Stain is still tacky after 12 hours, how can I fix it?

I get the same problem when i touch up scratches. I use a soft cloth and spray Bona hardwood floor cleaner on the cloth or wood, and wipe gently, this with get rid of the stickiness right away.

Do I put the fast drying sealer on with the cheesecloth?

i applied minwax wood stain white wash pickling to my wicker couch . Did not wipe off because seemed like wicker was absorbing stain. Well it’s been 7 days and it’s still tacky. What can I do.

Lightly sand and give another coat if it’s humid it will stay tacky

I used a 220 grit sand block and lightly went over areas that were tacky. So far has worked. Is there a certain polyurethane that should be used on a front door?

Have you tried to run a fan and or a dehumidifier? It’s possible the first cost wasn’t dry enough before you applied the second coat. Give it another 24 hrs with fans. If it’s still tacky you may need to start over . I sure hope not but if you do be sure to apply thin and allow to dry completely before adding additional coats.

My problem is solved! I decided to try the suggestion of quickly wiping them down with more stain being sure to wipe off all the excess, then to wait overnight to see if they would dry...the next day b4 I did anything else to my lower kitchen cabinets I checked them, & thank goodness they are dry! I'm so lucky considering I had previously applied 2 coats of GF gel stain with 1 coat of GF poly on cabinets! I didn't sand b4 applying the Rust-olem Wood Stain ontop, I just wiped over them quickly with a course dish sponge! The GF gel stain Java was too light...that's why I decided to chance it & try the Rust-oleun Wood Stain(Epony)as the final coat, but after that scare of them not drying in the same time given on the can was worth the overnight wait! They are now dry and the color is now darker matching my new cabinets(Espresso) perfectly! I'm not sure if I will attempt the upper cabinets...the way the light hits the room you can't tell that they are slightly lighter, but it did on the lower ones b4 applying the final stain...I'm just glad it worked out!

My cabinets dried only after applying another coat of stain then wiping all the excess off the cabinets as I went b4 they could become tacky again...the next morning they were dry with no flaws! So you'll have to stain them again & don't forget to wipe off the excess as you go b4 they become tacky! I hope that helps you!

You didn't mix it enough (correctly)

I didn’t sand mine enough to begin with so the stain wasn’t able to absorb into the wood. It just sat on the surface and stayed tacky. I ended up spraying furniture wax on it and using a rag, wiped off the stain very easily. Now I’m back to square one... better than sticky.

After seeing I didn't have anything on my shelves recommended in the answers except Murphy's wood soap. I applied the soap and to my astonishment, the sticky layer disappeared and a smooth surface emerged to the touch. You have to try it!

mineral spirits!

I had the same problem after my cabinets had a week to dry. They were still sticky. I couldn't leave and didn't have Murphy's oil soap or mineral spirits. I had great success spraying them lightly with olive oil cooking spray and wiping off. They are nice and shiny with no sticky residue.

After two days my dining chairs were still sticky. I used old English furniture oil on an old oily rag that I use to

polish my furniture . It immediately took off all the sticky coats of stain and my furniture looks great.

After 2 days my chairs were still sticky. I knew I had made a mistake. So I used old English furniture oil and an old oily rag that I used to oil my furniture. It removed the sticky coat and my furniture looks great.

I applied some mini wax varnish on kitchen cabinets last night, 1 coat, still sticky and wet. Like not drying in. Should I wait or try to take off

How do I remove grout that got on wood window frame

Hi,

I sanded my desk and then stained it with vanthurane stain. The next day it was still tacky. I stained it incorrectly. However, I sanded it down again but not completely. Can I paint it now with interior paint?

thanks in advance.

i put stain over already stained paneling and days later it was tacky/ oily. Everywhere I asked what to do it was strip, sand and reapplied! Hell No! There has to be a better answer. This morning I woke up and thought dish liquid ... so I made a wet soapy rag and lightly ran over the paneling , in sections, followed by drying with a paper towel. Guess what? It worked! Some stain came of on the rag, very minimally. But it isn’t tacky at all anymore.

I have a similar problem. The oak I am using is very uneven absorbing the stain from piece to piece. I put 3 coats of stain on, the last one very thick and I love the way it looks now. I know most of it is sitting on top of the wood like paint and it’s not formulated to do this. Any way possible to just let it dry and spray it with poly or shellac to seal it and lock the color in place? It’s a spice rack.

Hi there,

Leave it longer. If not dry within the week, either leave it still longer.

Hi Pam, you can use automobile wax to help with tacky paint. Just apply it with a clean cloth and rub it in circular motions over the tacky surface. Wait about 10 minutes for the wax to dry and remove any excess wax with a buffing cloth to remove. Talcum powder will also work.