skip poly on shoe moulding

bamaranch

Hi guys, I've worked hard to match a shoe molding stain to an existing floor.

(I already did about half a room and later determined it was "on color" but just too dark.) Yanked it out...

I got it to match perfectly by tweaking the stain mix and putting on just one coat. But - that is without polyurethane. So, my instinct is to not risk any color/perception change with the poly application - and to just put them on without poly.

What risks am I taking here? There's no risk of water really in this room. Will it get dusty faster? fade faster?

any advice appreciated.

oh'mike

Unprotected wood will darken and shift color---within two years it will look rather tires and old--

Coat it----Water based is clear and not likely to shift the color----oil based Poly is a little amber and will tint the wood a bit to the yellow---

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MissKat

You're not the one responsible for keeping the baseboards dusted in the house are you?

zakany

I'll echo Mike - waterborne urethane is really acrylic and won't change the color. It looks milky in the can, but dries crystal clear. Applying it is like painting with water, though, so consider using a foam brush. Also, do not shake it - you'll entrain air. Just gently stir it for a minute. What's nice is that it doesn't smell and it dries quickly. You can apply two coats a day, easily.