Does Cloudy Weather Affect Spray Painting?
4 Answers
Cloudy weather does not affect spray painting. Here are the details: 1. Vehicle Spray Painting: Car spray painting refers to applying a layer of paint to the car's surface to protect it. Automotive spray paint is generally baking paint. In automobile manufacturing plants, after the frame and body are welded, the next step is spray painting. 2. Types of Spray Paint: Automotive spray paint includes: Basic paint, the simplest type, consists of resin, pigment, and additives; Metallic paint, also known as metallic flake paint, is a popular type of automotive topcoat, containing fine aluminum particles in its paint base; Pearl paint, also called mica paint, is another popular automotive topcoat, with a principle similar to metallic paint; Clear paint; Matte paint.
I usually enjoy tinkering with my car, and I've encountered the situation of painting on cloudy days before. It does have a significant impact. The main reason is the high air humidity, which prevents the moisture in the paint from evaporating. After drying, you might notice uneven whitening of the color, as if covered by a layer of fog, or even small bubbles forming on the surface, making it feel particularly rough. The most troublesome issue is the reduced adhesion, which might cause the paint to start peeling off within a month or so. Additionally, cloudy days are generally cooler, prolonging the paint's curing time. If you rush to apply the second coat, problems like sagging and wrinkling are bound to occur. Therefore, I strongly recommend choosing a dry and sunny day with low humidity and an ideal temperature around 25 degrees Celsius. If you're really pressed for time, try to work in an enclosed space, use heat lamps to raise the ambient temperature, and opt for fast-drying thinners to improve the situation. Ultimately, suitable weather conditions are crucial for achieving a smooth and glossy paint job—forcing it on cloudy days often leads to rework.
Over the years of running my auto repair shop, I've found that painting on cloudy days is indeed a headache. Increased humidity can cause issues during the paint curing process. While the paint job may look fine when customers pick up their cars, they often return days later complaining about bubbles or whitening in the paint surface. Now when we receive painting orders on cloudy days, we first use dehumidifiers in our enclosed workshop to reduce humidity below 50%. Then we adjust the ratio of fast-drying thinner, even if it means extending the interval between each coat. The most crucial step is always turning on the heat lamps in the paint booth to accelerate paint curing and prevent runs or dust adhesion. Though it consumes more time and electricity, it's better than rework. Once we overlooked humidity control and ended up with a clear coat full of pinholes, requiring complete sanding and repainting of the entire vehicle. Weather conditions truly can't be ignored - nowadays we try to avoid accepting painting orders during the rainy season.
Last weekend I tried painting my motorcycle, but it happened to be overcast. After spraying, I noticed the paint color was uneven, with a very grainy texture when touched, and upon closer inspection, there were wrinkles. A friend told me it was due to high humidity in the air. The volatile substances in the paint reacted with the moisture, causing uneven solidification, and the low temperature made it dry very slowly. I had to sand it down and start over, wasting half a day. Now I understand that painting requires checking the weather forecast—it's best to choose three consecutive sunny days for the job.
