Interior painting and cold spots on the walls - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Dustball · 02-18-2007, 11:43 PM

What do you guys do about the cold spots in the walls where there is little insulation? This house I'm painting right now has various spots in the walls where the paint won't cure or does cure but only after it has become runny and blotchy.

**slickshift** · 02-18-2007, 11:59 PM

It shouldn't be doing that unless it's really cold inside too
Too cold really

In that case, I warm it up with Mr. Heater's "Big Buddy"

It could be the paint too
Maybe it's not good in the cold
Really I rarely run into that problem with the good stuff
A step up in paint might help

**ProWallGuy** · 02-19-2007, 12:11 AM

Not to hijack, but I'd like to hear more about Mr. Heater's Big Buddy. Specs, price, etc?

4thGeneration · 02-19-2007, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dustball

What do you guys do about the cold spots in the walls where there is little insulation? This house I'm painting right now has various spots in the walls where the paint won't cure or does cure but only after it has become runny and blotchy.

On new construction we used torpedo kerosene heaters. Bad smell, but every contractor in the subdivision would be in the houses we worked in. Also, is the paint climitized? You cant bring in cold paint on warm walls. Bring the paint in a day ahead and let it sit in the room with the heat on. Cheap paint though is just that. If you are using lower grade paint do not do it. Only a few bucks difference between lines can work wonders.

Woz the Painter · 02-19-2007, 12:47 AM

This ***** happens in the winter in cold climates, especially with water based paints, why are so many shocked about this?

**slickshift** · 02-19-2007, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProWallGuy

Not to hijack, but I'd like to hear more about Mr. Heater's Big Buddy. Specs, price, etc?

Freakin' awesome lil heater
Self contained and legal for inside using two camp stove propane tanks
Adapter for a "grill" sized propane tank available, but the propane must be left outside
Battery operated "blower" isn't a tornado, lol, but helps sometimes
And can be A/C powered with a wall wart

I use this thing not only to warm up too cold rooms, I use it to dry out from wet wallpaper removals and to quick dry paint when I need to push it a little...heat up the room to sweat box territory to dry it quickly to re-coat when I hafta git er done

Doesn't take up much room either
I'll throw it in I I think I might use it, and it doesn't leave the van in the cold months

I got it at Northern, going for a buck thirty now
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...7957_200307957

Specs:
http://www.mrheater.com/productdetai...atid=41&id=116

boman47k · 02-19-2007, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Bad smell, but every contractor in the subdivision would be in the houses we worked in.

So the kerosene takes care of the odor??

Dustball · 02-19-2007, 10:12 AM

The house is at 65 degrees day and night. Paint was sitting in the house for several days before using. Outdoor temps ranged from the single digits below zero to teens above zero. Now that it's forecasted to be in the 30's this week, that should help out.

**slickshift** · 02-19-2007, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dustball

The house is at 65 degrees day and night. Paint was sitting in the house for several days before using. Outdoor temps ranged from the single digits below zero to teens above zero. Now that it's forecasted to be in the 30's this week, that should help out.

Wow
I thought it would be colder inside
That really shouldn't need to be any warmer in there
Either those spots are really, really, cold, or the paint is really sensitive to cold
Or some other issue (moisture...sound like that would be froze though)

Hopefully the warmer outside temp will help
Maybe bring in a few heaters
I'd consider upgrading the paint

firemike · 02-19-2007, 11:12 AM

I run into this often here in Michigan, I keep a couple of 16" fans on the truck to circulate the air and speed drying. Even use them in the summer just to speed things up between coats.

I find the same problem with drywalling, the inside corners on exterior walls don't dry as fast, so I always leave a fan or two running in the room to make sure everything dries.

Danahy · 02-19-2007, 12:49 PM

this happened to me last week... Not sure if it was a strip of insulation missing, a cold air draft coming down from the attic, or a bad patch job from an old stove that may or may not have been there...

anyhow, sames as all the others did above. Bust out the heater, not too hot, not too close either or she'll crack.... Works great in a pinch, but hate it when it happens.

Workaholic · 02-19-2007, 06:03 PM

That is strange. Have the spots been primed with kilz or something? We have the same as the rest torpedoe heaters and fans. With the temp you said, it should not be cold enough to cause spots. If the spots were kilz spots and for some reason it was to humid like a dryer with not enough venting, At 65 day and night it just does'nt really explain the spots. You could prime the spots with kilz and repaint the wall.

Danahy · 02-19-2007, 06:09 PM

Everytime this happens to me... (which is maybe once every year or two), it always seems to be in a plaster home. It's not a spot, but rather a whole section between studs. It's winter, and that section of wall is sooooo much colder. I don't think it's so much of the cold that makes it run, but a condensation issue, similar to a window when there is an increase in humidity sort of thing...

Workaholic · 02-19-2007, 06:10 PM

[quote=slickshift;196978]Freakin' awesome lil heater
Self contained and legal for inside using two camp stove propane tanks
Adapter for a "grill" sized propane tank available, but the propane must be left outside
Battery operated "blower" isn't a tornado, lol, but helps sometimes
And can be A/C powered with a wall wart

I use this thing not only to warm up too cold rooms, I use it to dry out from wet wallpaper removals and to quick dry paint when I need to push it a little...heat up the room to sweat box territory to dry it quickly to re-coat when I hafta git er done

Doesn't take up much room either
I'll throw it in I I think I might use it, and it doesn't leave the van in the cold months

I got it at Northern, going for a buck thirty now

Sounds good for smaller spaces. We get into 3500-6500 sqft. The only thing good for that is a torpedo 170000btu. When we hit small spec houses in the 1600 sqft the torpedo is still the best bet.

Dustball · 02-19-2007, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Workaholic

That is strange. Have the spots been primed with kilz or something? We have the same as the rest torpedoe heaters and fans. With the temp you said, it should not be cold enough to cause spots. If the spots were kilz spots and for some reason it was to humid like a dryer with not enough venting, At 65 day and night it just does'nt really explain the spots. You could prime the spots with kilz and repaint the wall.

I used an oil-based Zinsser primer on the walls and ceilings. This house was vandalized with holes in the walls and spray paint so there were several hole patches.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danahy

Everytime this happens to me... (which is maybe once every year or two), it always seems to be in a plaster home. It's not a spot, but rather a whole section between studs. It's winter, and that section of wall is sooooo much colder. I don't think it's so much of the cold that makes it run, but a condensation issue, similar to a window when there is an increase in humidity sort of thing...

The areas with the cold spots indeed are on plaster walls near the entry doors and a spot in the middle of a wall nowhere near an opening and along the upper corners.

I do have a Coleman Procat heater and it works well for warming up spot areas but I only have one heater and several spots to heat. I mentioned earlier that it is going to warm up this week so hopefully it'll help when applying the second coat.