How Does Temperature and Humidity Affect Painting
Posted on March 31, 2021
Temperature and humidity are two of the things that can have a significant impact on the drying of your paint. Too little or too much of either can cause problems or even ruin your painting. By avoiding bad conditions, you can find the right time to paint and get a beautiful outcome. But how does humidity affect painting?
Temperature
Both temperatures too high and too low can impact your painting negatively. Temperatures that are too cold can keep paint from drying. If the temperature becomes freezing, your paint can freeze too, and cause crystallization. On the other hand, if it’s too hot outside, paint can skin over before the underneath layers have dried and cause blisters, bumps and other extreme problems.
The best temperature to paint with oil-based or latex paints is above 50°F for at least 48 hours. There are some paints that are created to be used in lower temperatures, even near freezing. It is risky to paint near freezing, since the paint needs hours to dry without dipping below 32°F.
Humidity
Blistering, cracking, peeling paint can be caused by high humidity in the air, which makes it impossible for paint to dry. These damages cause the protective quality of the paint to be compromised and you’ll have to repair the damaged areas.
If you’re painting a wooden surface, the wood can absorb the humidity moisture in the air prior to painting. Without drying over the proper amount of time, it can become trapped in the wood and cause damage, rot and mold. This will ultimately lead to the wood needing to be replaced due to deterioration. Paint will also have a hard time adhering to the wood if it’s wet.
How Temperature Affects Drying
As temperature lowers, the paint thickens. The thicker the coating, the longer it takes for the paint to oxidize in the case of oil-based paints. In addition, when a coating is thicker, it extends the time it takes for the solvent to evaporate.
How Humidity Affects Drying
Humidity in the air will make the drying time for paint much longer. Acrylic and oil-based paints are subject to the moisture in the air whether it is from humidity or condensation. The introduction of water will damage or even outright ruin the finishes.
Need some help?
If you are unsure of painting and the weather in your area for exterior paint jobs, contact our experts at CertaPro Painters® of Gilbert-Queen Creek, AZ. We offer a wide variety of services and are used to dealing with the temperature and humidity for outdoor projects. Get a free online estimate on your paint job today, or give us a call at 480-272-6770 with any questions you have.
