General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Oil Based Topcoat, 1 Quart, Satin

I used this first on a lazy susan for a family member who puts warm things directly on wood. I wouldn't put something straight from an oven on this finish, but it was far more resistant to heat or abrasion than regular polyuerathane or shellac. It is very easy to wipe or brush on right from the can. The clean up is basic oil based finish procedure with mineral spirits if you want to re-use brushes. The Semi-gloss is about right to for some shine and takes on wax and buffing very well. I would recommend and use again.

Best finish I’ve ever used. Easy to apply. Easy clean up. Holds up well over time. Would recommend.

I have done wood finishing for many decades. I've used mostly products from the local hardware, paint store and big box stores. I did some extensive research when I wanted to finish the woodwork in our newly purchased home. I have a 6,000 square foot home with a 25' ceiling in the great room. The home was custom built but was never fully finished, so all the door frames were unfinished, along with many of the doors, which totaled 25, 6-panel doors. I wanted to finish them in a dark espresso, satin finish and I wanted to see if I could find a product that would turn out looking as commercial as possible. After using some oil based products, before water based ones came into vogue, I switched to water based products. After using water based, exclusively, I decided to use oil-based products again, which have infinitely better outcomes than water-based ones. I took note from the professionals and noticed that General Finishes was used by many of them. I also purchased General Finishes Gel Stain in the color Java, and amped up the dark pigment with the color black from my set of Mixol Universal Tints. The results were exceptional. The gel stain went on beautifully as did the Arm-R-Seal topcoat finish. I've had a cabinet maker tell me that my work indeed looked commercial, which was a big compliment for me. I have used all the top brands on the market, but none compared to General Finishes. Even more than that was their web site which provides extensive information on preparation and application that gave me the confidence to undertake my project with high expectations and subsequent success. There are dozens of video tutorials available on the web providing more information than I ever wanted or needed. I especially targeted the videos since I am a visual learner. The only problem I had was working in an unrecommended warmer temperature. I also didn't like dealing with the protective wear like a cumbersome respirator. In the end, my woodwork looks wonderful and the finish is so hard and durable, that I know it will look great for many years to come. I highly recommend anything that General Finishes makes, which I might add, includes many water based products that also don't compare to anything sold by high volume hardware stores. The prices are higher, but are well worth it in execution and result. I buy the Arm-r-Seal in a gallon plastic container which pours out from a spout and is by far the easiest and most economical container to use. While General Finishes does sell to selected stores, there are none in my area, so being able to purchase online is a great option for me. The products come well protected as well.

I ordered this topcoat for my gun stocks that i refinish. This stuff makes the gun stocks beautiful. Very happy I picked this one to use on my projects.

I liked working with this finish! However, I found that diluting it 1 part finish to 3 parts mineral spirits allowed me to apply it perfectly when using the RIGHT cloth. It is important to use 100% COTTON t-shirts. This product produces bubbles so EASILY if any polyester or man-made materials are used...no matter if the finish is "dragged" slowly. Also, I found that this finish bubbled up more when not diluted...plus it was more inclined to leave "ridges." I first stirred it very carefully before diluting because there is a separation of ingredients that need to be mixed up from the bottom of the can. Stirring and pouring can cause bubbles fairly easily, so I worked slowly. I used this for finishing my natural, maple wood kitchen table. I cut an all cotton (white?) t-shirt into hand-width strips that were about a 12 to 18 inches long. I rolled these around a folded paper towel and used the non-lapping part for applying the finish. I put on a protective glove and worked very slowly and carefully. I poured a little diluted finish from my container with my non-gloved hand (being careful not to create any bubbles) onto the table and carefully laid the cotton t-shirt rag onto the finish using my gloved hand. I dragged the finish VERY slowly...pouring a little and dragging very slowly....until I reached the other end. The diluted finish "melted" into the previous swipes and dried to a glossy shine. Before applying any new coats, I allowed each coat to dry for 12 hours and used a hand sander with 400 paper to "scratch" up the surface a little. The final coat was left glossy. Very pleased and would recommend...will purchase again. I have included three pics of of my finished table...one full view of freshly applied finish with sunlight from a window, one final project of the end of the table with flash, and another final project without flash.

Really like the look, application, and durability of this stuff. Great, deep sheen and we are beating it up on our dining room table and it takes it like a champ. I found that it doesn't suffer fast application well, or application in colder temps. I had some ridging but that was my fault for being in a hurry. You've really got to take it slow with a good cotton rag and just let it sit a full day between coats. A little goes a long way. If it wasn't for the tricky application I'd give it 5 stars.

Excellent - just takes patience. My vanities went from worn honey oak to gorgeous. 3 coats but 72 hours in between each coat with the air conditioner set down to 73/74 while its drying. Looks exactly like the new vanities I didn’t buy.

We tested almost a dozen products to use for finishing all the interior woodwork on the first floor of our home. This product was the best. It was easy to apply with a cloth applicator, dried well and looks great. The Arm-r-seal satin finish must be stirred every time you dip your applicator into the can In order to achieve a satin finish, but that is typical of any finish that is not high gloss. It should not be brushed back and forth a lot but it levels itself very well as it is thin. It dried enough to handle carefully in an hour but you must wait about 24 hours to recoat Buffing with a 3M pad between coats is recommended. Please note it has a strong odor though less so than oil based polyurethane. You will need a respirator if you are working with it indoors, or at least, work outside. This is a urethane varnish, very similar to spar varnish, but without the UV protective ingredient in spar varnish. It is softer than polyurethane so it would not wear as well on a floor or a bar top. For our project which involved oak window and door casings, doors, transoms and other bits of Victorian interior trim it was perfect.