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DAE wait way longer than the can says for finish to dry?
I keep hearing other finishers talk about using fast dry stuff to get jobs done quick, and I just don't agree. Last spring I had a big oak dresser to do. I put on a coat of oil based varnish and let it sit for four full days before even thinking about the next one. A guy I know would have blasted through it in a day with his quick dry spray. His pieces often feel sticky or show marks after a few weeks. My dresser still looks perfect and feels rock solid. Yeah, customers sometimes get antsy waiting, but I explain it's for the best. Letting things dry slow makes the finish last years longer. For me, that patience is part of doing a good job, not just a fast one.
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david_young7mo ago
Used to rush my finishes all the time to meet deadlines. Then I had a desk I did for my own house start to feel a little sticky a month later, like it never fully cured. Now I add at least a full day, sometimes two, to whatever the can says. That extra wait makes all the difference for a hard, lasting finish.
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hall.joel7mo ago
Yeah, the can's suggested time is like a minimum wage for drying. It'll get the job done, but it's not gonna be happy about it. I treat those times as the absolute soonest you can maybe touch it without leaving a fingerprint. Adding a day is just paying your finish a living wage so it actually sticks around. Rushing it is how you get a table that still smells like chemicals next Christmas.
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phoenixwood7mo ago
Why do we always trust the can so much? I had a chair that never dried right because I rushed it. Now I add extra days, like you said. Isn't it better to wait than to have a sticky mess? That extra time really does make all the difference.
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