varnish problems

[diluzio91]

I'm finishing up my longboard with a last coat of varnish, an extremely thin coat, and it's still super sticky after a few days. I'm using an oil based varnish, am I doing something wrong? The varnish says the cure time should be about 6-8 hours, with sanding required to recoat after 12 hours. Thanks guys.

[TLHarrell]

Depends on several things:

1. Temperature
2. Humidity
3. Age of the varnish

You are using proper nasty old type of varnish that you mix from flakes and turpentine? Or some sorta-varnish-type-substance in a can?

[diluzio91]

Temp is about 65*F
Humidity is super low (it's still winter after all)
Varnish was purchased in November

its Varathane brand Spar Urethane (From a can)

[TLHarrell]

What did you prep the surface with? It shouldn't do that unless there's some weird contamination. What kind of brush did you use?

[diluzio91]

I flattened the surface with sandpaper from 250 grit to 1000 grit, then used rubbing alcohol to remove any dust. After the alcohol evaporated i applied the varnish with a clean cloth (new sock, gives a wonderful finish for a thin top coat, same way i did the details on my dresser)

[TLHarrell]

Odd. Might want to look into some woodworking boards and ask around. Is it still tacky now?

[diluzio91]

it's merely tacky now, not sticky... i'll give it a couple days... i'm never using oil based varnish again... water base is so much better

[TLHarrell]

The best kind of varnish is the old style where you mix the varnish flakes in turpentine. But yeah, the newer stuff is a bit more forgiving.

[mikimack]

Sounds like you are putting too much varnish on. Sand it down and brush on less varnish. Incidentally, four coats is a reasonable base for starting a good varnish job. You are far from finished.

[diluzio91]

Considering I have sanded it. Put a minimal coat on in the first place, and have put more than enough coats on, i'm going to attribute the problems i was having to the fact that it's winter in wisconsin and things dry slower when the temperature hovers around 55-60*F