Enamel paint won't harden?

I'm trying to make a ping pong top for my pool table and am having difficulties. I sanded and primed the plywood and put on a coat of high gloss Behr paint, which I realized as I was painting is crummy paint. I didn't like the shade of green and it didn't cover well, so I got the top Lowe's brand paint (Valspar) and put a coat of that on (after roughing up the surface).

This Valspar paint won't harden the way I'm expecting; it's been two weeks now and it still seems a little sticky. Putting my elbow on it leaves a rough spot (skin cells?), and the laundry basket left scratches.

I realize in hind sight that I should have used better paint, but I thought for a ping pong table I could get away with cheaper stuff.

Is there anything I can put on top of the green paint that will seal it and make it a nice hard surface? I need to prime and paint/seal the other side of the plywood, but I'm afraid to turn the boards over until the surface is hard.

Thanks for your advice,
Beth

 

Is the paint latex or oil?

 

The Behr can says 100% acrylic latex; the Valspar can doesn't say, but since it cleaned up well with water, I assume it's latex too.

It's been so long since I painted with oil that I didn't think to get an oil-based paint....

Thanks,
Beth

 

Almost all coatings found in a big box paint dept are there because of low pricing, not quality
Cheap latex enamels never dry/cure to a hard film. Quality latex enamels dry harder but still not as hard as oil base or waterborne enamel.

The best fix would be to sand down what you have [I know it doesn't sand well] and then apply 1-2 coats of an oil base enamel. Or you could also use a waterborne enamel but it's more expensive and I'm not sure if you can get it tinted to the deeper colors.

 

Lefty....one thing to consider...and it's been quite a while, so my memory could be a bit off.

I don't think you really want a super shiny finish on a PP table. You won't be able to get as much spin on the ball.

I mean if this is gonna be just kids messin around an double as a party food table, then it would be fine. If it's going to be used for serious play, it would change things.

Just had ta throw in my $.02. Before the shoulders went, I used to play 20 hrs or more a week.

 

What you need is a Waterbourne enamel (either Sherwin ProClassic or Ben Moore Impervo). What you have been applying is poor-quality wall paint with the word "enamel" in the product name.

The Waterbourne enamels mentioned above will dry to a nice, hard, surface, (it will take a few days for the paint to cure to hardness) and I am pretty sure that ProClassic is available in deep tints.

SirWired

 

The top will only be occasionally used for ping pong, and will probably get more use as a buffet table and laundry folding table. If I must sand it down and repaint and re-stripe, then I will, but I guess I was hoping to be able to put on a coat or two of varnish or acrylic clear coat and make it useable.

Oh well... Thanks for all the help,
Beth

 

I was looking for chalkboard paint for my daughter's room today, and saw at Sherwin Williams that there is a product that puts the same finish for Ping pong tables and chalkboard in the same...I do not know the exact name, but will be back there tomorrow and willget the type of paint...im sure most paint stores will have it...IE EPCO, ICI and Sherwin Williams