well-ventilated room enables passage of the odour of chemical solutions that most of you might not feel pleasant especially if you have your little one(s) loitering around.
Use a dryer or a heater
For those of you who want to really get your painting job done really quick, a dryer could be the saviour. No matter what the weather conditions are or how well is the ventilation of the room, a dryer can ensure fast drying of surfaces. All you need to do is ensure you plug the dryer safely attaching to an electric socket such that the wire does not get stretched or hang from somewhere thereby increasing risks or hazards. The steam that comes out of the nozzle needs to be properly balanced so that any extra pressure does not peel off the coating.
Additional Information
As with your own makeup, the makeover of your abode is also pretty much in your own hands. While a basic kit with a standard set of synthetic brushes and a pair of rubber gloves can definitely ensure your latex paint surfaces are safe from heat and rain, there is more you can do. Painting is a form of art and when it comes to it, a lot of people are very picky. To get the best look and feel, you need to ensure you grab a brush of real good quality. There is other equipment that you could consider purchasing if you enjoy perfection to the core. Maybe a blusher can leave behind the shiny final touches to your paints and coats.
Conclusion
A wall is not just about the look and feel. While colours make the surfaces look pretty and vibrant, coats are an extremely essential element in the professional painter’s toolkit. If you are considering giving your walls and surfaces the extra care and protection to enhance their durability, clearly investing in coating solutions over latex paints is a valuable investment. Coat finish saves you money in the long term by extending the shelf life of the paints.
It also saves you from the irreparable damages from exposure to harsh sunlight or rain and moisture leading up to worries and frustrations. The next time you consider painting your walls – exterior or interior – try out the best budget clear coat.
If you are willing to get the clear coat for your walls, then these best clear coat reviews from Amazon will help you to get the best one that suits your needs. There is no need to spend extra time researching, as the experts have shared their picks as the best clear coat reviews from the people who have a lot of experience in this field.
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