A free paint tool
When can the
next coat go on?
See how cold surfaces and humid air can extend a painting programme. These are illustrative estimates, not a test of whether your paint is ready.
Published times have stated test conditions, which vary by product. The current technical sheet takes priority. Never shorten its minimum recoat interval or paint over a soft or tacky coat because of this tool.
Drying and curing
Questions
we get asked.
- Why is my paint still tacky the next day?
- Usually cold, damp air or a coat that went on too thick. Oil based paint is the worst for it. Raise the room temperature slowly, keep air moving and give it longer. Do not add another coat on top of tacky paint.
- Can I paint outside in the winter?
- On the right day, yes. You need the air and the wall above the minimum on the tin through the drying time, no rain due and no frost overnight. In Fife that often means starting mid morning and finishing by early afternoon.
- Does a heater help paint dry?
- Gentle, steady heat helps. A fan heater pointed at the wall does not. It skins the surface while the paint underneath stays wet, and you get wrinkles and lap marks.
Short on time
We plan around
the drying.
Our schedules are built around real drying times in your house and the forecast, so nothing gets rushed and nothing gets redone.
Seasonal painting advice for Fife homes.