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Winter vehicle painting: challenges, adjustments, and solutions
Winter conditions make vehicle painting challenging, but with adjustments and careful preparation, excellent results can be achieved.
Winter months bring challenges to vehicle painting, but nowadays paint systems with advanced formulations deliver reliable results even in difficult conditions. High solid content and innovative chemical properties ensure excellent coverage, adhesion, and durability. However, low temperatures and increased humidity affect the process. By adjusting preparation, storage, and application techniques, it’s possible to achieve high-quality results even in colder weather.
Proper preparation and storage of paint materials in winter
Paint materials work best between 15 °C and 30 °C. In winter, it's essential to store them properly and warm them before use. Low temperatures increase paint viscosity, making it harder to spray and potentially damaging water-based paints.
Always follow the manufacturer’s storage instructions. Keep paint, hardeners, and other components in a heated space and ensure they reach room temperature before use. Cold paint is thicker and harder to apply, and adding more thinner to reduce viscosity can lead to poor coverage, weaker adhesion, and altered colors.
For best results, warm paint and hardeners to optimal temperatures and mix thoroughly before use. Apply paint in a heated space where temperature is controlled. While adding thinner is a quick fix, it should be done moderately and per the manufacturer’s guidelines to maintain coating quality.
Challenges and solutions in winter painting
Cold vehicles present another challenge. Low surface temperatures reduce paint adhesion and extend drying times. Moisture on cold surfaces can lead to uneven finishes or bubbling.
Before painting, let the vehicle sit in a heated booth for at least 30 minutes to raise its surface temperature and evaporate any moisture. Heated booths also control humidity, preventing condensation on the vehicle during painting. Proper preparation ensures better adhesion and reduces drying time.
If a cold vehicle is painted immediately, condensation can form due to temperature differences and high humidity, reducing adhesion. This "temperature shock" is more common in humid environments. To avoid this, painting must occur at least 3 °C above the dew point temperature, which depends on humidity and air temperature.
Winter painting requires controlling the environment. Maintain stable temperature and humidity in the painting space, and adjust spray gun settings for thicker paint. Use infrared lamps or other drying methods to speed up curing, as cold conditions slow solvent evaporation. Adhere strictly to recommended drying times, even if they need to be extended for optimal results.
Surface preparation
When brought into the paint booth, vehicle surfaces are often contaminated with dirt, grease, oil, or salt from winter roads. Without proper cleaning, paint may not adhere well, impacting the final result and durability.
Start by washing the vehicle with a shampoo like 8005 Multiwash Turbo to remove dirt. Then, degrease the surfaces with an anti-silicone cleaner like 9515 Anti-Sil to eliminate oily residues. Once cleaned, the surface is ready for painting.
By ensuring proper preparation, adjustments, and technical knowledge, you can deliver quality coatings and long-lasting satisfaction, even in winter conditions.
