Finishing and Refinishing

[infoforstuff]

I built a large desk using regular plywood. Primed it with KILZ, the put on 2 coats of Behr semi gloss paint. All 3 coats were left to dry / cure for a minimum of 24 hours, some several days. It has been 3 weeks now and the surface is still "sticky". Papers, brochures, even the plexiglas sticks to the paint. Anybody know what the problem is? Is there anything I can do such as waxing to negate the stickyness?

[kmealy]

What kind of paint did you use?  Some latex paints are prone to "blocking"

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/painting_techniques/painting_problem_solver/peeling/B...

[Steve Mickley]

Keith;

...It would be my bet that somewhere on the Behr label the word "Latex" is prominently displayed. 

Can you imagine a world in which the folks in the brightly colored and decorated vests just asked: "What are you going to paint?"  I know it won't happen, and I know it begs the question, what will they then do with the answer.  But, imagine all of the disappointment and frustration that would be eliminated just by asking (and then knowing what to suggest)...

Steve

[infoforstuff]

Yep, it was latex. Any ideas what I can do?

[kmealy]

Waxing may help.  The problem is the latex paint acts as a "glue."

I repaired a modular bookcase a few years ago where the maker had put on latex paint.  It was stuck together so that the modules would no longer separate.  I literally had to pry them apart with a painter's tool.  They were stuck so much that some of the veneer on the substrate pulled off.  I applied a high-quality acrylic clear coat and let it dry for several weeks.  Then I applied a light wax to all the surfaces where things might stick.  I used Valspar's Environ-Plus.

[infoforstuff]

Thanks. Sounds like a solution

[Howard Acheson]

I think you will find that just wax will have little effect on the problem.  It is more likely to work if you apply a waterborne white acrylic paint or a waterborne acrylic clear finish.