I have two unfinished bookcases I want to paint. One is pine and one is poplar.

I have painted a different bookcase in the past and it never seemed to dry completely... books would stick to the shelves.

Is there a correct paint or process I should use to be sure my books are not damaged?

Thanks.

It seems to me that you might have used an oil based paint for the previous paint jobs,it takes longer for that to dry.(I have used Japan dryer in mine to speed the drying time),ambient moisture could have also contributed to the problem, prep might have as well.

I suggest sanding the wood,lightly,applying a primer,then using a latex(acrylic) paint,not an oil.

Putting paint on extra thick can also cause things to 'stick' when weight puts pressure on it. The books may have been sinking into the paint.

Try to only use 1-2 layers of paint. You might even think about using spray paint. If you use a primer first, you can get a can of spray primer and use regular acrylic paint over that, or just use spray paint.

Since spray paint is thinner than canned paint, it's less likely to clump or go on too thickly. It's also fairly easy to get it to go on evenly, and doesn't take much to do touch-ups on thin spots.

Hi, damsel_in_distress!

What colors do you want them to be, please? The color of the paint will make a difference in the type of paint that's used. Even if you were to go with just an oil-based paint or a water-based one, how the paint sets-up up can be influenced by the color tints in the paint itself.

Thanks!