How cold is too cold to paint?

Brad Gyde · Oct 25, 2011

Hey guys,

This may be a silly question, but how cold is too cold to paint?

I'd like to get just a little more done on my project this fall.. Our daytime highs look to be around 50-60 and night time lows 30 to 40..

I usually won't be able to spray until early evening.. I'm worried it'll get too cold at night and affect the paint.. I do not have a heated shop. Are my worries valid?

If it matters, I'm using PPG paint.. I'd have to look at the spec sheet again to say exactly what it is (just because I always recall incorrectly)

I know I don't have enough fair weather left to complete all my painting, but sure would be great if I could still get the engine and a few other loose parts painted so I can assemble the tractor (shy of the tinwork) and free up floor space to put things inside for the winter, and gain usefulness of my shop again.

Any advise is appreciated.

Brad

(Sorry if the post don't make a lot of sense.. I'm quite tired tonight)

Stephen Newell · Oct 26, 2011

You can spray the paint at low temperatures however it would be hard to estimate the drying times. At that low temp, I would let the paint dry 4 to 5 times what is recomended for 70 to 80 degree weather. It's waterborne paints you really have to watch the temperature because it will freeze.

CNKS · Oct 26, 2011

My cutoff is 65, which I get down to rarely but I paint inside and can regulate the temp and wait for the heat to go up. With quality paints like PPG, which are actually more sensitive to cold temperatures, I would not go below 60 in your situation and that is pushing it. Use the slowest reducer that PPG makes and wait longer between coats.

glennster · Oct 26, 2011

brad, i wouldnt paint below 70 degrees. if you are shooting ppg, you are in a good paint line, and its spendy. if you shoot too cold, you have a long flash time, and unless you are in a spray booth, you have too long of a window for dust and dirt to get in the paint. can you get maybe some electric radiant heaters in there, or possibly some heat lamps?

CNKS · Oct 26, 2011

I meant fastest reducer, not slowest, slow is for high temperatures. I will yield to glennster in this, as he has more experience. But, typically, I haven't had any problems as to flash times and drying as long as I am in the upper 60's. I have used a space heater at night near my parts, or simply left my gas heater on ($$) all night if I thought it would be too cold during the dry time.

Brad Gyde · Oct 26, 2011

Thanks guys,

Looks like I may be done for the year.. Electric heaters could be a possibility, as well as heat lamps.. How long should I let them on? As I had said, I likely will have to paint in the evening hours, since right now we're working a lot of overtime to make up for lost time..

I have a salamander that I could also use, but I was told once before that they put "soot" into the air and affects the paint curing (creates fish eyes).. Is this true? I understand that I wouldn't want it running while painting ("flame" plus fumes equals BANG.. I know).. How about before/after?

Thank you for the input so far.

Brad

Larry Wallace · Oct 27, 2011

Probably the best paint job I ever applied to a vehicle was in temperatures around 50 degrees. I moved fast to keep it from running and when I "fogged" it to bring out the metallic I didn't have to worry about it not melting in. I was spraying acrylic enamel with a hardener and it flowed out beautifully. We gave it plenty of time to harden up afterwards. Made the old hog of a truck look pretty nice.

But, I don't recommend the practice and I never did it again.

That's just my two cents worth.

Larry W.

souNdguy · Oct 29, 2011

depends on your materials.

I paint with alot of alkyd enamil.. it likes a minimum of 50 but in preactice.. I've had bad luke at under 55.. and I've sprayed ALOT of alkyd.

II got some synthetic enamil the other day.. it laims 40' havn't tried it that cold yet..

soundguy

Sidekick · Oct 29, 2011

My cutoff is 70. Sometimes you can get away with it when it's cooler depending on what you're using but usually you start asking for trouble somewhere around the 60's.

David G · Oct 30, 2011

I will paint if it is in the 50s, as long as the metal is warmer and
there is a nice sun shining on the painted work. I put my parts
inside for the night, then paint early and let the sun cure it for
the afternoon.

arsalan · Nov 2, 2011

Depends on the paint, should have minimum temp written somewhere. Anything lower than 65-70 and it will take forever to dry.

Red Ford · Nov 3, 2011

I have had a couple major paint disasters that were due to pushing temperature limits. As was already pointed out, the limit depends on the paint product and the exact conditions. And, based on my experience, what you can get away with one time doesn't mean it will work the next time you try it under what appear to be the same conditions. Even if the air temp and paint are warm enough, if the part itself is too cold you're going to have a problem. Painting cold parts causes the surface to cure faster than underlying paint. Long story shorty, that makes a mess. Warming the part after paint is applied only makes the situation worse.

David G · Nov 7, 2011

Agree with Red, warm parts are the key to successful cool
weather painting.

How cold is too cold to paint?

Brad Gyde

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Stephen Newell

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CNKS

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glennster

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CNKS

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Brad Gyde

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Larry Wallace

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David G

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arsalan

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Red Ford

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