Have you ever finished your pour painting, and it looked amazing when wet, but when it dried, all that luster and depth seemed to disappear? You’re not alone! This is just one of the reasons we use a clear coat for acrylic painting. A good clear coat adds protection and sheen. The clear coat you choose can completely change the texture, depth, and color of your painting, so you want to choose correctly! In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into why you need a clear coat and which one to choose for your painting.
If you’re just starting your journey with pour painting, check out our Getting Started! tab. We offer step-by-step guides to help you learn color theory, how to thin paint, and basic pour techniques!
Benefits of a Clear Coat for Acrylic Painting Projects
For hobbyists, the expense and extra step of a clear coat may seem completely unnecessary. However, if you want your art to look high-end and last through the years, a clear coat is a must. Here are just a few of the reasons you may add this extra step to your painting process!
- A high gloss clear coat adds depth to your painting, giving it a high-end feel. No matter what grade acrylic paint you use, a good clear coat can make your piece look expensive!
- Clear coats protect your paintings from dirt, fireplace soot, grubby little fingers, or crayon markings. Most clear coats dry hard so that the painting can now be cleaned with soft cleaners without damaging the paint.
- A seal gives you greater control over the look. If using cheap acrylic paints, you get what you get, but you can create a whole new look by adding a clear coat. Just your choice of clear coat can move a painting from modern to vintage.
- A clear coat protects the painting from air contaminants and UV rays that can discolor or dull your work.
- A clear coat helps prevent cracking with temperature and humidity changes.
Choose your preferred method of application.
The three major methods of application are brush, spray, or pour. Most high-end sealers are applied by brush. It’s a pretty straightforward process, but care has to be taken to prevent brush strokes. In recent years, some very good spray sealers have come onto the market.
Obviously, the spray method cuts down on brush strokes and is faster— also there are no brushes to clean. However, you need a well-ventilated outdoor area, and that means the risk of dust and dirt particles hopping onto your wet clear coat before it dries. Poor application with spray versions can lead to runs, so do thin coats at a distance of 8-12 inches from the canvas.
Resins and epoxies are generally applied by the pour method. It’s not difficult, but you may need to use a heat gun to remove air bubbles, need to mix the product correctly, and will need a large well-ventilated area.
Which clear coat is best for acrylic painting projects?
The great thing about acrylic-based paint is that you can cover it with anything. You don’t need to worry if your sealer is acrylic, water, or oil-based. Anything goes, but they will all give you a different look and have different methods of application. In this section, we’ll discuss some of the options for sealers and their pros and cons. Most of these clear coats are available on Amazon, your local art supplier, or your local big box construction store.
1. Mod Podge
Mod Podge is a budget-friendly clear coat that resembles Elmer’s glue. It’s available at retail craft stores for under $10. Mod Podge comes in a variety of sheens and is great for hobbyists. It also comes in both a brush-on and spray-on option, though the brush-on is the more common kind.
Pros: Mod Podge is easy to use, inexpensive, and relatively goof-proof. Washes off brushes with soap and water.
Cons: Mod Podge has a tendency to look streaky and sometimes dries a little opaque.
Application Tips: You can cut down on streaking and opaqueness by using these tips:
- Apply your clear coat in thin layers, alternating the brush stroke direction.
- Let each coat dry completely before applying the next.
- Coat brush completely and allow it to settle in the bristles before applying it to your canvas.
2. Varnish
Varnishing is often used as a catch-all phrase for applying a sealer in general. That’s because it’s one of the oldest compounds and has been used for hundreds of years. It consists of a resin, oils, and alcohol mixture typically and comes in several sheens.
While varnish is typically used for wood, it can be applied to acrylic paintings as well. So, if you’ve got some in the garage, feel free to use it! Varnish dries into a thin, glossy seal with a slight yellow or amber tint—making it great for antiquing a painting.
Pros: Varnish is inexpensive and provides a great all-purpose sealer.
Cons: Varnishing acrylic paintings can result in a yellow or amber tinge. It is slightly toxic and needs to be handled with care. It takes multiple coats. Varnish can bubble or peal if not applied properly. Traditional varnish is relatively slow-drying, but there are now several new variants that are fast-drying like this one from Minwax. Brushes must be cleaned with mineral spirits.
Application Tips: Use a natural bristled brush to apply varnish in thin coats.
Popular Product: Minwax Spar Urethane
3. Acrylic Polymer Varnish
Acrylic polymer varnishes are a non-toxic version. They come in matte, satin, or glossy, and provide a hard and protective finish.
Pros: Acrylic polymers are non-toxic, dry quickly, and can be cleaned up with regular soap and water. They provide a nice, professional-looking finish.
Cons: Acrylic polymers are prone to cracking and shrinking if exposed to heat or extreme weather. They do not have as long of a lifespan as oil-based sealers and may need recoating.
Application Tips: Acrylic polymers are usually applied with a foam roller or brush. Synthetic is fine for acrylics.
Popular Product: I wholeheartedly recommend Golden Acrylic Polymer Varnish with UVLS.
3. Resins
Resins are stronger and harder than their varnish buddies. They’re usually applied by a pour method and need to be mixed with a hardener after purchase. Resins come in acrylic, polyester, and epoxy. In fact, they’re often just referred to as epoxies. If your art will be outside, I recommend an acrylic resin. It’s not as strong as epoxy, but it is more fluid and better protects against UV damage and discoloration.
Pros: Resins typically provide thicker, glossier finishes with maximum protection.
Cons: They are toxic and need a well-ventilated application space and a respirator. You’ll need mineral spirits to clean your brushes. Resin is a much more expensive endeavor and can be difficult to apply.
Application Tips: Make sure to read mixing instructions in their entirety before beginning. Your hardener and resin should be well mixed but not vigorously. You don’t want bubbles. You may need to use air or a blow torch to remove bubbles (beware it’s flammable).
Popular Product: Varathane Super Glaze
Pro Tip: If you want to get that high-end epoxy look without all the trouble and cost, grab a bottle of Triple Thick! It’s one of my personal favorites for a deep, glossy look on a dime! It’s very thick. I find it easiest to pour the compound into a bowl, thoroughly coat my brush, and then run a line of sealer the length of my painting. Brush out with as few strokes as possible. It’s fast drying. It’s non-toxic and a great alternative.
4. Glue
If you’re really on a budget. You can use regular school glue as a clear coat. Slightly thin you glue with water (3:1) and apply in thin coats. It won’t give you the quality of an official sealer, but it’s better than no clear coat at all.
5. Spray Sealant
If you love a spray paint project, then you may prefer a spray-on sealer. They come in all sheens and are easy to use if you have a ventilated space.
Pros: Spray sealers are easy to use and relatively inexpensive. They also dry quickly and are relatively goof-proof.
Cons: You need a clean and well-ventilated space to apply. It may take several coats to get good coverage, and spray sealants are not as strong a coating as paint-on versions.
Application Tips: When using any spray paint or sealer, keep the can at least 8 inches from your canvas. You want to apply thin coats in sweeping motions, extending past the sides of the painting. Make sure to shake vigorously for a couple of minutes before applying.
Popular Product: Krylon Triple Thick Clear Glaze
6. Polyurethane
Polyurethane is another old man on the block. It’s been around for ages and was originally oil-based. Now, there are water-based versions as well, and that’s what I personally prefer for most art pieces.
Pros: Polyurethane is easy to obtain at any hardware store and budget-friendly for most. A little bit goes a long way, and it’s easier to apply than some other brush-on finishes. Oil-based polyurethanes provide a high-gloss but flexible finish.
Cons: Oil-based poly tends to yellow over time. Water-based poly does not provide the same sheen as oil-based.
Application Tips: Polyurethane, especially oil-based, needs to be applied in a well-ventilated area. It applies well with a foam roller or brush. You can use a bristle brush as well, but the finer the bristles the better.
Popular Product: Varathane Ultimate Water-Based Polyurethane
7. Lacquer
Made of natural resins and volatile solvents, lacquer is one of the hardest and shiniest clear coats available. It’s often used on cars and furniture to give that hardened plastic look. While extremely shiny, it doesn’t add the same depth and thickness as resin.
Pros: Lacqer is high shine and gorgeous.
Cons: Lacquer is toxic, very fast-drying, and difficult to handle.
Application Tips: If you have the ability, it’s easiest to thin your lacquer and spray it with a paint gun or use a commercial spray lacquer. If not, you’ll need to work quickly and apply with a foam roller and one quick brush stroke to even it out.
Do not overwork the lacquer. If there’s a small imperfection, it’s better to let it dry, give it a light sand with ultra-fine sandpaper, and do another coat. Lacquer is toxic. Use in a well-ventilated area and use goggles and a respirator mask.
Popular Product: Watco Crystal Clear Lacquer
General Application Tips
When you want to coat acrylic paintings, there are a few general rules to follow with most sealers:
- Apply several clear coat layers. It’s always better to use more thin layers than one thick one. So, don’t freak out if your painting looks streaky and awful after one coat.
- When using a brush to apply a clear coat, change the direction of your strokes between coats. This helps to fill the low areas left by the brush bristles.
- With some matte or satin clear coats, you may want to apply an isolation coat first. This involves mixing a soft gel gloss medium with water. The usual recommended mixture is two parts gel gloss mixed with one part water.
- For clear-coat acrylic products, you can generally work indoors (maybe open a window). However, with lacquers, epoxies, and oil-based varnishes make sure to work in a well-ventilated area and wear a respirator mask. You can purchase inexpensive masks at any home repair store.
- When you clear coat acrylic paintings, make sure the paint has had plenty of time to cure. I recommend letting the painting sit for at least 24 hours before applying the clear coat.
Clear Coat for Acrylic Painting-Final Thoughts
Varnishes can be a little confusing, especially with so many options out there and the confusing verbiage on the topic. Remember, when it comes to art, experimenting is part of the creative process (and part of the fun). Don’t be afraid to try out several clear coat options and figure out which one you like best. We all have a unique painting process and preferred products. Test out a few on an old painting or a scrap piece and find your favorite.
You may find that you like several different options depending on the vision for your piece. I do. If I’m doing a very modern painting or one that will be displayed in low light, I almost always choose a high gloss epoxy clear coat. When the painting will be hung under fluorescent light, high gloss glazes will cause more glare. If I’m going for a more traditional look, or want my painting to appear aged, then I go with a matte, traditional varnish that I know will yellow a bit. There’s no right or wrong, only preference!
Now…Go Forth and Pour!
Want predictable, beautiful results with every acrylic pour painting? Check out our Masterclass “From Muddy to Masterpiece!” We’ll give you all the tips for choosing colors and paints, and all the best pour techniques to create perfect swirls, precise cells, and no muddy messes!
