I want to make a small wooden box to hold index cards, but am
concerned that high humidity might result in cards sticking to the
finish.

How can this be avoided, other than by lining the box with velvet or
some such ? Finish is undecided, wood probably will be oak.

Thanks,
David

wrote:
I want to make a small wooden box to hold index cards, but am
concerned that high humidity might result in cards sticking to the
finish.

How can this be avoided, other than by lining the box with velvet or
some such ? Finish is undecided, wood probably will be oak.

You have a number of options. The easiest is to just leave the interior
unfinished. If you don't want to do that, a good grade of polyurethane or
lacquer should be fine. Another option is to just cut some pieces of
cardstock and stick them to the sides with double-stick tape.

Avoid latex finishes (note--"water based" and "latex" are not the same
anymore--there are waterborne urethanes for example). Shellac would be
risky, if it's freshly mixed it should be OK, if it's old it might never dry
properly. Don't use a non-polyurethane varnish unless you have tested it
and know for sure that it's OK--some remain a bit tacky, some dry hard, some
get tacky when it's hot and humid.

For another option, purpleheart will take a high polish with no finish at
all and as exotic woods go it's even fairly cheap.

wrote in message
...
I want to make a small wooden box to hold index cards, but am
concerned that high humidity might result in cards sticking to the
finish.

How can this be avoided, other than by lining the box with velvet or
some such ? Finish is undecided, wood probably will be oak.

Thanks,
David

If you use an oil based paint or varnish you should have no problem with
cards sticking. You do not need humidity for cards to stick to latex/water
based enamel paints.

If you are l9ooking for a clear finish I would recomend any one of the gel
wipe on varnishes.

On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:53:53 -0800 (PST), wrote:

I want to make a small wooden box to hold index cards, but am
concerned that high humidity might result in cards sticking to the
finish.

How can this be avoided, other than by lining the box with velvet or
some such ? Finish is undecided, wood probably will be oak.

Thanks,
David


Like drawer interiors, you can leave it unfinished. I find a spray
can of lacquer works very well for small projects--fast and easy to
apply, cures quickly. A second choice would be polyurethane, one of
the toughest fiishes.

Thanks all for the help.

On Nov 12, 5:02*pm, Phisherman wrote:
On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:53:53 -0800 (PST), wrote:
I want to make a small wooden box to hold index cards, but am
concerned that high humidity might result in cards sticking to the
finish.

How can this be avoided, other than by lining the box with velvet or
some such ? *Finish is undecided, wood probably will be oak.

Thanks,
David

Like drawer interiors, you can leave it unfinished. *I find a spray
can of lacquer works very well for small projects--fast and easy to
apply, cures quickly. * A second choice would be polyurethane, one of
the toughest fiishes.