They just don't want to carry two different products that are similar. Since most people want poly that is what they carry. You might try a real paint store like Sherwin Williams. Even then they may have to order it.

 

I believe polyurethane is a form of varnish. Varnish (I think) simply refers for film-building finishes dinishes....

But yeah...home depot mostly carries shellac, spray lacquer, water based and oil based polyurethane.

 

A varnish is normally made from natural resins such as pine sap and linseed oil or a multitude of other natural resins. Polyurethane on the other hand is made from synthetic resins including plastic resins and urethane. It's how the name was derived from polymer urethane. The plastic in poly is also what many people take offence to.

 

I haven't seen plain old resin varnish in a long time. Even Woodcraft doesn't carry it. I haven't used it in over 30 years. Woodcraft does carry Tried & True, but it's a varnish oil and contains some urethane resins. Lowes carries Natural Earth varnish, but I have no knowledge of it. I've been using poly for so long, I no longer think of it as anything but varnish. After looking at a couple of my old wood finishing books, I'm comfortable with poly and it's held up so well on furniture I've made over the decades. I guess I'm not a purist when it comes to wood finishing like some of my joinery. Quite honestly, I like being able to run over to the local hardware store and pick up a quart of what I normally use. It keeps getting more and more expensive though, like everything else.

 

Thanks everyone.

I have used poly for years and wanted to do a test finish board comparing poly to varnish for a project I’m currently planning.

I just checked Lowes. The varnish is a special order. It’s not stocked in any of the local stores. I’ll check Sherwin Williams.

 

This might be informative on the options

 

this is from November 2021.
Resin shortages are drying up paint supply
we have some major projects are running late waiting for paints. some colors are changing do to base not available.
my local store had some varnish in stock but not lot. I went a few weeks later and they sent all back to make room on the shelves for other products. the store manager said no discounts do to there is a shortage of product. they using the trucks to balance store inventory. my guess it keeps the price up. it is in to logistics nightmare.

 

Oh yes, I forgot about the paint resin shortage. Here in Toledo, OH, a plan was put in place to create a giant mural on the side of a massive set of grain elevators that faces the downtown area. It was to depict huge sunflowers and the images of three native american women. The project ran out paint supply and it sits almost finished.

toledo grain elevator mural - Google Search

 

Well I was surprised all the home depots around me are out of the little one quart mixing pails. So I guess strange things do happen. Went looking yesterday... and I live in a very large metro area. All gone online. This was yesterday.

 

Was in the nearby HD last week looking for TiteBond II. Two gallon jugs, no 16 oz., no 4 oz., and a dozen 8 oz. bottles. Similar stock for the other types of TB. Local independent hardware store only had one 4 oz. bottle. Owner stated they can't get any TB from their distributor. Lots of Elmers though.

 

Elmer is good.

 

I had a hard time finding zinsser shellac over the summer.

 

When I was in Home Depot over the weekend they had only 1 quart of Seal Coat on the shelf, and one or two spray cans of shellac. Actually, stock on all of the quarts of poly products was thin.