Can you Apply Water-Based Polyurethane over Oil-based Stain?

After a long, arduous search, you have finally found the perfect wood stain tint for your project. However, there’s just one problem: it is oil-based, and you already bought water-based polyurethane.

Now, you need to weigh your options. Do you have to strip the stain and start again, or can you use water-based polyurethane over an oil-based stain?

This article will discuss the rules behind combining stains and polyurethanes and what happens when you don’t get it right. As long as the stain has dried, you can use any polyurethane.

Can You Use Water-based Polyurethane over Oil-based Stain?

Yes, you can apply water-based polyurethane over oil-based stain. You may be thinking, “But oil and water don’t mix,” and you’ll be right. You won’t mix them; you’ll apply the polyurethane over the stain.

See: How to Remove Polyurethane Smell from Your House

Will the Water-based Polyurethane Change the Color of Stained Wood?

Water-based polyurethane might change the color of stained wood. Water-based finishes dry crystal clear, but they may react to the stain.

Before applying water-based polyurethane over oil poly, white-painted surfaces or stains, you should always test it on an inconspicuous part of the surface.

The color is also likely to change if the stain has not dried thoroughly, which will severely mess up your work, and you’ll have to start all over.

See: Can you sleep in house after water-based polyurethane?

How to Apply Water-based Polyurethane Over Oil-based Stain

As mentioned earlier, water-based polyurethane should only be applied after the stain has cured. You should be patient and be willing to wait for up to three days if necessary.

Tools You’ll Need to Apply the Polyurethane Finish

• Water-based polyurethane (Is water-based polyurethane toxic?)
• Synthetic bristle brush, foam pad, or other applicators
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Tack cloth or vacuum cleaner
• Mineral spirits
• Roll on polyurethane
• Lint-free cloth or a rug (Find out the steps of applying polyurethane with a rag in our guide. )

Steps to Use Water-Based Polyurethane on Oil-Based Stain

Step 1: Test the Color-Fastness of the Stain

Put 100% mineral spirits on a lint-free cloth and run it over the surface of the wood. If the color of the stain shows on the cloth, then it hasn’t dried properly. In that case, leave it for at least another 24 hours before trying again.

If the color doesn’t come off, allow the mineral spirits to evaporate, then move to the next step.

Step 2: Apply the First Coat of Poly

Using a foam brush for polyurethane, synthetic bristle brush, or any other applicator recommended by the manufacturer, apply a thin coat of polyurethane on the wood surface.

Apply with the grain as usual, and don’t over brush. Once the first coat is on, leave it to dry. You will notice some bubbles initially, but these will level out in a few moments. If there are any bubbles left, the next step will take care of that.

Step 3: Sand the First Coat

After the first coat of the water-based polyurethane has dried, gently sand it using 220-grit sandpaper. If you are working on a table or other small furniture, use a sanding block to make your job easier.

Ensure that all the bubbles are now smoothed over. If there are any dust nibs, brush marks, or lint in the finish, sand these out too.

Step 4: Clean the Surface

Get rid of all the dust from sanding by using a tack cloth or a vacuum cleaner. Nothing ruins the smoothness of a polyurethane application like dust, so you need to be meticulous.

You can choose to use a vacuum cleaner first, then a tack cloth, or just use a tack cloth. You can also dip a lint-free cloth in water and use it to clean the wood when you are done tacking.

This will reveal any lingering dust particles. Leave this to dry before moving on to the next phase.

Step 5: Apply the Second Coat

Once the previous coat is smooth, dust-free, and dry, apply another thin coat using the same method as before. Some people like to apply a slightly thicker coat the second time, and this is perfectly fine.

However, if you are concerned about bubbles, dust, or an uneven finish, then keep this coat thin.

When the coat has dried, repeat steps 3 to 5, and remember to sand between coats of polyurethane until you attain the desired smoothness. It is unlikely that you will get a smooth and durable finish from just two coats, so keep going until you are satisfied.

Related read: Do you need to sand between coats of polyurethane?

How Long Does it Take Oil-Based Stain to Dry?

Oil-based stain takes 1-2 hours to dry before being ready for another coat. However, to be ready for the water-based polyurethane, it needs to cure for a minimum of 8 hours in normal conditions and 24 hours in cooler conditions.

In some extreme cases, the stain might need up to 72 hours to fully cure.

How Many Coats of Water-Based Poly Should You Apply?

When applying water-based polyurethane on an oil-based stain, you only need 3 to 4 coats. However, you might need more coats if you diluted the poly a lot more than recommended by the manufacturer.

Water-based polyurethane tends to raise the grain of wood. If this happens, you will need to apply more coats to get a smooth finish. If you need 7 or 8 coats to get the desired look, do so.

Interesting read: How to apply polyurethane on floors.

Do You Have to Sand Oil-Based Stain Before Applying Polyurethane?

No, you do not need to sand the oil-based stain before using water-based polyurethane. You would have already sanded the wood to a smooth finish before applying the stain. As stain is absorbed into the wood, the polyurethane will adhere easily.

However, you do need to sand between coats of the polyurethane if required by the manufacturer.

Is Mixing Oil-Based Stain and Polyurethane Toxic?

Wood stains and polyurethane emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which means they are both toxic. However, mixing stain with polyurethane doesn’t make them more toxic.

Once the stain has dried, it no longer emits VOCs; the same happens with polyurethane. Fortunately, water-based polyurethanes are less toxic than oil-based polyurethanes.

Related Article: Can you Stain Over Polyurethane?

What To Do Next: Check out the next article about Can you put water-based polyurethane over oil-based polyurethane?

Final Thoughts on Using Water-based polyurethane Over Oil-based Stain

As you’ve seen, not only can you use water-based polyurethane over oil-based stain, but it is also not complicated. In some instances, this could work even better than oil-based polyurethane over oil-based stain because water-based finishes dry very clear.

Remember that the stain must have fully cured before you apply water-based polyurethane. Also, discoloration is possible, so test the poly on a small part of the stained wood before applying it to the rest.

That’s it! I hope you learned something new today.