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Also if you want a harder finish use gloss first then satin.


Hardness aside, one should always use gloss for all of the preliminary coats in any wood finishing project. All sheens other than high gloss contain flatting agents that obscure the grain.

Water base poly is harder than oil base, but can be brittle and is very difficult to perform spot repairs on. Scratches and dings will develop whitish edges and require more steps to repair. I won't use the stuff. For me, it's oil only.