BEST CLEAR COAT FOR KITCHEN CABINETS – THE BEST WAY TO SEAL YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS

Best Clear Coat For Kitchen Cabinets – 7 best picks

Your kitchen is by far one of the busiest and hectic rooms of your house. There is heat, steam, moisture, humidity and so many things in your kitchen that could damage your kitchen equipment. One of the most valuable and important features of the kitchen are the cabinets. That is ...

By James Wayne

Your kitchen is by far one of the busiest and hectic rooms of your house. There is heat, steam, moisture, humidity and so many things in your kitchen that could damage your kitchen equipment. One of the most valuable and important features of the kitchen are the cabinets.

That is why we have made this list of the best clear coats for kitchen cabinets so that you can protect your beautiful cabinets from all the dirt, grime, wear and tear that they will go through. Sealing the cabinets with a clear coat helps elongate the lifespan of the cabinets along with reducing future maintenance costs.

We considered factors such as price and quality of protection. We hope you go through this list and find the perfect complete solution for your cabinets. Happy Cooking!

Please check out the other articles we have to help you design your dream kitchen cabinets or the best bonding primer for your kitchen.


Editor’s Picks: Best Clear Coat For Kitchen Cabinets

Editor’s choice

INS-LX kitchen cabinet paint

INS-LX kitchen cabinet paint

 INS-LX is the first kitchen cabinet paint on our ‘best clear coat for kitchen cabinets’ list. The product carries 1 gallon or 3.79 liters. This white color with a satin finish will bring an elegant look to your kitchen cabinet. The satin finish will give you a smooth and shiny surface. It can be used on wood, polyurethane-coated wood, and even on metal.

Features:

  • 1 gallon or 3.79 liters
  • No primer needed
  • Factory like finish to your kitchen cabinet 
  • Resist chipping, scuffing, food stain, grease, and water
  • The paint is stain resistant
What we liked
  • After 6 hours from painting you can rub with soap
  • Easy for you to paint
  • Wall paint for multi-surface
What we disliked
  • It can’t be used without a primer.

Best value for money

Best value for money - Nuvo clear coat

Nuvo Clear Coat

Nuvo Clear Coat is the next item on our ‘best clear coat for kitchen cabinets’ list. This clear coat gives a semi-gloss finish to the cabinet and protects the color for a long time. Nuvo Clear Coat also gives you a majestic look at your kitchen. It gives your dream kitchen a new environment and brings an everlasting smile to your face for years to come.

This paint comes within a package of a single paint jar with a total weight of 22.4 pounds. The jar contains 31 oz of paint. The paint is water-based and environmentally friendly. The paint has low-VOC or Volatile Organic Compounds, which means a less carbon-containing substance that easily becomes vapor or gas. So, the clear coat gives you quality air in your humid kitchen.

The Nuvo Cabinet clear coat from our ‘best clear coat for kitchen cabinet’ list gives you the semi-gloss look of 50 square feet of kitchen cabinet. The topcoat is enough to coat your kitchen cabinet 2 times. A maximum of 2 coatings is enough to cover any imperfection left from the first coating.

Features:

  • One jar contains 31 Oz paint 
  • Easy to use 
  • Classify finish
What we liked
  • After even 2 weeks of applying cabinet paint, Nuvo Cabinet Top Coat can be applied on.
  • 6 hours after applying the Nuvo Cabinet Top Coat, the paint dries and you can clean gently with soap.
What we disliked
  • Nuvo Cabinet Top Coat can’t be spayed.

Best clear coat

Minwax Polycrylic Clear Coat

Minwax Polycrylic Clear Coat

Minwax Polycrylic clear coat is the next item on our ‘best clear coat for kitchen cabinets’ list. This item gives your cabinet paint a semi-gloss look, guarantees to protect your paint from stains, and adds durability to the paint. This protective finish adds beauty and shines your kitchen like crystal clear. When you enter your kitchen, you will notice how beautiful the environment has transformed after using Minwax Polycrylic Clear Coat.

Minwax Clear Coat has a matching protection finish for Flat, Matte, Satin, Semi-gloss, and Gloss finish. This item is water-based, so, unlike oil-based, it doesn’t become yellowish over the years. Minwax Polycrylic Clear Coat has an item weight of 2.25 pounds and holds one liter of clear coat. This clear coat dries quickly and then you can clean it gently.

Minwax Polycrylic Clear Coat can be applied on any wood surface. When you apply it on the surface, at first, the color will look white. But don’t you worry, the white color dries quickly after it shows where the imperfections are after you applied the 1st protective patch. Apply the protective finish a second time, and when it dries shortly, notice how elegant your kitchen cabinet has become.

Features:

  • Protection finish for Flat, Matte, Satin, Semi-gloss, and Gloss finish
  • Elegant finish
  • Item weight of 2.25 pounds 
  • Can hold one liter of clear coat. 
  • Can apply on any wood surface
  • Easy to use
What we liked
  • Dries within 2 hours after applying
  • Can use soap to clean after the protective finish dries down.
  • Has a variety of finishes to match your kitchen cabinet paint.
What we disliked
  • Using on white latex-painted cabinets will turn to yellow over the years.

Best environmental friendly clear coat

Best eco friendly clear coat

Clear Coat from County Chic Paint

The next product from best clear coat for kitchen cabinets is from County Chic Paint. This clear coat is self-styled and helps to protect your kitchen cabinet from the humid condition of your kitchen, frequent touching, and brings an everlasting elegant look to your kitchen cabinet for years.

The clear coat from County Chic Paint is durable and protects the kitchen cabinet where your hands go frequently. This particular clear coat is developed in collaboration with the customers. The clear coat offers a satin finish on a variety of colors and its unique formula keeps it durable for years.

The size of the product is 32 Oz in a container. This product is very user-friendly. To apply the clear coat you don’t need any training. Just a paint sponge will help you to apply the clear coat. This product has less harsh chemicals, so you will not have any unpleasant smell.

Features:

  • Product weight 32 ounces
  • User friendly
  • Developed in collaboration with customers
  • Can be applied on multiple colors 
  • No Harsh chemical 
  • Water-based
What we liked
  • Can be applied both indoor and outdoor
  • No harsh smell
  • Low VOC
What we disliked
  • The jar lid can get stuck after you close without rubbing the edges

Best primary filler

Aqua Coat for Best White Cabinet

Aqua Coat

In the next line of product on our ‘best clear coat for kitchen cabinets’ is Grain filler. The product name is Aqua Coat. Aqua Coat helps to fill the very tiny gaps on the wooden surface. After applying Aqua Coat on the wooden surface, the surface will be smooth, clear, and natural. Then you won’t need to worry about the unpaved surface on your wooden kitchen cabinet.

The Aqua grain filler is long and durable. It can be used on almost any wooden surface. This product is water-based, so it dries fast. The unique feature of Aqua Coat is it is compatible with both oil- and water-based paints.

The size of the container is just 1.2 Pounds. The portion inside is enough to cover a standard-size kitchen cabinet. Apply 3 times and let it dry 45 to 60 minutes, use 320 sandpaper to clean the surface, then use your primer, and finally use your desired paint. Done! Now you will discover how your kitchen has changed for a long-lasting time.

Features:

  • Container size 1.2 pounds
  • Long durable
  • Portion in the container enough to cover standard -size kitchen cabinet
  • Water-based
  • Dries fast 
  • Dries within 45-60 minutes
What we liked
  • Easy to use
  • Compatible with both oil- and water-based paint
What we disliked
  • You have to remove all the paint from the wooden surface before you can use this on your kitchen cabinet.

Most durable clear coat

Famowood Glaze Coat

Our next amazing product from best clear coat for kitchen cabinets is Famowood Glaze Coat. This clear coating provides you an excellent high-gloss look, brings a new environment to your lovely kitchen, and is highly durable.

The Famawood Glaze Coat can be used on wooden, stone, metal, cloth, leather, tile, and even on paper surfaces. Whether the surface is paved, unpaved, stained, or painted, you can apply it on them easily. Your kitchen is a hot and humid place, Famawood clear coat helps to withstand hot and humid kitchen conditions. The Famawood Glaze Coat lasts long because it is a high-temperature ambient clear coating.

This product sustains 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, even if by accident, hot things come in contact with your kitchen cabinet, you don’t need to worry about the high-gloss look. The product is 9.6 pounds and has gallon, quart, and pint-size. 1 You don’t need to worry about whether the portions are enough, know your required area, and apply your required portion. A single application is enough, a single application will give you 60 equivalent levels of glossy varnish. 

It is easy to use, as you pour the Famawood Glaze Coat. It takes on average 72 minutes to dry. After it dries down, you will be amazed by the new look of your kitchen with a long-lasting look.

Features:

  • Product weight 9.6 pounds
  • Long-lasting
  • Single application is enough
  • Can be applied on almost any surface
  • Self-leveling
What we liked
  • Easy to use
  • Simple 1:1 mixing formula
What we disliked
  • Do not use hot beverages after the coat dries, unless you’re using a coaster

Best elegant clear coat

Best clear coat - Rust-Oleum

Rust-Oleum

The next product on our ‘best clear coat for kitchen cabinets’ is Rust-Oleum. This particular product gives your kitchen cabinet a Matte look. Rust-Oleum is very unique. It is based on Polyurethane, so it gives you the longest possible durability. Its quality, durability, elegance, and shine will help you to be in comfort for a long time.

Rust-Oleum clear coat can be used on wooden surfaces. It is water-based, that’s why it dries faster than other types of clear coat. Rust-Oleum is very unique, as it gives a softer feeling when you touch the wooden surface, comparing to other traditional polyurethane-based clear coating. It protects your kitchen cabinet from scratches, resistance to fingerprints, and stains. After it dries down, you can clean it with water or with soap.

The Rust-Oleum comes with a total weight of 3.17 Oz, including the packaging. It is very easy to use. One quart-size is enough to cover 150 square feet of your kitchen cabinet. After applying the first coating, apply the second coating 2 hours later. After the second coating dries down you will discover how Rust-Oleum helps your kitchen cabinet to withstand all the humid, scratches, and stains.

Features:

  • Total weight 3.17 ounces
  • Gives matt look
  • Easy to use 
  • Dries down quickly 
  • Smooth feeling on surface comparing other traditional polyurethane-based clear coats 
  • Helps the kitchen cabinet to withstand all the humidity, scratches, and stains.
What we liked
  • Longest-lasting than another type of clear coats
  • The applied surface can be cleaned by water and soap water
What we disliked
  • It is better not to use on oil-based paint

What to consider before selecting a clear coat for your kitchen cabinet

Selecting the perfect clear coat for your kitchen cabinet is very important. It is important because the color you use on your kitchen cabinet will last longer by a perfect combination of clear coat with the paint you applied on your kitchen cabinet. The clear coat helps your kitchen cabinet color by protecting it from the humid condition in your kitchen, scratch, and stains. You can clean the surface with water and by soap.

A perfect matching clear coat with paint will help your kitchen cabinet color not to become yellowish over the years. While selecting the best clear coat for your kitchen cabinet, we considered a lot of important factors. Those are mentioned below, so you can understand what and why you are selecting a particular clear coat for your kitchen cabinet.

Application time and drying time

You might use your kitchen to supply food as a business or on the table of your family. Keep in mind how long it can take you to paint and finish your kitchen cabinet renovation. The longer you take, the more problems you face with your business or presenting food on the table in front of your family.

Food from outside is expensive and carries a health risk. Before putting a hand on the kitchen cabinet renovation work keep these factors in mind. It will be best if you use a fast-drying clear coat, which will help you come back to use your kitchen quicker, reduce overall cost, and with a new look to your dream kitchen.

Preparation

There are tiny gaps on wooden surfaces. Grain Filler will help you to close those gaps. Rub the surface with sandpaper to smooth.

Primary touch

Use a primer before applying the paint. This will help to create the groundworks to help your paint get set very well on the wooden surface. Checkout our list of best primers here.

Color selection

Selection of your preferred color is important.  If you select fade or matte color, your kitchen cabinet will look off. You can select semi-gloss or gloss finish paint. If you want something between a semi-gloss and gloss finish, go for Satin finish paint. Better go for water-based color, it dries faster and does not become yellowish over the years.

For an elegant look

The clear coat is very important. Whatever color you use, because of the hot and humid condition in your kitchen, the color will be worn off. The water-based clear coat dries faster and keeps color on your kitchen cabinet safe from humidity, stains, and scratches for years. The clear coat also helps you to clean the wooden surface with water and soap and prevents it from becoming yellowish over the years.


FAQ on Best Clear Coat For Kitchen Cabinets

What is the best clear coat for kitchen cabinets?

The best clear is which is durable and protects your kitchen cabinets from stains, humidity, and scratch. Go through our list and find the perfect one for yourself!

What is the most durable finish for kitchen cabinets?

Clear coat which is water-based and can sustain high temperature.

Which polyurethane is best for kitchen cabinets?

Any Polyurethane-based clear coat which gives you soft-feeling on the wooden surface.

How do I apply a clear coat to kitchen cabinets?

After you apply paint to your kitchen cabinet, let it dry. Then apply the clear coat.

Can I Apply a Clear Coat Over Painted Kitchen Cabinets?

Yes, you can!


Final observation on Best Clear Coat For Kitchen Cabinets

The best clear coat for your kitchen cabinets list we have shared with you is created with intense market research and based on customers’ satisfaction. The items on the list guarantee you the best available products and to change your dream kitchen into a new beloved environment for the longest possible time.


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James is a plumber and handyman hailing from the southwest with over 20+ years of experience in his field. He has incredible knowledge on all the brands in the market and how to perform installation, maintenance and repairs of anything you need in the kitchen.

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2 thoughts on “Best Clear Coat For Kitchen Cabinets – 7 best picks”

  1. It is really a nice and useful piece of information. I’m
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    • Thanks for your kind words. This will inspire us to write more article like this. Please read other articles of this site if you have time. We periodically updating this site with similar content.

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