Though I much prefer the look of real wood, there are some pieces of furniture in my house that are painted. I’ve painted a few with latex paint. The problem is the tackiness. No matter how long I let the paint dry, even years later, it still feels tacky to the touch. Set something plastic on it and a week later it makes a noise as you peel it away from painted surface.
Here is a floating shelf I made for my son’s room.
I have seen lots of suggested solutions but I didn’t like any of them for a variety of reasons
- Dust it with baby powder (talcum powder) or corn starch: The idea being that the powder sticks to the paint so nothing else can. I don’t really want more dust in my house, and if you wash the surface, it may wash the powder away, leaving you with a tacky surface again.
- Use a heat gun to cure the paint. Too big a risk of bubbling the paint.
- Use oil based paint instead because it cures harder. Oil based is probably a better choice, but sometimes it is just not an option due to odor, available colors, clean-up, and not as kid friendly to let kids paint with it.
While building a floating shelf for my son’s room, I was stuck with having to paint it. The shelf was covered in luan plywood so it had to be painted and the paint had to match the color that was already used elsewhere in his room. I was not about to dust it, heat gun it or use oil based paint…. so I tried something new. I topcoated it with water based polyurethane, and I ended up with a tack free finish that looks solid and is solid.
Water based polyurethane topcoat over latex paint
My process looked something like this:
- Fill all the nail holes gaps with wood filler.
- Sand to 220 grit.
- Apply 1 coat of latex paint.
- After at least 24 hour drying time, light scuff sand with 220 grit to remove nibs.
- Apply 2nd coat of latex paint.
- After at least 24 hour drying time, apply 1 coat of water based polyurethane.
I used Minwax Polycrylic in gloss because I wanted a glossy look. I imagine any other brand of water based poly would work just as well.
- After at least 24 hour drying time, light scuff sand with 220 grit to remove nibs.
- Apply 1 coat of water based polyurethane.
The resulting finish was hard, glossy and smooth to the touch. The water based poly is so clear that it did not seem to alter the color of the paint at all. The shelf has been up in his room for over a year now and the finish has not failed. It looks great and most importantly, it is not tacky. Not to the touch and not to anything that is left sitting on it for a long time. If I am faced in the future with needing to paint furniture, I will definitely use this method again to create a tack free finish.
Previously
- Natural Oak End Table
A neighbor was cutting down an oak tree back in April 2016. I stopped to help, and some pieces followed me home. Then they started talking to me. The log on the left said, “I want to be live edge slabs.” The one standing up on the right said, “I want to be and end […]
- Alcohol Based Tea Stain
As I started planning my next projects using the Oak that I had slabbed, I knew I would want a bit of color. I wanted to accent the grain of the wood and not hide it, so I was leaning toward using a dye rather than a stain. My only problem was that I have […]
- Slabbing Some Oak by Hand
In April of 2016, a neighbor around the block was cutting off parts of an Oak tree in his yard. I offered to help him. While I was helping him move some of it, the wood started speaking to me, and several large pieces ended up following me home. The log on the left saidi […]
- Easy Router Sled
A while back, a neighbor was cutting down an oak tree that was either a Southern Live Oak or a Swamp Laurel Oak. I tried to ID it using this oak tree guide but I no longer have access to leaves or acorns from that tree. They are pretty common, seem to grow fast and […]
- Simple Tool Oiler
I took a simple suggestion from Paul Sellers to make an oiler can by winding up a strip of cloth and putting it in a little can. I made three small ones using some caps from spraypaint cans. I squirted in several soakings of 3-in-1 oil and have found it to be very easy […]
- Clever Table Leaf Extension
I really like this table leaf extension mechanism from Dustin Glasscoe. It is simple to operate and simple to include in almost any table design. I am adding this to my “I am going to use this someday list”.
- Intriguing Mortise and Tenon Foxed Dovetail Joint
This joint from Loyd Arve Nornes is an interesting one that has been rattling around my brain since I saw these videos. It is a locking Mortise and Tenon Foxed Dovetail joint or some variation on those terms. The slots in the piece of wood that makes up the tenon seem to be ripe for a […]
- Adirondack Chairs – without metal
I decided it would be nice to make a pair of Adirondack chairs for my front porch. Most designs have a back that leans back pretty far and a pair of back legs that stick out pretty far too. I didn’t think I had that kind of space on my front porch, So I wanted […]
- Starter Woodworking Kit
My son and I were recently talking about what tools I would replace immediately if my shop got wiped out by hurricane or sink hole. I have a lot of old tools. Many of them are not essential, but I keep them because the have family history (my Dad’s, my Grandfather’s, my Great uncle’s). […]
- Bench Bull Meets Moxon Vise = Bulloxon
My son and I have a game we play in the car (when I am not driving) called “I Draw, You Draw.” I started it to get him to focus on details. On one half of the paper, I draw something that only has a few steps. (maybe a circle with a line) then I […]
- Carver’s Mallets – Father Son Project
At our previous house we had a huge mango tree in our back yard. It made the best mangoes each year, but also made a mess of the yard and attracted a few zillion fruit flies. About 6 years ago I cut off a larger branch and stored away two sections of it for a […]
- The Resting Heart – The hardest project I ever built.
When my first son, Sawyer, passed away during delivery and they later handed me his ashes, I knew I had to be the one to build his urn. Not because I could do it better. I just wanted his remains to be in something I created with my hands and my heart. That was in July […]
- DeWalt Pride back in America
I am a fan of American made. I seek it out whenever I can. I will pay more for it if I have to. It is not that I dislike other countries or other races. The world is a cool place and I am happy to have everyone in it. I just like when my […]
- Craftsman Miter Station Model 88136301
I was at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore a few weeks back with my son. In a pile of saws I saw a 24″ long backsaw peaking out with a $5.00 price tag on it. I looked it over. Not a Disston, Warranted Superior. I explained to my son that we had a longer better […]
- Workshop Memories
In putting together some photos for my next post, I discovered some photos of some funnier times in the workshop with my son. These are in chronological order. They make me smile and laugh. Hopefully they’ll bring some joy to you too. Okay. I promise to quit kidding around and get to some actual woodworking […]
- Handscrew Repair
My Father has recently decided he is too old to do workshop type work anymore. At 83 I’ll let him use that excuse. As a result of his decision he has started unloading some of his tools on me. Many have seen better days. Florida’s salt air is hard enough on tools, and much of […]
- Adjustable Stand-up Sit-down Desk
As a full time web developer I need a desk that allows me to work at my computer standing up, but when I need to get off my feet, can also let me sit down. As a picky person I have a long list of requirements Allow me to use the computer while standing up […]
- Brilliant Woodworking Animation – Chair makes itself
This video (really a still frame animation) of making a lawn chair is quite fantastic. I like the style of the chair, but the brilliant bit is the way the craftsman / videographer make it appear as if the wood and tools are making the chair themselves. Clever no matter how you look at it. […]
- Walk the Plank … the Cedar Diving Board.
My son swims quite well for a 4 year old, and when he expressed an interest in diving from a diving board, I wanted to be an encouraging father. So I went out to the shop and rummaged around for a suitable plank. I had 5′ long 2″x6″ made of cedar. It was not quite […]
While building a floating shelf for my son’s room, I was stuck with having to paint it. The shelf was covered in luan plywood so it had to be painted and the paint had to match the color that was already used elsewhere in his room. I was not about to dust it, heat gun it or use oil based paint…. so I tried something new. I topcoated it with water based polyurethane, and I ended up with a tack free finish that looks solid and is solid.