The Difficulty of Painting In Cold Weather & What To Do

Homebuilders and remodelers usually go into hyperdrive with their unfinished projects as the cold winter approaches. Unfortunately, all aspects of a project might not be able to be completed before the cold weather arrives. When building or remodeling a home, one of the last parts to complete is painting, which is also quite temperamental in cold weather. Cold weather for painting is general in the 40s and below. Painters in Haddon Heights provided some tips for when a project can’t wait for the cold weather to break. 


How Does The Cold Affect Painting?    

Low temperatures of the 40s and below have many negative effects on applying paint and the paint itself. Oil-based paints become extremely thick under cold temperatures due to the oil becoming slowed within the paint. The paint becoming thicker makes it extremely difficult for the paint to be applied smoothly or evenly. Latex paints are prone to freezing in cold temperatures due to water being present in the paint mix. Chemicals are available to prevent latex paint from freezing but have mixed reviews on how well they work and if they affect the paint quality.  


Both oil-based and latex paint becomes hard to cure in cold weather as well. The cold makes freshly applied paint prone to cracking, bubbling, peeling, and other inconsistencies that will show a low-quality result. The chemicals in these paints that assist in bonding are slowed which causes these negative characteristics to take shape. 


Water-based or latex paint that was previously frozen may still be usable in some cases. If the latex paint that was previously frozen appears lumpy and will not mix into a smoother form, the paint cannot be used. The ability to not return to its smooth form shows that the latex paint cannot cure properly anymore. 


The Best Paints For Cold Weather  

Major paint manufacturers offer special paints that perform and are more usable in cold weather. However, most of these special paints are still only rated for no less than 30 degrees. It’s best to use these paints when you know you will not make your deadline and can’t avoid painting in cold weather. A paint that is specially designed for cold temperatures is always better than standard paint with additives to prevent freezing. It is important to pay attention to special paints and what they are used for due to them having more variables to bind and be applied properly. 


Heating Your Workspace

Surface temperature is the most important statistic to keep in mind here. If you are able to heat the surface, you will be able to have a lot more success with painting in cold weather.  One way to ensure you can raise the surface temperature is to keep an eye on the weather. If you are going to paint during cold weather, try to time it out to where the surface you are painting is in direct sunlight and isn’t a cloudy day. Enclosing the area is helpful as well to keep drafts and cold air from leaking into the workspace and lowering the temperature of the surface. 


I hope this helps!


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