Ideal Automotive Painting Temperature

The temperature outside may seem insignificant when repainting or touching up your automobile. However, contrary to that belief, there is an ideal temperature range that allows for automobile paint or spray paint to set correctly on the automobile. Without planning your painting process, the hard work you put into painting may end up needing to be repainted again very soon after. 

Best Spray Paint Practices

According to the spray paint experts, the ideal temperature to spray paint in is between 50 degrees fahrenheit and 90 degrees fahrenheit. However, most automotive paint companies recommend a temperature of around 70 degrees. Not only is the temperature important, but also the humidity percentage. Both of these factors can influence the integrity of the paint on your car. The ideal humidity would be below 85%. Paint takes a long period of time to dry and set. It is best practice to ensure that these weather conditions can be met for days in a row. If the temperature is in the 60’s during the day, but the temperature drops to the 40’s during the night time, it would not be ideal to decide to paint your car that day. It is best to find a span of a couple of days that fulfill the weather recommendations. 

Not only does the weather affect how the paint sets, but also affects how it holds up over time. As the weather begins to be on the upswing of getting warmer, painting your car can be one way to start sprucing up for the spring. 

Specific Automotive Paint Practices

For waterborne paint, the ideal temperature to paint your car in would be 75 degrees fahrenheit. This is best practice for this type of paint. It ensures that the waterborne paint sets well on your automobile and helps with not having to repaint as often. If you are using a solvent based automobile paint, it can be a little bit warmer. The ideal temperature for this paint is 80 degrees. One thing to keep in mind when using solvent based paint is that if you attempt to dry that paint too fast, it can cause the paint to break down and become brittle. 

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At First Auto Color we have the automotive paint for you! As the temperatures begin to rise, come visit us to pick out an automotive paint color that suits your needs. We offer a variety of custom color aerosol cans, touch up paints as well as finishes and glazes. We provide high quality products and services to all our customers. Reach out to us today at 815-928-8250 with any automotive paint questions you may have. We look forward to assisting you in finding the ideal automotive paint!