Painting in cold wet weather

[ferox]

I was hoping to paint my Jeep this summer and didn't, and now it looks like I need to paint the Hatch too. So now I have two cars to paint. I bought a 10' x 20' portable garage to use as a paint booth and I plan on doing the DIY roller method (my air compressor is a POS).

 

Well, the weather window here closes out pretty quick. We are now into months of 40-60 degree weather or colder with rain. Humidity is currently 94%.

 

So I am wondering if I have a dry "booth", but it is not climate controlled, am I going to have insurmountable adhesion and/or texture issues? Or put another way, are there products or procedures that would allow me to proceed more successfully with painting during the wet?

 

I can probably heat the space somewhat and dry and heat the areas to be painted, but mostly I am worried about condensation overnight. Obviously with a DIY job I am not expecting outstanding results, but I don't want to do a crappy job either.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I Believe that we need more info about which kind of paint and the amount of solvents, etc... you are planning to use, in order to better help you.

 

Kind Regards.

[TomRhere]

With the ambient temps you're talking about, it will take much longer for the paint to fully cure. It may feel dry to the touch, but still be wet underneath.

[ferox]

I Believe that we need more info about which kind of paint and the amount of solvents, etc... you are planning to use, in order to better help you.

 

Kind Regards.

 

That's what I am asking about.

[MilesFox]

I would suggest some sort of radiant heat such as infra red heat lamps overhead. as long as the car body does not get colder than the ambient air, then you shouldn't have condensation.

 

I learned this with video cameras in the winter. let the camer a get cold first so things don't melt to it!

 

getting condensation on the finished paint wont hurt it, but you dont want it underneath.

 

if you roll out rust-o over a water droplet, the paint may just go around the drop. It's not as technical as you think, but you still want to try and do a good job.

[ferox]

With the ambient temps you're talking about, it will take much longer for the paint to fully cure. It may feel dry to the touch, but still be wet underneath.

 

I would suggest some sort of radiant heat such as infra red heat lamps overhead. as long as the car body does not get colder than the ambient air, then you shouldn't have condensation.

 

I learned this with video cameras in the winter. let the camer a get cold first so things don't melt to it!

 

getting condensation on the finished paint wont hurt it, but you dont want it underneath.

 

if you roll out rust-o over a water droplet, the paint may just go around the drop. It's not as technical as you think, but you still want to try and do a good job.

 

Thanks guys. Sounds like maybe I was over-working the problem. The internet is full of conflicting opinion on this topic. I totally forgot I have a bunch of infra red heat lamps and was wondering what I should do with them. They would be perfect.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

That's what I am asking about.

 

Now I understand your question, sorry... sometimes I'm Lost on Translation.

 

I've painted many times and I Kindly suggest to use Polyurethane paint; beside the amazing Long Lasting finish, it dries much faster.

 

Kind Regards.

[ferox]

Now I understand your question, sorry... sometimes I'm Lost on Translation.

 

I've painted many times and I Kindly suggest to use Polyurethane paint; beside the amazing Long Lasting finish, it dries much faster.

 

Kind Regards.

 

Oh right, I started my research trying to track down a couple brands you had suggested in another thread, but did not find much information on retailers. Then my research diverted me. I was going to check with a retail location here called Industrial Finishes. One of the brands you suggested was Klass if I remember correctly, but there was another one that I can't remember. Could you remind of the main brand you suggest? If I recall, it's somewhat expensive, but very high quality.

 

What about clear coat? Would suggest the same brand? I am sure Honduras has very high humidity, and it seems like it could make the clear coat cloud.

Edited October 14, 2012 by ferox

[turbosubarubrat]

i use a paint gun with rust-oleom in the bucket with mineral spirits and it looks great, if your air compressor went bad go on craigslsit and pick up a cheep one that is capable of what you want to do, i have painted quite a lot of stuff like this

[Crazyeights]

Now I understand your question, sorry... sometimes I'm Lost on Translation.

 

I've painted many times and I Kindly suggest to use Polyurethane paint; beside the amazing Long Lasting finish, it dries much faster.

 

Kind Regards.

 

Agree totally. I can't say enough about the Urethane paints. They are very forgiving (unlike some of the enamels) dry very quickly, and you can easily and quickly blend out a mistake should you have to. You can spray if from a gun or have the color code of your choice put in rattle cans by your local auto paint store.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

... One of the brands you suggested was Klass if I remember correctly...

 

Yes, it was!

 

... but there was another one that I can't remember. Could you remind of the main brand you suggest? If I recall, it's somewhat expensive, but very high quality...

 

Yes, of course; it was GLASURIT brand, I painted both my 2.7 Subaru and my "BumbleBeast" Subaru with those polyurethane paints with awesome success, I use Highly pressurized Sagola air guns, it dries quick and believe me: People ALWAYS ask me if I just painted the car (every time I wash clean it) and the Yellow Paint in my "BumbleBeast" has more than four years so far... it still Shines like New.

 

We have warm climate here, but very rainy sometimes... and as long as Water doesn't come in contact with the painted surfaces, it will hold Strong.

 

Look Here for GLASURIT Paints:

 

~► http://www.basfpaintnews.com/paints/glasurit/

 

~► http://www.glasurit.com/languages

 

and about Sagola Paint guns:

 

~► http://www.sagola.com/?lang=en

 

Those are the "Perfect Combo"

 

Kind Regards.

[ferox]

Thanks, I am going to look into those in the next couple weeks. All the reviews I have read have been very good, and I would rather do it once.

 

My compressor doesn't hold pressure, so I am going to have to go through it before I can think of spraying, but we'll see. Spraying would be better than rolling.

 

Thanks again!

[ShawnW]

And by all means watch the weather and be patient with it. Sometimes waiting 2-3 days can mean the temp goes up for 4-5 days in a row here and in the winter I see 70 degrees quite often. I think Portland is kindof similar to Denver on that sort of thing.

[Rust]

I painted my bus with Rustoleum using rollers. Did not thin out the paint, just poured into a tray and rolled. I did prep w/ a lot of sanding and cleaning the surface w/ thinner before painting. I also wet sanded in-between coats. I used rattle cans on the wheels, bumpers, and areas I could not get a roller on.

 

As far as the condensation issue painting in the cold, as long as there is no moisture on the painting surface you should be ok as far as the paint sticking. The only problem will be a longer dry time between coats. On my bus I went 48 hrs between coats. (in the summer) I ended up doing about 4 coats total.

 

In any event rustoleum is a very forgiving paint and rattle cans and liquid quarts matched excellent.

 

PS no clearcoat, I just hose it of to keep it clean.

[ferox]

Sweet VW. The paint looks great. It looks like I am probably going to have multiple day dry times between coats. I'll see how long I can leave my car under the portable garage before my totally awesome neighbors anonymously call the city on me.