Now that the coldest days of winter have arrived in Australia, many people lack the enthusiasm to leave the warmth of their home. As a first-time home owner, this is the perfect time to tackle interior renovation tasks on your to-do list. However, some tasks need a little forethought before being done at this time of year. Painting interior walls, for example, needs more than just a drop cloth to protect the floors. Here are the three important factors you need to know about paint drying times in winter before you buy paint and brushes.

Paint Colour

The colour you want to paint your interior walls is one factor on how well the project will go during cold weather. The reason is that there is pigment dye added to the paint base colour to give you the final colour you want.

For example, white or off-white paints leave the store as they are. Out of all the colour choices, these will dry the fastest. However, blues, greens and reds are achieved by adding lots of pigment colouring to the base. The colour tints contain glycerine. The more vibrancy you want in colour, the more glycerine is needed in the paint. The more glycerine that is in paint, the longer it will take to dry. Since you don't want to open a window to help the paint dry during winter, you either need to wait until summer to use strong paint hues, or you'll need a heating source to help the paint dry.

Paint Type

Latex paint takes longer to dry than a water-based paint does. As latex paint dries, it forms a solid film which bonds to the wall. For the film to form, the water in the paint needs to evaporate. In cold weather, it takes longer for the water within the paint to evaporate. Again, you will need a heating source in the room to help the paint dry at a decent rate.

Home Heating

Finally, the type of home heating you have also plays a role in how long it takes for paint to dry during winter. Central heating which heats the whole home can increase the amount of moisture in the air. Not only does damp air lead to a longer paint drying time, but the moisture can mix with the wet paint and cause colour runs and setting issues. If your home is damp during winter, you will need to buy or rent a dehumidifier to reduce the moisture in the air of the room you are painting.

A professional painter has all the tools needed to successfully paint your home's interior this winter if you have concerns about doing the job correctly yourself.

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