# Wax paper and freshly painted objects...



## scyarch (Oct 20, 2011)

Has anyone ever tried using wax paper to separate a semi-recently painted object from sticking to a surface when it's flipped to paint the other side?

I've been painting a few stringers for stairs (2x14 douglas fir, 16' long) which are heavy enough that I need to paint a side on a pair of sawhorses, let it dry as long as I can but also flip as fast as I can at the same time, so that I can paint the other side. 

Usually, no matter what I do when painting objects- and no longer how long I wait for the paint to dry short of waiting for the exceptionally long "cure time"- I wind up having paint stick to whatever shims I place under the object (usually cabinet doors, this time stringers). Due to the weight of the objects I am painting, the pyramid shims are out, they would just dent the soft wood- but I have been trying most recently wax paper since I've used it a lot in clamp-up jobs since wood glue doesn't stick to it. It seems to be working fantastic except I don't know if I need to take some 220 and scuff sand between coats where the wax paper was because I don't know if the wax is coming off or not. 

I'm currently mid way through attempting it without scuffing between coats- just painting a side, letting it pass the dry-to-the-touch time on the paint can and making sure it is, in fact dry to the touch, before carefully flipping it and painting the alternate side. I just was curious if anyone else had done this or had a different method for painting heavy flat objects in short succession all around?

Note- temporarily using up the last remnants of my Zinsser Bullseye primer before trying out some SW Prime Plus they recommend, and using SW Pro Classic as well as their.. I think it's ProMar 100 Exterior and these are the issues- however it's been with other inferior paints as well, in all temperatures but Southern California- so not really humid, just 60's-70's dry.


----------



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I've never used Wax paper as you are using it but do often use Parchment paper for many things when I don't want - _this_ - to stick to_ - that_.


----------



## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

You need painters pyramids, here's a link.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Painter-s-Pyramid-Stands-10-Pack-Yellow/23081286


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Might be too heavy for those. Stand them on their side, paint the 3 sides you can get to, paint the 4th edge later if it has to be painted.


----------



## scyarch (Oct 20, 2011)

Yep- too heavy for the Douglas fir. the weight alone would push the paint out of the way and leave large dimples in the wood. Each piece is probably a good 40-50 pounds. That was why I was resorting to this method. 

As to parchment paper- I considered JT when I ran to the store but figured I'd always gone with wax paper so I'd try it first. I'll see how it goes but so far there's no evidence of the paper wanting to stick to the painted sides, even remotely.


----------



## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

I never used those pyramid things before. It looks like they come in a pack of ten so if you could get them flat enough it would distribute the weight among them and not dent so much, like a guy lying on a bed of nails while someone breaks a cinderblock on his stomach. 

Pine is pretty soft though, so even distributing the load might not prevent the denting problem.


----------



## DIYpaintGuy (Oct 26, 2016)

We use the stuff that bakeries and doughnut shops use. It is called Dry Wax Paper or Bakers Tissue and comes in boxes of 1000 sheets. Not sure if it is any different than the wax paper on rolls in the stores? 

DIYpaintGUY


----------



## scyarch (Oct 20, 2011)

DIYpaintGuy said:


> We use the stuff that bakeries and doughnut shops use. It is called Dry Wax Paper or Bakers Tissue and comes in boxes of 1000 sheets. Not sure if it is any different than the wax paper on rolls in the stores?
> 
> DIYpaintGUY



Not sure. So far everything has held up quite well on various pieces. Wound up taking a length of the wax paper and taping it to a 2x4 (did this twice) and it seemed like nothing wanted to stick at all when I flipped after waiting for the dry to the touch times. Didn't find any need to scuff the paint before a second coat was applied. 

Worked well on the stringers as well as a decorative piece that masks the stringers and treads which I had to custom make since the lumber yard guaranteed a 2x16 would cup on me and be non-refundable. Took a the best 16' 2x14 I could find, and the best 16' 2x4, ripped a nice cut on the table saw so they mated well, biscuits and plenty of wood glue and clamps and while heavy- it sanded and painted and wound up looking very nice compared to what the guy I was working with wanted to do and slap another 2x14 up and let some of the treads show all along the steps. Put on two coats of primer as well as exterior paint and it flipped nicely with no paint tear out any of the four or more flips it all went through.


----------



## mathmonger (Dec 27, 2012)

Put a screw half-way in at each end and balance that on the horses. Then you can't paint the whole thing with zero waiting. Or maybe stand them up on end like doors.


----------



## wptski (Sep 19, 2008)

mathmonger said:


> Put a screw half-way in at each end and balance that on the horses. Then you can't paint the whole thing with zero waiting. Or maybe stand them up on end like doors.


One needs two screws at one end at least to keep pieces from rotating. Been spraying HVLP some doors with poly, two holes at end for dowel stock, one large/long lag screw through a dowel with a hole drilled through to rotate/spin at each end at center.

Used a single screw at each each of 1"x6"x10' on first airless usage, spun like paddle wheel flinging paint which was applied too thick! :surprise:


----------

