Q: I laid down a coat of oil based Thompson water seal on freshly sanded oak flooring. The next day I lightly sanded and laid down a coat of waterbased Thompson water seal. Then the next day I lightly sanded and laid down a coat of Varathane fast drying professional polyurethane 900 Gloss. Parts have dried, but parts are still tacky after three days. What do I do?
A: First, water seal is mean for outdoor use, not indoor, and because it contains wax and non-drying oil, is not appropriate under any interior finish. I might also mention that the Varathane you choose is also not designed for floors, but for furniture. That, though, is a fairly minor issue. The major one is that you have created not only a scenario for poor drying, but one that even if the finish does dry, it is likely to delaminate, chip and peel with wear. I’m sorry to have to say this, but you may very well have to get back to raw, sanded wood, either by aggressive sanding, paint remover, or both, and start over with the right materials and steps.
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