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

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.

This finish is easy enough to apply and gives a quality finish. I would wet sand after the 3rd coat to help reduce streaks. See the table top (finished) vs the leg (unfinished). The overall look is on the plastic side of things, but that is kinda what semi-gloss is anyways so I'm happy with it.

Easy to apply, great protection, just follow the directions and you’ll get a great result!

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.

I put this on with a foam brush over quarter sawn white oak. I first put 3 coats of Danish oil on and let that cure about a week and then lightly sanded it with 400 grit sandpaper before putting the Arm R Seal on. Several people commented on streaks using the satin finish but I did not experience that. I did pay close attention to make sure that the application was as consistent as possible and not excessive. The finish dried out nicely.

Truly makes for a protective barrier, I put it on my kitchen table. Nice shine to it too.Unfortunately, shipping was pretty slow, hence 4 stars.

One of the best and easiest finishes to use. Can’t go wrong.

After trying MANY other options, I find this the easiest to apply. On smaller pieces - use a blue shop towel to apply. In larger pieces, a sponge brush works perfectly! Gorgeous finish. If you don’t like the warm hue it adds, I’ve mixed some of the gel stain I used on the piece in with some top coat (about 20% gel stain to top coat) in a little dish and it Muted that golden hue.