Hi JayC, 'Matches' did an EXCELLENT job of explaining the difference. I just want to add a side-note ... Under optimal drying/house conditions, you'd only want to put on about 3 coats of poly. As Matches said, latex-based poly will 'sit' on TOP of the floor. Thus, it builds up REAL QUICK! And with that, it can get 'soft'. And when it's soft, almost ANYTHING will 'ding' the finish, especially high-heels, scratches, weighty furniture, and so on. Not to lecture you (but mainly for the benefit of others that may read this), the poly's purpose is to protect the underlying wood and finish. Poly is meant to get worn off (because you can refinish hardwood flooring to a certain extent.) Personally, I do like the oil poly because it is more durable and is harder when it dries. As an aside, pre-finished hardwood has MANY layers of poly because, in the factory, drying conditions are man-made and optimized to the poly's drying specs. (So that's a different story.) Most Pro finishers I know stop at 3 coatings anyway (and they're the pros.) So, in short, make sure your 'poly expectations' are in check. My best to ya and hope this helps. Jay J -Moderator
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