The best Clear varnish sprays, compared.
Top pick: Tetrion clear lacquer 400 ml Best value: Tetrion clear lacquer 400 ml – 400 ml gloss at about £6.39, 4.7 from 271 reviews, waterproof set to true, and no nozzle or sheen cluster in the captured texts. Updated October 2026.
A clear varnish spray is a transparent last coat, usually an aerosol, sold on amazon.co.uk for wood, metal, plastic, glass, craft and small repairs. You use it on fittings, ornaments and small timber when thin coats matter. A suitable can is the one whose fill, sheen name and surface list match the job in front of you. Sheen names are not a shared measurement. Gloss and matt are different products, and a matt title is only a word until you patch-test the dry film. Read the fill you will actually spray, then the water claim beside the indoor or outdoor field, then whether a dry or cure field exists. Do not mix one brand's touch-dry minutes with another brand's 24-hour field. Those checks are in the [clear varnish spray buying guide](/hub/paints-and-varnishes/clear-varnish-spray/sub/clear-varnish-spray-buying-guide). A two-pack car clear is a different system. A room you cannot ventilate, or exterior joinery that needs a maintained finish, is work for a professional. Spraying puts more solvent in the air than brushing, so ventilate. This category was not lab-tested.
A clear varnish spray is a transparent last coat, usually an aerosol, sold on amazon.co.uk for wood, metal, plastic, glass, craft and small repairs.
32 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What finish do you want?
Tetrion ECL406 is a 400 ml gloss acrylic at £6.39, rated 4.7 from 271 amazon.co.uk reviews. Captured UK texts describe a clear, smooth gloss, once compared with a ceramic shine, on resin figurines, brass door and window fittings, garden ornaments, decoupage and a lightly sanded plastic mat. The listing sets dry time at 0.5 hours and full cure at 24 hours, and it sets waterproof to true for wood, metal, ceramic and plastic, indoors and outdoors. The coverage field only repeats 400 ml, so you do not get a square-metre figure for a door. The wood question on the page is unanswered even though wood is on the surface list. Smell comes up once as strong and normal for this type of product, and one buyer had not yet washed the piece, so wash durability is not shown. Nozzle clogs and sheen mismatches do not form a cluster in the 49 UK texts that were read.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want gloss on fittings or small ornaments and 400 ml is enough for the job.
Less suitable: A job that needs a published coverage figure, or any project that should stay matt.
Specifications
Common questions
Can Tetrion ECL406 be used on wood?
The wood question on the listing is unanswered. The surface recommendation includes wood, metal, ceramic and plastic.
How long does the listing say it takes to dry?
Dry time is 0.5 hours and full cure is 24 hours. Fast-drying is a special feature. One UK review was still unsure about washing.
Is the waterproof flag set?
Is Waterproof is true and the water-resistance level is waterproof. The listing question itself is unanswered, and no test method is named.
The Motip 04009 gloss can is 500 ml at £11.35 and carries 4.6 from 9,690 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest sample in this set. Reviewers describe an even gloss from thin coats on interior plastics, on bonnet vents that arrived matt, and on acrylic-painted garden ornaments, including one film with no yellow tinge before rain. Coverage on the listing is 1.5–2 m², and a bullet names wood even though the surface line lists plastic, metal, glass and stone only. The dry-time field says 24 hours, while Motip's own sheet, as of 4 August 2025, quotes dust-dry in 5–10 minutes and completely dry in 120 minutes, so those clocks stay apart. Is Waterproof is false and the water line is water resistant; one UK review said painted rocks blistered after a night of slight drizzle despite waits of two to three hours. Heavy coats run, and nozzles clog on larger jobs, which is why some buyers cleaned the nozzle between six and ten light coats. The indoor/outdoor field says outdoor while specific uses say interior/exterior, so a closed room is not what that field describes.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want 500 ml of gloss clear on small mixed surfaces and you will keep the coats thin.
Less suitable: Painted rocks left out in rain, or a panel that needs a two-pack clear rather than this aerosol.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Motip 04009 listing say it is waterproof?
Is Waterproof is false. Water resistance level is water resistant. UV resistant and scratch resistant are special features, with no test figure.
How long does the listing say 04009 takes to dry?
The dry-time field is 24 hours and full cure is 24 hours. Fast-drying is also listed as a special feature. The listing does not give a minute figure.
Can this can be used indoors?
The indoor/outdoor field says outdoor. Specific uses say interior/exterior. The indoor-use question on the listing is unanswered.
Motip M04000 is the 500 ml matt can at £5.49, with 4.5 from 475 reviews and a listed coverage of 0.75–1 m². Some buyers got the flat look they wanted on garden ornaments and on rocks, provided they shook the can for about two minutes. Others, including a plastic-model review, called the dry film gloss or semi-matt rather than matt. The dry-time field says 3 hours and the full-cure field says 1 hour, which cannot both be the last word on the same film. Waterproof is set to true while the water-resistance level says water resistant, and the indoor/outdoor field says outdoor. Nozzles blocked and spat droplets, a white flaky coat appeared on glasses frames after a day, and a later purchase dried tacky after two earlier years that the same buyer had found acceptable. One can felt empty after two short uses, and one order arrived as a clear gloss instead of matt.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will patch-test M04000 on a hidden edge before you commit a whole matt job.
Less suitable: You need a measured flat sheen, or you are coating glasses frames or stones.
Specifications
Common questions
Is Motip M04000 listed as matt?
Finish type is matte and the colour line says transparent matte. Several UK reviews say the dry film looked gloss or semi-matt.
What dry times are on the listing?
Dry time is 3 hours and full cure is 1 hour. Those two fields disagree. Scratch resistant is a special feature.
What coverage does the listing give?
Coverage is 0.75 to 1 m². Surfaces listed are wood, glass, plastic, metal and stone. Specific uses say glass.
The Paint Factory single 250 ml matt can is £4.36 and scores 4.3 from 181 reviews, with country of origin listed as the United Kingdom and a can weight of 165 g. The title says exterior and interior, the indoor/outdoor field says indoor, and there is no dry-time hour, only a fast-drying flag. Waterproof is set to true, with no water-resistance level and no coverage figure you can plan from. Some buyers liked a smooth film on a candle holder and said cardboard masks stayed free of water stains. Several others say the finish is gloss, not matt, including a sticky result, and one can leaked propellant and then covered about 10 cm². A powdery, cloudy spray showed up after shaking, the smell pushed one job outside, and one buyer regretted spraying delicate wooden parts. A return request in the file went unanswered for a month.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cheap trial on a small object you can afford to strip and redo.
Less suitable: A matt furniture finish, or any job where a leaking can wastes the only tin.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this 250 ml can listed for outdoor use?
The title and specific uses say interior and exterior. The indoor/outdoor field says indoor. Country of origin is United Kingdom.
Does the listing give a dry time in hours?
No hour figure. Fast-drying is the special feature. Waterproof is set to true, with no water-resistance level.
Do the UK reviews accept the matt finish?
Some do. Others say the film is gloss, not matt, and mention a sticky surface, a leaking can or a powdery spray.
SFM's three-pack is three 250 ml matt cans at £6.69, with the volume field at 750 ml, so the shelf price works out at about £0.89 per 100 ml. The star line is 4.3 from 79 reviews. Dry time and full cure are both listed as 24 hours. Waterproof is false and the water-resistance level is not water resistant, while the title still says indoor and outdoor and the indoor/outdoor field says indoor. The surface recommendation is wood. One canvas review reported a fine mist and a matt result, breakfast-bar stools were holding up at the time of that review, and board-game miniatures were protected from chipping. Other buyers, including a decorator of 35 years and a miniatures painter, said the film was glossier than matt or the satin they expected. Fumes were strong enough that one buyer moved the job outside and would not buy it again, and a nozzle stopped at about 70 percent of the can.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An indoor wood or craft top coat where rain is irrelevant and you can ventilate.
Less suitable: A wet outdoor chair, or a matt result you are not willing to patch-test.
Specifications
Common questions
Is SFM listed as waterproof?
Is Waterproof is false and the water-resistance level is not water resistant. The title still says indoor and outdoor use.
Which surfaces are on the recommendation line?
Wood. Specific uses say interior/exterior. The indoor/outdoor field says indoor. Age range is adult.
What do UK reviews say about the matt finish?
One canvas review reported a matt result. Others, including miniatures and garden ornaments, said it was glossier than the matt title.
HOMY ARTY is a 200 ml high-gloss acrylic at £15.19, model HSAV200GLOSS-EU, with 4.3 from 60 reviews. The listing is aimed at acrylic painting and craft, and the recommended uses run from wood and metal to paper, fabric, ceramic and clay. The item-form field says aerosol, but a UK review from 10 February 2026 says the bottle is a manual pump and that a light press dribbles. There is no dry-time hour and no waterproof flag; the bullets only say it dries quickly to a clear flexible film. Praise in the nine UK texts covers painted clay flowers, a clear coat that did not cloud the colour, and a brush one buyer found in the box. Two buyers reviewed the parcel before they sprayed anything. The anti-yellowing line is a bullet, the matching question is unanswered, and £15.19 is the highest shelf price in this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small acrylic or clay piece, once you have checked pump versus aerosol on the bottle in your hand.
Less suitable: Furniture, outdoor timber, or a job that needs a propellant aerosol.
Specifications
Common questions
Is HOMY ARTY an aerosol?
The item-form field says aerosol. A UK review says it is a manual pump and that a light press can dribble.
Does the listing give a dry time?
No. Bullets say it dries quickly to a clear flexible film. There is no hour field and no waterproof flag.
What does the listing say it can go on?
Recommended uses include wood, metal, fabric, paper, glass, plastic, ceramic, clay, acrylic artwork and craft paint. The wood question on the page is unanswered.
The Paint Factory two-pack is two 250 ml matt cans at £6.34, rated 4.2 from 113 reviews, with dry time listed as 6 hours and full cure as one day. Coverage is printed as 4–5 square metres per litre, which is a rate rather than a promise for one 250 ml can. Waterproof is true, and the page names wood, plastic and metal for indoor and outdoor use, while the furniture question stays unanswered. Buyers sealed painted rocks in the sun, waterproofed a Christmas door wreath, and used light coats on Metcalfe cardboard kits outside because of the smell. The same rock review, and others, called the film very shiny or one step below gloss. The first of two cans jammed while still about half full, and one buyer said 250 ml did not go as far as other brands.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a spare 250 ml can for small craft and you will test the sheen on a scrap first.
Less suitable: A large matt furniture job, or a finish that has to stay visibly flat.
Specifications
Common questions
Can this two-pack be used on furniture?
The furniture question is unanswered. Bullets say wood, metal, plastic and more, for indoor and outdoor use.
What dry time is listed?
Dry time is 6 hours and full cure is 1 day. Fast-drying is also a special feature. Waterproof is set to true.
How much is in the pack?
Size is 250 ml, pack of 2. Item volume is 250 millilitres and the unit count is 500 millilitres. Manufacturer is Rapide Products.
DISRIC is sold as an art fixative and clear coat at £8.99, with 2.8 from 12 reviews, the weakest star line in this set. The title says two 45 ml cans, the size line says 100 ml in a pack of one, item volume is 45 ml and the weight is 80 g, so the fill is unresolved and buyers called the cans tiny against the photos. Bullets name pencil, charcoal, pastel, watercolour, ink and acrylic, and they suggest a spray distance of about 30 to 40 cm. One sketchbook user said charcoal sealed and dried quickly; another said black biro smeared into a purple mess on mixed media. Instructions were not in English for one buyer, the spray was hard to aim, and the smell was compared with hairspray. Waterproof is false and the water line is water resistant, the indoor/outdoor field says outdoor, and the non-toxic question is unanswered. Treat it as a small pastel test at most, not as a furniture lacquer.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A single pastel or charcoal sheet, if you accept a tiny can and test the medium first.
Less suitable: Furniture, biro or mixed-media ink, or any job that needs around 400 ml.
Specifications
Common questions
How big are the DISRIC cans?
The title says two 45 ml cans. Item volume is 45 millilitres. The size line says 100 ml, pack of 1, and the unit count is 100 ml. Weight is 80 g.
Is it listed as waterproof or non-toxic?
Is Waterproof is false and water resistance is water resistant. The non-toxic question is unanswered and no non-toxic spec is given.
What spray distance do the bullets give?
About 30 to 40 cm. One UK review says the instructions are not in English, and another says black biro ink smeared.
Candid Styles is listed at £7.99 as a matt aerosol under model Clrmatt250x2, and the saved listing has no star line and no review texts at all. The title says one 250 ml piece, the pack count is 2, the components line says two 250 ml cans, and the weight is 350 g, so you cannot tell from the page what will arrive. Finish is matt, the material line names acrylic resin, propellant and solvent, and a bullet says CFC-free without a grams-per-litre VOC figure. Dry time, UV protection and use on damp surfaces are unanswered, and there is no waterproof flag. Compatible materials named on the page are metal, paper, plastic and wood, and the recommended-uses list includes craft and furniture finishing. With no UK reviews in the file, the real sheen, the smell and the fill are unknown, which is why this row is not a pick.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know this seller's fill from a previous can and only need the same matt sealer again.
Less suitable: A first purchase, or any job where UK reviews of the sheen are the point.
Specifications
Common questions
How many cans are in this listing?
The title says one 250 ml piece. Number of packs is 2 and the included-components line says two 250 ml cans. Weight is 350 g.
Does the listing say how long it takes to dry?
The dry-time question is unanswered and there is no dry-time field. UV protection is also unanswered.
Are there UK reviews in the saved listing?
No customer-review line and no review texts. Finish is matt. Material is acrylic resin, propellant and solvent.
Nine amazon.co.uk listings, captured on 19 October 2026, were scored only against each other. Sheen, adhesion, waterproofing and outdoor life were not lab-tested. A seller's waterproof, matt or fast-drying line stays a seller claim. Review evidence from the stored review texts is 35, listing consistency is 25, fit for a stated job is 20, and price against the same job is 20. A matt title that UK reviews call glossy reduces the review block. An empty star line scores 0. The top pick is the Motip gloss can, because 9,690 reviews and a manufacturer sheet outweigh a two-point gap. The best value is the Tetrion gloss at about £6.39. Neither badge means a national best.
Review evidence
35%Stored amazon.co.uk review texts are scored on sample size, praise, and the repeated complaint. A matt title that UK reviews call glossy reduces this block even when the star line is above 4.2. An empty star line scores 0.
Listing consistency
25%Sheen, pack count, water words, indoor or outdoor fields, and dry-time fields are read together. A waterproof tick against a not-water-resistant line, a 24-hour listing against the same brand's minute-scale sheet, and a one-can title against a two-can components line reduce this block.
Fit for the job
20%Points follow surfaces named, a usable fill, and a dry or cure field that exists. A 45 ml art can does not gain furniture points from the word varnish. No lab gloss-meter reading is scored.
Price for the job
20%Shelf price is compared with the same job in this sample, in GBP, on the 19 October 2026 amazon.co.uk figures. CFC-free is not treated as a VOC figure.
Start with the job and the sheen, then the fill you will actually spray, then the surface list read next to the water claim, then the dry or cure field for that brand only, then the review sample. The notes below follow that order. None of these listings was lab-tested.
A clear varnish spray on amazon.co.uk is a transparent last coat, usually an aerosol, sold for wood, metal, plastic, glass, craft and small repairs. Buyers in this set split between a gloss lacquer, a matt can that often disappoints on sheen, and a small artist sealer. Judge a can by fill, a patch-tested sheen, spray distance, and reviews of the same job. Prices on 19 October 2026 run from about £4.36 for 250 ml Paint Factory matt to about £15.19 for 200 ml HOMY ARTY.
Sheen names are not a shared measurement. UK reviews of Motip matt, Paint Factory and SFM often say the dry film looked glossy. Patch-test a hidden edge before a whole matt job.
Tetrion lists 0.5 hours to dry. Motip's amazon.co.uk gloss fields say 24 hours, while Motip's sheet says completely dry in 120 minutes. Motip matt lists 3 hours to dry and 1 hour to full cure. Keep each clock with its own can.
Heavy coats run. A 45 ml art fixative is a pastel test at most, not a furniture lacquer. A two-pack car clear is a different system.
Gloss and matt are different products. Sheen names are not a shared measurement. Motip's sheet, as of 4 August 2025, puts its gloss above 75 degrees and its matt at about 10 ± 2. Other cans in this set only print the word. UK reviews of Motip matt, Paint Factory and SFM often say a matt can looked glossy. Gloss here is Tetrion ECL406, Motip 04009 and HOMY ARTY. Matt is Motip 04000, Paint Factory, SFM and Candid Styles. Volume you will actually spray is the next check. Motip cans are 500 ml.
Read the surface list and the water claim together. Tetrion lists wood, metal, ceramic and plastic and sets waterproof to true. SFM lists wood, sets waterproof to false, and sets water resistance to not water resistant, while the title says indoor and outdoor. Motip gloss sets waterproof to false and water resistance to water resistant. The category is not waterproof as a class. Do not mix drying clocks between brands. Tetrion lists dry 0.5 hours and full cure 24 hours.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want gloss on fittings or a small repair and you will keep the coats thin. The Motip gloss can is the top pick here: 500 ml, 4.6 from 9,690 reviews, coverage listed as 1.5–2 m², and a manufacturer sheet. The listing dry time is 24 hours, waterproof is false, and one review said painted rocks blistered in drizzle.
You want gloss and 400 ml is enough for the job. Tetrion ECL406 at about £6.39 is the best value, with 4.7 from 271 reviews, dry time 0.5 hours, full cure 24 hours, and waterproof set to true. There is no square-metre coverage, and one buyer was still unsure the film would survive washing.
You want a flat look and you will patch-test a hidden edge first. Motip matt is 500 ml at about £5.49, with 4.5 from 475 reviews and coverage of 0.75–1 m². Several UK reviews say the dry film looked gloss or semi-matt, and the 3-hour dry field sits beside a 1-hour cure field.
The top pick is the Motip gloss can, 500 ml, at about £11.35. It has 4.6 from 9,690 reviews, a listed coverage of 1.5–2 m², and a manufacturer sheet. The score is 92, under Tetrion's 94, because the listing dry time is 24 hours, waterproof is false, and painted rocks blistered in drizzle. The best value is the Tetrion gloss can, 400 ml at about £6.39, with 4.7 from 271 reviews, waterproof set to true, and no nozzle or sheen cluster in the captured texts. That higher number is price and sentiment, not a larger sample than Motip, and it is not a claim that the film outlasts a maintained exterior varnish.
Tetrion clear lacquer 400 ml
400 ml gloss at about £6.39, 4.7 from 271 reviews, waterproof set to true, and no nozzle or sheen cluster in the captured texts.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file. The price band is this set, not a market average. No listing was lab-tested.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the stored amazon.co.uk figures, not a live crawl. We did not lab-test these cans.
