My Farrow & Ball door won't dry!

[AnnaLegovah]

Just spent the better part of the day repainting our front door in F&B (recommended by a friend but I've never used it before). The usual sanding prep, two coats of the right F&B primer followed by a coat of the eggshell gloss.

The primer dried quickly and easily but even now the eggshell is soft and tacky to the touch. I finished painting it 7 hours ago!

From what I've read online it seems this problem comes up when people don't use the right primer so I can't figure out why I've had problems. The door needs another coat too.

Its late and I need to shut the front door (about to go to bed, can't stay up any longer!) but I expect the paint to be ruined overnight on the edges where it fits into the frame.

Not impressed - wish I'd just used Dulux! What have I done wrong? And how do i fix it?

[ParsingFlatly]

Drying time is 16 hours for some outdoor paints I've used (maybe Dulux), and that's with the matching primer.

Not much use to you now, but I painted at dawn and camped by the door all day, with binbags taped on the door frame for privacy, and a chair behind the door to stop it opening further.

Make up a bed on the floor?

[exexpat]

How long did the tin say the primer should dry for before recoating? Doing all three coats in a day sounds quite fast to me. I did a bath panel in F&B recently and left a day each between undercoat/top coat/second coat.

[Marnierose]

I think any front door will need to be open overnight to dry whether dulux or f&b

[AnnaLegovah]

Both tins said typical repainting would be after 4 hrs - I started really early yesterday morning.

Theres a faint line down one side of the door but it could have been worse. Door is dry but tacky still.

Is it worth giving it another coat first thing today or leave it another day?

[ParsingFlatly]

Definitely leave it another day if it's tacky.

Glad the damage isn't too bad.

[ExcuseTypos]

It was boiling hot here yesterday, I'm sure that would affect drying time. Was it hot with you OP?

[ExcuseTypos]

Sorry x posted.

Yes definitely leave it a other day. Untill it's completely dry.

[AnnaLegovah]

It was overcast but warm, the coolest its been for days.

Only problem is we're due rain from tomorrow until tuesday which is a pain as I wanted to get it done. Better to leave it than ruin it though. Can I rub down the lined patches before another coat?

[ExcuseTypos]

Yes you can rub them down but use very fine sandpaper and be gentle. Also do it when it's completely dry.

I'm sure the wait will be worth it. Which colour did you use?

[PigletJohn]

It will have to be very hard, not just dry, before you can sand a modern low VOC gloss, or it will form small soft balls.

It would have been better to do the primer and undercoat, let them dry for a few days, then do the gloss in the morning and give it all day to dry.

To prevent new door paint sticking to the frame, wipe with just a trace of vaseline along the touching edges. Not gobbets, just enough to leave a shine.

[AnnaLegovah]

Ooh thanks for the tips piglet! Admit I've done a lot of painting but never an external door before (should have asked here really...lesson learnt).

Excuse I used Incarnadine. Gorgeous deep red colour

I'll leave the second coat then for a few says once the rain has passed. Got some new door furniture to!

[PigletJohn]

when you start to sand it, test by sanding the top edge of the door first. It does not show so a messy finish will not matter.

(you did paint the top and bottom, didn't you? they are the parts most prone to rain and woodworm.

[AnnaLegovah]

Yep I did piglet . Thanks again for the tips!

I'm in the house all day so the door is currently open. I'll keep it that way all day and hopefully it'll be dry by tonight.

[Itscoldouthere]

Yes this hot weather is too hot for F & B to dry properly, mind you we have a good wind today, so that should help (although it will blow all the dust over your new paint).
Don't try and repaint in the rain due this weekend either.
F & B gloss is very shiny. Incarnadine is a lovely colour.