Yes, yes U can

So the question is; can I use a polyurethane to seal my paintings? I contacted Rust-o-leum and they recommended using their Ultimate Water-based Polyurethane to seal my acrylic paintings. I was a bit skeptical at first but decided to give it a try anyway on a throw away painting so I went to my local home-improvement store and bought an 8 oz matte finish can of the Ultimate water-based Polyurethane. Make sure that it is the the Ultimate Polyurethane water based as below because there are many different Poly's which will damage your painting.

gloss can of Ultimate Polyurethane

It also comes in Gloss, semi gloss and Satin. There is an 11.5 oz. spray as well. I prefer not to use sprays because the spray gets into the air and spreads everywhere not only that but I end up breathing it in. I'm already battling cancer and don't need to add to it. The can stuff is milky white as I opened it and rather than shaking it, stirred was preferred. Read the label. I noticed only a light odor. Even though the color in the can is white, it brushes on clear. It won't yellow nor darken your painting in time.

I applied it to my painting that was on art paper with a brush and, wow!,the results were the same as if I used  known water based sealers acquired from art stores. I only put on two coats rather than 3 as recommended for use on wood. I figured that it would suffice for my purposes and made sure that it covered all of my painting well. I would normally have used this on my hard board panels but for my experiment I used special paper for art, I like the 11"x14" but below is a 9"X12".

pic of 9"x12" art paper

It did not change the color of my painting nor did it leave a film on it making my painting dull. It made the colors stand out rather than blending in as acrylics often do when using similar colors. The sealer actually brought out the colors and I could see them as individual colors.

The sealer dried within 5 minutes rather than the 2 hours stated on the can but waited the 2 hours anyway to put a second coat. I was impressed by the lack of strong lingering odor other sealers have. The little odor is tolerable and disappears within a couple of hours.

I'm very impressed by the Verithane Water Based Ultra Polyurethane as it did exactly what I was hoping for and recommended to me by Rust-o-leum. The stuff is however toxic before it dries so you don't want to inhale the fumes. I didn't have a problem with it as it was at my waste level all the time and the fumes stayed low to the can. Clean up was easy, just a rinse with water did the trick. I should point out that I used the sealer indoors and the furnace was just behind the door eight feet away.

I ended up sealing about 10 painting with the same results. I am impressed! I should point out that there is an oil based Ultra Poly as well which I will check out at another time. Try the water based poly on one of your throw away painting and see if you agree. The cost of it for an 8 oz can was under $5 at Menards. I would have never thought that I would be using a polyurethane as a sealer for my paintings. It's a keeper!

Here's a few paintings I did on paper using Ultimate Poly:

a painting with a Polyurethane sealer

a painting with a Polyurethane sealer

 

 

FolkArt 789 Clearcote Acrylic Sealer Matte

I use a lot of Plaid paint products including folkart. I though that I would give their clearcote a try and found this:


WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm – www.P65Warnings.CA.gov

Soft matte finish. This product may not be purchased by those under 18 years of age.

I got this :

• Ideal for professional artists and decorative crafters
• Soft Matte finish
• For use on wooden, wicker, florals, metal, canvas or any paintable surface
• Non-yellowing finish
• Waterbased-non-toxic 

from Amazon.com. where I purchased my 12 oz can. Notice it says non-toxic just above and yet Plaid has a warning that it can cause cancer etc. and may not be purchased by anyone under 18.

folkart 12 oz can of clearcote

I used the matte on several paintings and noticed a very strong and lingering odor. As always I use any of these sealer's outdoors. It's as bad as using turpentine indoors to clean your oil brushes, it'll smell the entire house. This, like other sealers is also highly flammable and could easily start a fire if you have a furnace or a water heater with a pilot light. DON"T DO IT! USE IT OUTDOORS!

Not only did I use this stuff outdoors, I also wore a painters' respirator to eliminate the breathing of any of the mist. I already have one form of cancer and don't want to end up with lung cancer as well.

So how'd the stuff work out? It's probably my favorite to use as it has an outstanding result. For oils I would suggest Krylon Kamar varnish. This is only meant for water based paints.

The colors are bright and vibrant and even the colors that ended up almost hidden in the background became clearer. It does not change the colors nor does it yellow. It does give you a much wetter look which has to do with bringing out contrast as in a photo shop program.

I don't recommend using this clearcote or others unless you are willing to go the extra mile to protect yourself, from the hazards involved, which most of you won't. They can make a non toxic brush cleaner for oils and yet in this age, they can't do the same for a sealer/clearcote spray for acrylics and oils. So are they waiting for more people to die from cancer before it happens? Crazy!

Plaid Patricia Nimocks Sealer

Durable, clear coating that seals prints, also for use over paint, lacquer, and varnish. Use as a sealer on bisque and stain-finished ceramics. Preserve maps, documents, prints, etc. This clear, waterproof sealer produces a non-yellowing finish. May be used as a pastel fixative or over antiquing glazes and stains. An ideal quick finish for wood, glass, metal, cast resin or plaster. Available in gloss or matte finish. Comes in 6 or 12-ounce aerosols spray.

I tried this on my paintings. It has a very strong and lingering odor so use it outdoors. I use it outside or in my garage with the door open and a painters' respirator. It is extremely flammable and toxic but seems to have a better odor than most sealers I've used.  A second coat can be applied in 5-10 minutes. The can does not say non-yellowing however  that's what is said in the description of the item on Plaid's website. https://plaidonline.com/products/plaid-patricia-nimocks-clear-acrylic-sealer-glo

My can says Matte. To me matte means no sheen or gloss but after sealing a couple of paintings there seems to have a semi-gloss look to them I did not wait several hours to see if the gloss goes away. I will see tomorrow. No it did not! But the odor had dissipated down to a level where I was able to take my paintings back indoors. I'll just deal with the sheen for now.

Just like other acrylic sealers, it brings out the colors and clarity of the paint in my art. We all know that most paints darken as they dry so it's a good idea to seal your paintings for a fresh brighter look.

If you don't care whether the finished product comes out matte or glossy then I would say go for it, it's a good product that goes on easily.