What Shine?

After doing one room we were kinda pleased. But when we started on another room, it dried to HAZE! Giving it a 2nd coat seem to make it worse; the 3rd coat only upset me to tears... Especially since this was intended to be completed before my October 1st Total Knee Replacement (which I do have proof of). This bucket cost me $154 and that type of money isn't easy to come by or be wasted. Lowe's couldn't do anything about it, so my money went to waste.

Great product! Read the directions!

This product will give you beautiful floors if you follow the proper steps to refinishing a floor. Advice: Use a lamb's wool applicator- wrap it with packing tape - sticky side in- and remove it a couple of times before you use it to remove loose wool and keep it out of your polyurethane coating. If you make the coats thick, it will take a long time to dry (not 4 hours like the can says). I did a thin first coat that dried in 4 hours and a thick second coat that took a week to really not feel sticky- but I knew this going in. The first time I used it, I did thin coats and each dried to perfection according to the container's listed time. If you use stain, you only need 2 coats of poly.

very finicky temps make the toxic fumes difficult

According to the Lowes rep, this product can only be applied between the temperatures of 60 degrees F and 85 F at the max. How is one supposed to maintain a well ventilated work area and keep the temps within this range during the summer? The current temp in my house is 81 degrees. the air is deadly. 4 hours of dry time and the floors are still tacky. also, now I have to sand out footprints from where I ran to open and then close windows. There should be a big warning about the temps being so finicky.

Deceptive Shine

The gloss went on beautifully, the gloss was gorgeous. But.... it's so delicate that it scrapes up at the slightest scuff. I followed the directions, 2 coats 7 hours apart. then I let it cure about 36 hours before going in the room. it looked beautiful. Serious scuffs getting a dresser out of it's box. Sanded, glossed again that area. waited another 24 hours. put the bed together and slept, alone, 1 night and bed scuff in the morning. I will not use this again, it's way too delicate, but beautiful.

Formula changed

I've been refinishing floors for over 20 years. Varithane was my starter finish but its harder to find so years ago I switched to midwax. I chose satin the first time and it looked satin for the first couple of weeks then once it completely cures it turns COMPLETELY flat. I was very disappointed but I am glad the customer still liked the floors but lesson learned! Could have been a nightmare and professionals know this! Nothing worse than a customer looking at your work and saying " I don't like it". Anyway I switched to semi gloss and once completely cured it looks satin. Problem solved and I've been using the semi gloss now for years and getting a nice satin finish. DO NOT EVER USE THE HIGH GLOSS! .This theory does not continue when using the high gloss. That stuff looks like a wet oiled very high gloss finish! All the blemishes in the floors are amplified by 100. ANYWAY My whole point is that for some reason this past year the formula has changed enough that I cannot recoat the next day. The first coat is not dry enough and I get BUBBLES!!!! A reaction happens that raised bubbles formula and they are not from my applicator and they are not filled with gas or air. The bubbles are solid and I can set there and physically watch them grow right in front of my eyes. The more you try to fix it while wet the worse they get. I had to screen the floors and wait 2 days before recoating. AGAIN lesson learned. Just wish you guys would have warned us. Change the wording on back and say " wait at least 36 to 48 hours in between coats or your floors will look like a preteen kids face while puberty wrecks thier face with serious acne".

Peeling after two weeks

We redid our hardwood floors in our house, applied stain, let the stain dry for 2 days before applying this product. Used two coats of this with at least 24 hours in between to dry prior to second coat. It's been two weeks and spots are still peeling. It's not even close to being completely cured. This was a long process to do all of this work and I'm so completely frustrated over this because I think we're going to have to empty the rooms and put something else on the floor that will harden to a protective coat. I don't wants spots peeling after we put all of this work in to get it looking so nice. Uggghhh......that's all I can say about this product. Frustrating!!! I don't recommend as a final coat as it doesn't protect the floors nor does it harden to a protective coating state.

[Rewarded Review] Excellent Coverage and Warm Glow

I've refinished many thousands square feet of wood flooring in my life, and I always come back to Minwax Oil-Based Poly. The recent was for my daughter who moved into her first home. The 1952 wood floors were in pretty good shape, with some minor cleaning up before sealing them. Knowing I wanted at least three coats on her 1200 sq ft of flooring, I got the large size, and once again Minwax did not disappoint. This new formula says minimal stirring and that's exactly what I found. It went on so easily, and dried to a very consistent coverage, with no streaks or globs. I did lightly sand between coats. The wood floors absolutely glow now, and my daughter is so pleased with the new look for her floors. Really a great product. Now off to all the other projects she wants me to do!

[Rewarded Review] Not so Fast Drying

I just finished up finishing 2 bedrooms and Great Room, about 1000 sf. I started at 7am and planned on getting 3 coats down in one day to avoid screening the floor. With 3-4 hour drying time, I was planning on doing 3 coats in one work day. "Note: Above dry times are based on good ventilation, temperature of 77°F and 50% relative humidity." My environment started off at 76 degrees and 45% humidity. It took 6 hours before the surface was dry enough to do the next coat. Spread the finish as thin as possible. If not, the drying time is extended several hours. I had my first coat down by 7:45am and it too me an hour to apply to 1000 sf. I did my last coat at 11:30pm. My dehumidifier had increased to room temperature to 80 degrees and on a 20'+ wide floor it was difficult to keep a wet line. I will have some areas to touch-up to make the area look good.