Staircase

Depends on paint if you used gloss it can take up to 7 days to fully cure

Need some details please. Depends what paint and undercoat you used and how much time passed. I've got 1 can of self priming gloss that dries in 2 hours and can be recoated in 4. I've got 2 other (expensive) cans of undercoat and professional gloss that need 10 hours to dry and 16 hours between coats. So have a read of the packaging and compare how much time you needed vs how much was given. Could also be an incompatibility between the gloss and the undercoat. Ie if one was water based and another was oil based. But wed need a few details.

This is due to the quality of the material, it is something I will have to see to give you advice on what to do next. Thank you.

Yes — this sounds much more like a compatibility/adhesion problem with the old varnish or coating than simply bad painting. If the previous banister was painted and then varnished, sanding it may have keyed the surface but not fully isolated whatever was underneath. Some old varnishes, oils, waxes or cleaning products can cause fresh water-based paint to stay tacky, drag, separate or refuse to level. I’d tackle it like this: 1. Stop adding more paint. More coats can trap the problem underneath and stay soft for ages. 2. Let the current coating harden as much as possible, then sand back the tacky/poorly adhered material. If it gums up the sandpaper rather than producing dust, it isn’t properly cured. 3. Degrease thoroughly. Banisters are notorious for hand oils, polish and silicone furniture products. Use a proper pre-paint degreaser/sugar soap, rinse as appropriate, and allow it to dry completely. 4. Sand to a sound, uniformly dull surface — I’d probably use around P120–P180 initially and P180–P240 before finishing. Any glossy varnish remaining is a potential weak point. 5. The important bit: use an adhesion/stain-blocking primer rather than ordinary undercoat. Something such as Zinsser B-I-N (shellac based) is particularly useful for isolating questionable old coatings/contamination. Two thin coats over a troublesome banister wouldn’t be unreasonable. 6. Once that’s completely dry, lightly de-nib it and apply your finish in thin coats, preferably a good-quality trim paint designed for doors/woodwork rather than a general wall paint. One other possibility: if by “the paint didn’t settle” you mean it was pulling away into little craters/fisheyes, that’s a huge clue for silicone, wax or polish contamination. In that situation, sanding and ordinary undercoat often doesn’t solve it — the contamination needs removing and the remaining surface isolating.

It sounds like the original varnish is still affecting the new paint, or the paint system isn't fully compatible with what's underneath. A few common causes of persistent tackiness on banisters and handrails: 1. Not all the varnish was removed Even if it looked fully sanded, glossy varnish can remain in the grain or corners. When paint is applied over it, the paint may struggle to cure properly and can stay soft or tacky for weeks. Fix: Sand back again until there are no shiny patches. Clean thoroughly with sugar soap or a degreaser. Apply a high-adhesion primer (such as Zinsser BIN or Zinsser Cover Stain) before repainting. 2. The wrong undercoat/paint combination Some water-based paints do not adhere well over old oil-based varnishes or previously coated surfaces, even with a standard undercoat. Fix: Use a specialist bonding primer. Then apply a durable trim paint designed for woodwork. 3. Paint applied too thickly Banisters are often painted heavily to cover marks. Thick coats can remain soft underneath even when the surface feels dry. Fix: Apply two or three thin coats rather than one heavy coat. Allow full drying time between coats. 4. Silicone or polish contamination Many banisters have years of furniture polish, wax, hand oils, or cleaning products on them. These contaminants can prevent proper curing. Fix: Clean with sugar soap, methylated spirits, or a degreaser before priming. Avoid touching the surface with bare hands before painting. 5. The paint hasn't cured, only dried Paint can feel dry within hours but may need days or even weeks to fully cure, especially in cooler or humid conditions. 6. Still not request a carpenter or qualified painter

Perhaps you have used incompatible paint/ varnish, or may have applied too heavy coats. Solution: scrape it all the way back, use paint stripper, then wash with sugar soap or methylated spirit to remove all oily residue; apply primer then thin coats allowing them to dry properly in between coats .