General FinishesHigh Performance Water Based Topcoat, 1 Gallon, Flat

Very happy with the final result using this to finish a solid cherry quilt storage and display case that doubles as a bench. Had to be a bit careful when applying so that I didn't leave any drips or buildup but the result was perfect. Loved the cleanup with only water. The first coat raised the grain slightly but light sanding was all that was needed for the final two coats. Will totally use this product again for future woodworking needs.

To cut right to the chase: I am extremely pleased with the results I achieved with this product. I am an experienced "hobbyist" woodworker but still get apprehensive with the finishing stage of a project. The GF finish allowed me to achieve my goals: a satin finish on a maple cabinet top with no yellowing or color change.The cabinet top is a glued-up maple panel approximately 55" x 15". I sanded it to 320 with a Bosch random orbit sander prior to applying any finish. I cleaned up the sawdust after sanding and between coats of finish with a tack cloth. I sanded and finished BOTH the top and bottom of the panel. I did not count the number of coats, but three was not enough. I am guessing I stopped at eight coats.For the first half-dozen coats I used the finish straight out of the can, after mixing thoroughly (required to get the satin particles off the bottom of the can, I would say 5 to 7 minutes of stirring with a small paint stick). The last couple coats I thinned the finish quite substantially after pouring the needed amount into a small paint pail. Since the finish in the can is of a milky consistency let me use a milk analogy: think of what's in the can as the consistency of the half-and-half you put in your coffee. My last couple coats were the consistency of skim milk with a little water added. I found that the thinner final coats allowed the brush marks to relax quite a bit more than in the thicker coats. I would recommend thinning for the final coats; if I was doing it over again I would probably use the out-of-the-can consistency only for maybe ther first two or three coats and then start thinning from there.I used a good "traditional" paintbrush, a Purdy Nylox "Dale" model (soft bristle) with a beveledf tip, 2-1/2" wide. GF recommends a foam brush. I can't comment on this as I did not try it, but for sure the brush marks were my biggest issue. This is why I attempted the thinning (successfully, as it turned out) described above. I am not a fan of foam brushes but would have tried one had the thinning not worked.I sanded between coats using successively finer grits. 320 on the first couple coats, then 400, then 600, 800, and finally 1000 automotive paper prior to the last couple coats. As others have observed here, this finish dries completely quite quickly. In my case I left most coats to dry at least 8 hours and by that time the sanding produced a fine white powder with no stickiness at all. This was easily cleaned with a brush-equipped shop vac followed up by a tack cloth. (BTW I did use the cheapie oil-based tack cloths you can pick up at Lowes with no oil-vs-water problems.)I also used this finish an a couple of maple plywood shelves with solid maple edging for the inside of the cabinet. No issues here either and the color is completely natural. I also put a coat of Butcher's wax on these shelves maybe a day after the last coat - worked great after being buffed out with a wool pad on the Bosch random orbit sander. Will probably do this to the top eventually as well.The things I would be most careful to look out for are BRUSH MARKS and DRIPS. I addressed the brush mark issue by thinning the finish. All of my surfaces were flat and horizontal so it was pretty easy to avoid drips. I could see this being a bigger issue for vertical surfaces, so be careful if you have those or any detailed carvings or turnings.Very easy cleanup with warm water and a touch of True-Green cleaner. I stay away from hand soap for these kinds of things as those often contain various oils. I found little or no VOC or odor with this finish, another significant positive for my in-home (basement) workshop.It goes without saying that this finish is relatively expensive compared to the Minwax at one of the box stores.But the bottom line for me, again, I got what I was after which is a nice satin finish with a natural color maple cabinet top. Would definitely use this finish again.

Simple application. I did several applications because I just wanted to be sure That the table top was protected. Does the job well. Very flat, as promised.

I have used General Finishes products for years, but have stayed with the oil-based products due to concerns about raising the wood grain with water-based products. I tried a different approach this time and used an oil-based stain and this water-based topcoat. The results were outstanding, with NO raised grain, smooth satin finish, short dry time, and most importantly VIRTUALLY NO ODOR. I have changed my finishing work and will continue to use this product in the future.

I put two coats of this on a butcher block slab I cut and stained to create a standing desktop. This was my first time using poly at all, and first time staining anything in like 35 years too. Regardless it came out great!This was done almost a year ago now and my desktop still looks fantastic, no visible wear or issues of any kind. I used a brush to apply, it went down smooth and leveled well. I see no leftover brush marks in my work. For an amateur like me to get this kind of result, it has to be a good product!Now if only my stain of another brand had gone on as well, I’d be even happier. Ah well, it’s done now!

I have been a serious hobbyist woodworker for over 55 years. I build larger pieces and like to spray my finishes in a spray booth of my own construction. I avoid solvent based finishes for environmental and safety reasons. For decades I used Moser's Simple Success and liked it very much. Then, one day, I could no longer find it. I did some research online and found that General Finishes High Performance was well regarded by woodworkers who seemed to know what they were talking about. It is not as easy to use as Simple Success, but it is an acceptable substitute. It flows on well, but does not flow out as well as I would like. I do not get those glass smooth coats Simple Success produced, but one can sand it flat to produce a nice feeling finish. I found that sanding sponges work better than sandpaper on this product, but sponges are not available in the variety of grits you can get with sandpaper. So, I sand the first two coats with a 400 grit sponge (blowing the dust out of it frequently) and the second two coats with a 1000 grit sponge. If the sponge is thin, be sure to back it with a sanding block if you want a flat and level finish. Wet sanding does not work well with this product, which is a disappointment. With each successive coat, I sand a little less and sand the last coat VERY little; just enough to remove the dust nibs. With so much sanding, I have been unable to get a very high gloss, even with a couple coats of paste wax, but the resulting finish looks and feels very nice. I am only on my second gallon, so it is difficult to speak to durability, but it appears to be a nice hard finish. Given that Simple Success is no longer available, if you are dedicated to waterborne finishes, as I am, there does not appear to be a better product available. With that caveat, I do recommend it.

This product is amazing. I did a lot of research because I was trying to maintain the color of a bleached looking table, but needed to seal as this is a kitchen table we use every day. This offers everything. It does not drastically change the look of the wood but offers a nice protection for every day use. We’ve used it twice daily for a month and have no stains or water marks. Worth the money for the quality product!!

I love this product- it’s pricey but reliable and a little goes a long way. I used it over a dry oil based wood stain when the oil based top coat bubbled, was uneven and was so slow to dry that household floaters were getting into the finish- had to wipe it off. I applied this product as a test go and it was fabulous- dried fast enough that I had no inclusions and although I needed 2 coats it still didn’t consume a great deal of product. I rolled it on with a foam roller for even delivery. First I used it on dresser drawers, then on stair runners that I had been dreading to finish because of possibly getting things trapped in the finish, and also we need to use the stairs. It’s my go-to top coat now.

Again excellent finish when applied to rollered paint using foam brush

I was looking for a topcoat for a mahogany piece that I had bleached and did not want the wood finish to darken it. This topcoat maintained the bleached/natural look of the wood and was easy to apply. I also did not need to apply a lot. Expensive but worth it.

GF Waterbased topcoat goes on smooth, has a long enough open time so you can get a smooth even coverage allowing what would be considered over brushing on other products. This is the first time I used the matte finish it absolutely works perfect even on the blackest if colours, no milky stripes, no change in colour on GF paint or a call based paint I use.

Love it