It is very likely technique.

What works for me is lots if very thin coats, so by thin I mean just wetting the surface, brush out, minimal brushstrokes and no overworking. Waterbase dries very fast, so within an hour in room temp conditions you can get the next coat on when it has tacked.

This works well if you have a large-ish job as you can work your way around, by the time you get back to the start, it is ready for another coat. For small jobs just wrap the brush in cling film between coats, go do the shopping, get paper etc, by the time you are back you put on the next thin coat, so on ad infinitum. Usually a minimum of three coats depending on finish required.

One issue I have found that as you add more coats ie 3+, the finish starts to look increasingly ‘plasticky’ and can give a rather odd look to vintage furniture if you are not careful.

Bear in mind with the old stuff you had to allow 8 to 12 hours, before putting the next coat on, which tended to encourage a ‘one (thick) coat wonder’ mentality! Now you can get multiple coats on in a few hours, but expect to spend more time on the job.

You can still get solvent based polyurethane varnishes.

https://www.rustins.ltd/rustins/our-products/indoor/polyurethane-clear-varnish

Ronseal Ultra Tough Wood Varnish

Blackfriar also sell similar varnishes.

These are marketed as for interior use as they do not contain UV inhibitors which would otherwise give the finish a slightly yellow cast.

Exterior solvent based clear varnish with UV protection is a bit harder to find but Blackfriar has an example:

https://www.brewers.co.uk/product/HC1017R

Colin

As Mark says the first raises the grain so needs flatting back down and the second less so.

I have used waterbased fllor varnish for years, originally “Aquacote” as suggested by one of the authors in Furniture & Cabinet making mag then when that disappeared I went to Smith & Rogers version or Bona. I have also used Dulux Diamond varnish. Paint is all waterbased these days too which I get on with OK.

For flat surfaces I tend to use a paint pad rather than a brush as it does not produce as many small bubbles in the surface. As it is not as viscous as the old poly varish you can’t slap it on and expect it not to run so if you can lay the item flat do so.

As for oil I now use the Osmo rather than Rustins. But the waterbase I find better on light woods like maple as it does not alter the colour

Few jobs, first is the Dulux diamond others Aquacote or S&R, last Bona Mega

Sorry , I should have said , applied prior to the application of the varnish . DURR !

I’m in the process of refinishing the handrails of our staircase and I’m going with shellac as it’s easy to apply and maintain.

Martin.