Can I paint my flat when it's below 10 to 15 degrees celsius?

November 1, 2006 7:44 PM

Can I paint my flat in winter, when it's below 10 to 15 degrees celsius?

The instructions on some cans of paint I have says not to apply it under room temperature of 10 degrees celsius. I've seen others say not to apply under 15 degrees celsius. How strictly should I follow these instructions? What would happen if I do paint under those temperatures - would the paint simply not dry properly?

And if I really can't paint when it's that cold out, does anyone have any idea how I can paint my flat this winter (UK)? I thought about painting with the windows closed and the heating on, but I have to allow the fumes to ventilate, don't I? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Sorry if this seems like a stupid question - I should've done the painting and decorating in the summer of course, but I didn't, and now I would rather not have to wait till April or May next year. Any help very much appreciated.

posted by Ira.metafilter to home & garden (7 comments total)

If you leave the windows open and the heat on, the room is unlikely to get below the required temperatures. Also, you may want to invest a few more bucks in quicker drying paint to minimize the amount of time you have to leave the windows open.
posted by decathecting at 8:06 PM on November 1, 2006

You can't paint when it's that cold where the paint is. If you are painting inside, then it's the temperature inside that matters, not the temperature outside.
posted by winston at 8:08 PM on November 1, 2006

You can, but it takes longer to dry, that's all.
posted by ernie at 8:23 PM on November 1, 2006

Check this out for the section on wrinkling. Apparently, if the cold wall coating paint drys slower than the exposed room facing paint, you could get sagging or wrinkling.
posted by heh3d at 8:34 PM on November 1, 2006

Use acrylic paint (water based) so you don't have the same fume issues and just paint with the windows closed and heating on.
I have done this in a UK winter.
If you must use oil based paint for whatever reason, ernie is right, it does take longer to dry (my rule of thumb is twice as long) but the other thing I do is start with the paint can at a warmer temperature. I suspect at low temperatures the ingredients may not mix as well, so I keep and stir the paint in a warm place, even if I am painting in the cold. Again, this is something I have done and can confirm it turns out fine, if you can live with the longer drying times.
posted by bystander at 8:35 PM on November 1, 2006

If you use an environmentally safe non-VOC paint, you can leave the windows closed.
posted by dejah420 at 9:49 AM on November 2, 2006

do follow the temperature guidelines! i've just had a real-world example of it, and the paint formulated for warmer temperature use outdoors was thick, globby, and didn't adhere well below the recommended temperature. a different paint, that i purchased because it was formulated for colder temperatures, worked like a charm. always expect longer drying times at lower temperatures.
posted by kuppajava at 9:55 AM on November 2, 2006