# long oil primer in cool temps? HELP!!!



## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

I am currently in the middle of my last exterior of the season and have run into an issue. The siding has a few coats of BM solid latex stain on it, and the trim is currently done in BM Moorglo. The bid was to do one coat of Fresh Start penetrating primer and one coat of Aura on the siding and spot prime the trim and topcoat with aura. The problem is, winter showed up early. Worst case scenario, I hit the bare wood with a latex primer and tell the guy I'll see him in the spring but I REALLY don't want to do that. The TDS on the primer says not to apply it in temps below 50 degrees and I hate going against the TDS! Does anyone have any experience applying long oil primer in cool weather? Any tips or suggestions? Should I just throw in the towel and wait til spring??? I'm really hoping the gurus can enlighten me on this one:jester:


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## RaleighPainter (Jun 13, 2011)

What are the temps where you are?

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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

This is a link to the weather forecast at the job site. As you can see, it gets up into the 50s during the day, but my concern is the overnight temps, especially with a slow drying primer. I may just have to start late and clean up early on this one.


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## propaint (Oct 2, 2011)

The Zinsser Cover Stain oil primer is a "low temp" product that dries within a couple of hours. 
The paint should dry within reason if the humidity is low (even though the temps are down) and there is some circulation about.

I know that you contracted the job with Aura...but, maybe consider a low temp paint tp finish out the job (equal quality).


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

You can ad some japan driers to speed up the drying. It defeats the purpose of a long oil, but it gets the job done.


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## DHlll (Dec 22, 2010)

use japan driers. Done deal


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## DHlll (Dec 22, 2010)

or reduce it with VM&P Naptha it will dry the oil faster......adds a little heat!!!


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

It would be against the law to suggest to thin 10% with Aecetone or Naptha. But it sure would dry faster. Oil primers are not effected by surface and air temperature as much as latex. Cooler temps and humidity effect the dry time.


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## randrohe (Sep 7, 2010)

I was up against this once and SW told me that it would be better to let it sit exposed if I couldn't get a topcoat on it and come back in the spring as primers will break down quickly if left exposed to weather..Probably not the answer your looking for though. Good Luck!!


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Oils will cure with oxidation. Just being exposed will help it cure. The problem is putting it on too heavy in cold weather. It will have a tendency to cure on the surface of the coating only, entrapping the solvents within that are designed to evaporate. This will result in wrinkling. You must increase the solvent evaporation. I believe this is what Japan drier does. Or, you have to apply thinner coats. However, this may require you to apply more coats then you estimated. 

It's probably safer to appeal for better working conditions rather then force the product to perform in less then ideal conditions.


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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

I went ahead and reduced 10% with naptha and that seemed to work really well. I still waited until 10:00am to start painting, and quit for the day right at 4:00. So far so good


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## DHlll (Dec 22, 2010)

mpminter said:


> I went ahead and reduced 10% with naptha and that seemed to work really well. I still waited until 10:00am to start painting, and quit for the day right at 4:00. So far so good



Good job. Glad you took the advice. Not my first rodeo:thumbsup:


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

DHlll said:


> use japan driers. Done deal





DHlll said:


> or reduce it with VM&P Naptha it will dry the oil faster......adds a little heat!!!


My advice as well. 



mpminter said:


> I went ahead and reduced 10% with naptha and that seemed to work really well. I still waited until 10:00am to start painting, and quit for the day right at 4:00. So far so good


Glad it went well for you. :thumbsup:


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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

Just an update. We finished priming the house the day before yesterday with oil.The first 4 gallons of Fresh Start Penetrating primer were reduced 10% with VM&P naptha, and when that was gone we switched to Fresh Start Fast Dry oil, which we reduced 5% with naptha. The daytime temps have been in the high 50's low 60's and I'm fairly confident that we won't have any problems. The guys are going to start painting today, using Aura flat on the siding and Aura low luster on the trim. Because it's supposed to be really windy they're going to brush out some dormers instead of using the sprayers. Any words of caution or advice at this point, or do you think we'll be alright? I would really hate to repaint this place for free...


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Try not to start too early and finish too late. Condensation or a decreasing temp, surface and air, may contribute to a surfactant leach. Try to paint when the surface temp is improving. I use a hand held non contact infra red temp gauge to measure surface temp. These tools can be purchased for under $50 and shot from the ground at any distance or height. I check the weather on my weather app and see what the dew point is too. Dew point should be 5 degrees F below the air temp. Fall is a tricky time of year as is spring here in New England. May sound over the top but you won't be washing off surfactant if you are mindful. Takes only a few seconds to check these conditions rather than a day or two to correct them.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

Why come to a forum to ask these questions? You used the fast dry version of freshstart - you should have just done that from the beginning.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

long oil + cool weather/moisture = not good.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

advice? 

get it done before it snows.


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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

TJ Paint said:


> advice?
> 
> get it done before it snows.


So far so good. I wasn't at that job today, but it sounds like the guys had a good day. I think we'll make it:thumbup:


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