If you have used Waterlox products in the past, most likely you started your project with our Waterlox Original Sealer and Finish Medium Sheen (TB 5284) or our Waterlox Marine Sealer (TB 3809).
Original Sealer & Semi-Gloss Finish and Marine Sealer are and have always been the same product with different labels on the can. This is our base resin-modified Tung oil finish that we have been making since 1910 (with a few minor tweaks). These products have had many names and labels throughout the years, but the final product has always been the same. Their new current iteration is now simply called the Original Semi-Gloss Finish (TB 5284).
We have attempted to simplify the coating process without sacrificing quality, appearance, durability or cost of our final coating systems. The major change you will see with our new coating systems is the use of the Universal Tung Oil Sealer (UTOS) as a base coat under all of our film-forming finishing systems (Marine, Original, Urethane and H2OLOX). This allows for a general set of instructions that will make using our products more simple, user-friendly and cost-effective. The standard instructions for all wood projects is to start with one coat of Universal Tung Oil Sealer, followed by two coats of the Finish of your choice. For help selecting your finish, please use our Find Your Finishing System builder to find your specific recipe.
If you would like to stick to the Original methods, you can replace the first coat of Universal Tung Oil Sealer with 1-2 coats of Original Semi-Gloss Finish. One coat is usually sufficient for harder species of wood (harder than red oak on the Janka scale), where two are recommended for softer woods.
The Universal Tung Oil Sealer (UTOS) provides many advantages over the traditional sealers that we believe make using our products easier without sacrificing quality. Please visit the Universal Tung Oil Sealer Advantages guide for more information.
