Dixie Belle Clear Top Coat is easy to use, leaves no brush strokes, no odour, and non yellowing even over whites.Apply to enhance durability or as a base for decorative accents. It is important to use a damp paint brush, and apply a very thin coat. Do not work your brush back and forth, just one stroke. After about an hour it should be dry and then you can apply a second coat to make it even. Clear coat before using a glaze? There is no right or wrong way so do this. It depends on the look you want to achieve. Dixie Belle Paint is porous by nature, so if you want an uneven look for example in cavities or detailed areas, then glaze first. If you want an even smooth look, ie. Flat surfaces, then clear coat first and then glaze. when bleed through strikes It is not the clear coat, sometimes the furniture you are working on has a number of things that might be happening. It could have a heavy stain, varnish or it could have been in a house that had heavy smokers etc. When you apply the clear coat over you painted piece, it actually pulls up the stain or tobacco stains. No worries, now that you have clear coated the piece it will seal it and then re-paint. Does Dixie Belle Paint have to be sealed? No, once Dixie Belle Paint has cured, after 30 days, it is durable just the way it is. You can paint and be done with it if you like the look