# Adding Ammonia as a dryer in latex paint



## damianjwalker (Feb 17, 2009)

I was filling up my truck with gas this morning and on the gas station tv a DIY segment video tip #32 came on, how to paint in cold weather. They said to add a quart of Ammonia to 5 gallons of paint to speed up the drying process. I know Latex paint has Ammonia in it, but I had never heard of adding Ammonia to the paint to fast dry the paint.

Anyone ever do this?


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## Romanski (May 4, 2008)

Never heard of using more ammonia. I've had success with Denatured Alcohol.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

I asked my paint rep about that one time and he said it would not work if it wasn't added when the paint was first blended together, so it would not be part of the paint.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

We use to use Prestone Anti Freeze. Worked great but now latex paints can go down to 35 degrees in some cases.


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## bhamsoxfan (Dec 29, 2008)

NACE said:


> We use to use Prestone Anti Freeze. Worked great but now latex paints can go down to 35 degrees in some cases.


Yellow or green?


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Yellow


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

There is an acrylic product by O'leary now that will go down to mid-20's I think. Just what we need, GC's thinking painting in the winter is okay on exteriors.


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## daren (Jul 5, 2008)

could we clean toilets with the paint?


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## Last Craftsman (Dec 5, 2008)

DeanV said:


> There is an acrylic product by O'leary now that will go down to mid-20's I think. Just what we need, GC's thinking painting in the winter is okay on exteriors.


No kidding. On top of adding something to exterior paint that wasn't part of the original formulation, and then expecting a 15 year guarantee on the work.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

The O'leary product is orginally formulated for lower temperatures, not an additive for paint. But, I would also be worried about the state of the substrate in sub-freezing temperatures.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

What if you put dry ice in paint and mixed it up like you you got some sort witches brew or something.I think the bubbles would look great with the smoke and all coming off the paint.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Can't really say there are significant drying problems with latex. Although I might consider adding a dryer and an extender to get the paint to act normal. Its like taking a couple of advil with my coffee, just a cool experiment.


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## Last Craftsman (Dec 5, 2008)

DeanV said:


> The O'leary product is orginally formulated for lower temperatures, not an additive for paint. But, I would also be worried about the state of the substrate in sub-freezing temperatures.


 
I would be _leery_ of that also! :whistling2:

Maybe that should be their slogan! 

"Be Leery of O'leary"!


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Question: Have you ever heard of amonia to speed up drying time for latex paint?

Answer:


NACE said:


> We use to use Prestone Anti Freeze. Worked great but now latex paints can go down to 35 degrees in some cases.


:blink:


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## ryykk (Apr 22, 2013)

It sounds like a good way to lose a lung. If you add more than 5% of a very volatile material to a coating that dries at room temperature it might cause the surface to cool down and dry slower. Materials like isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, actually delay the drying process because they evaporate and cool down the paint surface. So I expect ammonia will speed up the process but then slow it down very quickly. With all that ammonia you need to wear a respirator or run the risk of lung and eye damage.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

4 year old thread


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

chrisn said:


> 4 year old thread


Well, the guys a chemist. 

Extra ammonia in paint don't sound too good. Don't think I ever heard that.
Latex dries fast enough normally. Real fast with a fan.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

This must be one of those informative threads of old VP was referring to.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

chrisn said:


> 4 year old thread





joshmays1976 said:


> Well, the guys a chemist.


and so was dr Frankenstein ?


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

daArch said:


> and so was dr Frankenstein ?


 Bellylaugh:


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

damianjwalker said:


> I was filling up my truck with gas this morning and on the gas station tv a DIY segment video tip #32 came on, how to paint in cold weather. They said to add a quart of Ammonia to 5 gallons of paint to speed up the drying process. I know Latex paint has Ammonia in it, but I had never heard of adding Ammonia to the paint to fast dry the paint.
> 
> Anyone ever do this?


 Has to be a necro thread.I new that when he stated that he was filling up his truck!


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

speaking of ammonia in paint, now I understand why the old timers (when I was a young buck) would pee in the paint.

I used to think it was because their pee was 90 proof, and we all know alcohol extends the low temperature usability of paint..


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

The father of the painter I used to work for talked about needing to pee in the paint as well. 
Thank you for modern paint formulations.


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## Brian C (Oct 8, 2011)

you guys beat me to the punchline.

Urine is ammonia so twinkle in your paint pot and mix it in well.


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## modernfinish (Mar 20, 2013)

That's funny , now yr gonna get these people pissin in their paint hahaha


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## Painter-Aaron (Jan 17, 2013)

NACE said:


> We use to use Prestone Anti Freeze. Worked great but now latex paints can go down to 35 degrees in some cases.


Maybe Ramsden could use that little trick! :whistling2:


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## MasterCraftByHenry (Apr 18, 2021)

damianjwalker said:


> I was filling up my truck with gas this morning and on the gas station tv a DIY segment video tip #32 came on, how to paint in cold weather. They said to add a quart of Ammonia to 5 gallons of paint to speed up the drying process. I know Latex paint has Ammonia in it, but I had never heard of adding Ammonia to the paint to fast dry the paint.
> 
> Anyone ever do this?


I am a master painter from Germany


damianjwalker said:


> I was filling up my truck with gas this morning and on the gas station tv a DIY segment video tip #32 came on, how to paint in cold weather. They said to add a quart of Ammonia to 5 gallons of paint to speed up the drying process. I know Latex paint has Ammonia in it, but I had never heard of adding Ammonia to the paint to fast dry the paint.
> 
> Anyone ever do this?


As a master painter from Europe with 50 years experience I can hopefully set the record straight as to why we use ammonia in our paint. It is strictly for Etching the surface to create a greater adhesion of the latex paint. The recipe is 1 cup ammonia to a 1 gallon of paint.
Similarly we use a bit of bleach in paint if there is a surface that has issues with black mold. 
Under no circumstances should bleach an ammonia ever be mixed together. This creates a caustic solution that will attack the lining of the lungs and esophagus. I hope that I have been able to answer your questions.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

MasterCraftByHenry said:


> I am a master painter from Germany
> As a master painter from Europe with 50 years experience I can hopefully set the record straight as to why we use ammonia in our paint. It is strictly for Etching the surface to create a greater adhesion of the latex paint. The recipe is 1 cup ammonia to a 1 gallon of paint.
> Similarly we use a bit of bleach in paint if there is a surface that has issues with black mold.
> Under no circumstances should bleach an ammonia ever be mixed together. This creates a caustic solution that will attack the lining of the lungs and esophagus. I hope that I have been able to answer your questions.


We waited more than 12 years for you to answer this question you know. All of us huddling around our computers day-in and day-out. 

Playing chemist and altering the pH and overall composition of any architectural paints would void any/all manufacturer's warrantees and is ill-advised. If you wanna throw some paint stew in a pot and slop it on your own home, fine. Not on a paying customer's home. Instead of mixing stuff in paint to eliminate a step in prep, (and that's what it seems you're doing), how about just etching first when you need to etch and using bleach to kill mold on surfaces before you paint? 
What's next? Adding a bunch of water to the paint so it cleans before it paints?
Maybe adding a 5-in-1 and some trash bags to the paint so it could unmask for you after it dries?


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

MasterCraftByHenry said:


> I am a master painter from Germany
> 
> As a master painter from Europe with 50 years experience I can hopefully set the record straight as to why we use ammonia in our paint. It is strictly for Etching the surface to create a greater adhesion of the latex paint. The recipe is 1 cup ammonia to a 1 gallon of paint.
> Similarly we use a bit of bleach in paint if there is a surface that has issues with black mold.
> Under no circumstances should bleach an ammonia ever be mixed together. This creates a caustic solution that will attack the lining of the lungs and esophagus. I hope that I have been able to answer your questions.


One problem with adding bleach to paint is the byproduct sodium chloride salts becoming entrapped in the film, sodium chloride being hygroscopic & absorbing liquid water and atmospheric moisture into and beneath the film (more commonly known as chloride entrapment in the architectural coatings industry). Chloride entrapment can result in osmotic blistering, and can also promote re-growth of mildew/premature decay of wood substrates.


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## Joe67 (Aug 12, 2016)

Some topics just don't die, I guess...


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

What's funny is I was scrolling through and liking a few posts and was like 2009 wtf? 

Bottom line is adding ammonia by the quart seems like foolishness to this guy.


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