the_logan•1mo agoProlific Poster

Shoutout to the Alaska finishers who shared their winter finishing techniques

3 comments

3 Comments

Winter finishing up there always seemed like a losing battle to me. The cold just messes with cure times and adhesion, no matter what tricks you use. Moisture is the real killer, and it's everywhere in those months. I had way better results just waiting for a dry spell in spring.

drewwalker1mo ago

Yeah, the "moisture is the real killer" line from @kaifox is spot on. I tried to fight it once by heating my garage and using a dehumidifier, and the whole project still turned into a sticky, fuzzy mess. I spent more time fixing my mistakes than I did on the actual finish. At this point, my winter finishing strategy is just a talent for making a huge mess and then feeling sorry for myself. You're completely right, waiting for a dry spring day is the only move that actually works.

terrymorgan1mo ago

That "talent for making a huge mess" line hits way too close to home. I swear, my last winter project involved so much sanding and redoing that I might as well have just left it raw. The finish got all cloudy and sticky, no matter how much I tried to control the heat and humidity. It took me weeks to fix, and I still have nightmares about that fuzzy texture. Now I just accept that my garage is a no-go zone for finishes between November and April. Sometimes the best tool in the shop is a calendar telling you to wait for a dry day.