Painting Tips

Periodically, our Technical Director publishes "Lab Notes" to include technical and practical information about paint and paint application. If you would like more technical information, or to speak with a sales representative, fill out the request form or email us.

Cold Weather Painting

With cooler temperatures approaching, concern should be placed upon the proper interior paint selected for lower temperature application. Conventional latex paints do not usually contain the necessary components to coalesce or fuse properly to form a continuous film at temperatures below the 50°F range.

During the winter months, new construction and remodeling sometimes require interior painting with lower temperatures than the 50°F area. It is important to understand the necessity of obtaining temperatures above 50° with painting as well as touch-up. The air, walls and paint should be above the 50°F level for good results, when traditional latexes are used. Bullet heaters used to heat the walls alone will not heat the paint in the container, and problems can occur. Typical problems can arise in both initial application, as well as, touch up. "Lapping", "ghosting", "mud cracking", and other film irregularities can occur if the proper product is not chosen for the temperature range of application. These elevated temperatures should remain constant throughout both application and touch-up, for the entire curing process for proper coalescence to occur.

Bennette 8 series, Production Latex, is designed to provide excellent application and touch-up properties at lower temperatures than many typical latexes. While the 8 series will yield good film formation down to the 40°F range, higher temperatures will produce even better results than most typical latex paints in the 50°F range. Even cold application latex paints do not perform well much below the 40°F range.