Minwax 63205444 Helmsman Spar Urethane, Quart, Satin

It took me a few try to get teh finishing right and I would recommend to mix it with mineral spirit before applying.

This is a top notch product. The color is pretty much clear . I used it to make a back splash out of some reclaimed wood for my outdoor kitchen. I chose to brush it on and throw the brushes away after each use for ease of cleaning. I saw some reviews complaining about the coats but I had no issues just make sure they dry and lightly sand in between. I used one small can on the backsplash but since it’s outdoors I overkilled with 5 coats. It’s a great value for the money and looks great . I did not spray so I can’t attest to the spray quality but generally with poly I had always been taught that a brush was the best way to go. Although it’s not too thick so if you have a good spray it should spray just fine. The cleanup is super easy. I also made a small tabletop . It came out great as well. Both are holding up well to the elements.

I picked this up to protect some unassembled/unfinished outdoor wood furniture (Merry Garden Adirondack chairs and ottomans, made of fir). It applied easily and dried fairly quickly so I was able to apply two coats to the wood before assembling the pieces into their finished components and one coat after assembly (sanding with 320 grit between coats). I've included a picture so you can see how three coats look on these inexpensive ottomans. I stained them first with a Pecan stain. The Clear Satin Spar Urethane produces a nice non-glossy protective coat and brings out the beauty of the wood. The furniture hasn't done any time outside yet, but I'll be sure to update this review in the future once we've seen how they fare after some time in the elements. On a side note, sometimes the cost of paint and stain products online isn't competitive with local stores, but in my experience, the MinWax Helmsman Spar Urethane was a bit cheaper at Amazon than at a local hardware store in upstate NY and comparable to the Home Depot price for the same item in New York City. Note: there is an alternate version of the MinWax Helmsman Spar Urethane product that is water-based (instead of this product, which is oil-based). The water-based version is much thinner in consistency and requires more coats (they suggest 4 coats if you are using it on outdoor furniture). I accidentally bought the water-based one after I'd already used a quart of the oil-based one. Since I don't want to mix and match the two, that one is going back to the local hardware store. See attached picture for the difference between this product (left) and the water-based version (right). Thanks to commenter Athena Thor for pointing out the difference). UPDATE (August 19): I finished two of the chairs and am adding a picture. Will update the review again after they've been in the weather a while.

Excellent quality and durability for an outdoor Spar Urethane. I have used this on many items including signs, steps and a snow sled. Goes on smooth and sands nicely between coats

The glossy types are inconsistent, one two cans said “Satin” but the finish was semi-gloss. Had to return to finally get a can that was truly satin.