Hello all I got a few questions regarding exterior paint on pvc.
What do you reccomend in the way of painting ext. pvc trim. I have been installing more and more of it latey….don’t have alot of time tested with it and I am concerned what is the best approach.
buy colored pvc…$$ and match that with later call back for addition don’t think so.
I had a talk with my painter…it was ~40 degrees F. He was painting the cornise…and he wasn’t using a primer (caught my attention) so I asked what gives….the answere felt like snow but I said…”your the painter…it better hold up!”. I have this nagging fear I am gonna see the stuff start to peel in 5 years and I’m gonna be on the ladder.
regarding painting what are good temp ranges for this stuff….is it the same as wood? I know well the power of plastics expansion/contraction so we use quality caulk.
is the stuff considered pre primed? does it need a primer? flat then semi?
I had been doing all my own painting in the past. What I have been doing was 1. wipe off all mud boot prints 2. bins primer 3. then two coats duron. Was this overkill…i tend to overbuild.
I dont’ wanna be a hard
on the guy.&
#160; I have my standards and QC but if he’s right he’s right. It looked like he was painting clean boards anyways…no primer though…looks good for now from the ground. I just thought I’d ask around and see what I can learn before I talk with him again. As usuall my sales rep is in the bar…hick…and can’t answere the phone.
suspect.
Replies
I don't know the specifics of painting PVC, but applying acrylic or latex paints in the cold is asking for trouble. Some manufacturers have different temperature specs, but typically 50°F is the coldest you may paint.
The reason is that latex paints consist of an emulsion of latex (or acrylic) in a water-based liquid. An emulsion is a suspension of microscopic droplets of one substance in another in which it will not dissolve. When latex paint dries, the particles merge together and coalesce into a solid, durable film. If it is too hot, the water evaporates too quickly and the film never forms. If it's too cold, the water just evaporates, but the particles aren't warm enough to join together in a film. So the paint "dries" in that the water leaves the paint, but the latex forms an inadequate, or if cold enough, no, film at all.
As a rule, I don't let people working for me use any material or perform any operation in violation of the manufacturer's instructions.
The temp limit is what it says on the can. Usually this is 50F. A few paints claim 35F.
ping....................................................................
How about pvc rails the slick stuff....will paint hold?
Out here in Ca, it usually doesn't get that cold, but I've seen paint fail for all kinds of reasons - and low temp. combined with the pvc sounds like trouble. What's the factory finish like on the cornice? Is it smooth, like gutters, or "etched" for painting? PVC doesn't need priming for the usual reason -it's already sealed. But if it comes as smooth as some of the gutter components I'm picturing, there's no mechanical bond and that latex semigloss won't stand a chance. Hopefully your guy knows to sand - and sand between coats.Thing is, new paint always looks great (especially to the guy who's putting it on) and it's hard to tell someone their business, but man, a bad coat of paint is much worse than no paint at all. I agree - read the can, they have no reason to lie.