Paint still sticky after weeks

[KungFuJoe]

I'm using a semi-gloss acrylic latex enamel (black).  It's been about 2 weeks since I applied my last coat (used 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of paint) and to this day, if you leave your hand on one of the sides of the cabinet, applly slight pressure, and release, it feels slightly sticky. 

[whammoed]

Doesn't sound too unusual.  I have painted furniture before and it literally takes weeks and weeks for the paint to fully cure.

[KungFuJoe]

*whew* 

I was afraid something was wrong with my paint (wasn't cheap paint) or my environment.

[GameOver]

Yeah - especially if the cab is in the garage or outside, and it's been humid where you live.

[RayB]

humidity........

[KungFuJoe]

I live in southern cali (orange county) and the cab is in the garage.  It's been mostly dry heat around here...and big time......

[RayB]

I used to live in OC. It's pretty damn dry down there.
So I don't know WHAT's going on... bad batch of paint?

Maybe sitting it out in the sun will "cure" the paint.

[KungFuJoe]

I'll try that this weekend...it should still be hot.

[ginno]

When I got an old tin of brown paint tinted black @ the hardware store the owner told me the actual tint never dries in the paint and for that reason you can only tint it a certain amount. 

If your paint was originally black it should be ok, but if there was something wrong when they tinted it, maybe this is the issue..

[MaximRecoil]

I've seen paint that simply never dried. I had a friend who painted a checkerboard onto the top of an end table. I don't know what type of paint he used, other than the colors (black and white). After a few months he gave up on it ever drying and stuck a large flat mirror on top of it. The first time I saw it, it had already been about a year and a half and you could still leave wet paint on your finger if you lifted the mirror and touched it.

[elvis]

I used a high-gloss jet-black enamel on both my cabs.  After 3-4 days each coat would be dry enough to paint over, but still feel "tacky" to the touch as if it hadn't cured properly.  I didn't let it worry me too much, and just recoated.

It took a good 3-4 weeks for the feeling to go away (by which time it was already in use).  But eventually it dried nice and smooth. 

Both cabs were done in consecutive summers, and being in North-East Australia we have similar temperatures to California.  It might have been a drama if I painted in winter, but "lucky" for me I never have holidays around then. 

[jedi27]

Sounds like there is definately something goofy with the paint...  OR your surface wasn't prepped - had a lot (A LOT) of oil on it...  OR you mixed two different paints - one oil based, one acrylic / latex... just a thought...

Even oil based enamel should dry within 24 hours or so - depending on humidity / temperature...

I've had a bad can of paint that never really dried correctly - had to wipe it all off, start over..

Take the paint back to the store - bring a small piece of painted material with you to demonstrate it's inability to dry.  Perhaps they'll give you another batch for free...

[KungFuJoe]

Both the primer and paint are latex.  I got the good stuff from Home Depot (paint was over 20 bucks for one gallon).  I applied 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of paint sanding in between and allowing time for each coat to dry. 

The paint is not "wet"...but if you leave your hand on it for awhile and apply some pressure, when you lift it off, you feel a sense of "stickyness".  But, no paint is removed and I can even take a paper towel and rub it against the cab pretty hurt and no paint is removed.

It almost sounds as if it's my imagination but I've had a couple other people touch it in the same way and they both said it did feel a bit sticky. 

I guess I'll try leaving it in the sun all day over the weekend.

[Grasshopper]

I painted the sides of my control panel with paint that was described as 'enamel' but it also has never really dried. Its stickiness depends upon the temperature.

I thought I'd be safe if I chose paint described as 'enamel' because enamel paint I've used in the past has always dried totally and became rock solid (a bit like automotive paint). Unfortunately some paint manufacturers now seem to take a cavalier approach to describing their paint. I don't believe the stuff I bought was truly enamel. Next time I'll probably buy automotive paint or consult a professional.

[coasternuts]

Could laquer or polyurethane be used over latex paints?
If so, how long would you wait after painting.   

Assuming you didn't want to drag it a flight of stairs to sit in the sun.
 

[Stingray]

I used a high-gloss jet-black enamel on both my cabs.  After 3-4 days each coat would be dry enough to paint over, but still feel "tacky" to the touch as if it hadn't cured properly.  I didn't let it worry me too much, and just recoated.

I used glossy black automotive frame enamel with a big wallop of hardener. About ten minutes between coats and it was dry enough to load it into the truck and take it home in a couple hours. That's why I always use automotive enamels instead of house paint. It dries about a zillion times faster.

-S

[rdagger]

Both the primer and paint are latex.

[KungFuJoe]

What's weird is I used that EXACT same paint to paint the entire interior of my home and the paint dried just fine.

oh well...but eventually, your cab DID dry completely?

[rdagger]

oh well...but eventually, your cab DID dry completely?

It's dry now and it looks good (a year and a half later).
You have to be careful, because the paint will act like glue until it is fully dried.

[jedi27]

I used oil based paint because I was painting MDF, which has a tendency to absorb moisture. 

I used killz oil based primer, one coat, then three coats of Rustoleum black satin, with sanding / tack cloth inbetween.  The finish is not sticky at all (after 18 hours) and seems to be very tough.  My guests have told me it reminds them of a rubber coating in that it's very smooth yet doesn't feel as hard as laminate.  I'm still debating on using an acrylic clear coat over the whole thing to help prevent scratching...

[LiquidFire]

Slow drying can also be attributed to painting coats on too quickly-maybe the primer or the paint. If one of the coats was not dry, or at least the time the mfr recommends, it could be trapping moisture. This surface will eventually dry out but you would be better offf not trying to hurry it up, you may cause it to wrinkle. I would leave it wherever it is, wait a month. You should not have any problems after that.

Barring an application error, the batch or custom mix could be bad. If it matches the color you wanted, this is probably not the case.