Can I use polyurethane over an exterior stain?

10 years ago

I want to use Cabot Semi Transparent stain indoors. I LOVE the colors available and want to use one of them to stain what will be wainscoting for our walls. The wainscoting will be in our kitchen though and will need an added protection for added cleanability so I want to finish it with a coat of flat polyurethane from Minwax.

Now to my DIY mind it all seems like it should be fine. Stain with polyurethane over it = finished project. However, I assume there is a difference between interior stain and exterior stain for a reason and I am not sure what it is. I don't want to finish my kitchen and have everything turn a horrible shade of yellow, or start peeling once I have hung all the wainscoting. But I also can not find an "interior" stain that comes in pretty colors that will give me the look I want.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Kalindi

Comment (1)

krissie55
10 years ago
Polyurethane will crack over time.

Several years ago I refinished oak kitchen cabinets with oak stain and two coats of polyurethane. Cabinets now have crackled polyurethane. It held up for about 20 years. A furniture restorer told me he wished I had put 3 coats of polyurethane instead of only 2 coats.

I also put one coat polyurethane on wains coating to preserve the 46 year old oak finish after touching up nicks and scratches (did not refinish). For this age house the wains coating looks fair to good.
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