All paints have a recommended temperature application range. This differs between different paints and depends on the paint base (water, oil, solvent), the brand, and whether the paint is for external or internal use.
A good rule of thumb is to apply plastic paints when the air temperature is between 12°C and 30°C. In this temperature range, paint won’t dry too slowly or too soon. It will bond to the UPVC through a gentle drying process.
12°C is about as low as you want to go with regular plastic paint, however, if you use a solvent-based paint, you can apply it down to 8°C.
UPVC can’t be painted at temperatures below 8°C without sacrificing quality in the finish. Cold weather slows the drying time down and extends the recoat time. Cold weather also has a tendency to create dew. This can ruin the finish.
UPVC should always be painted with a solvent-based paint because the solvents in the paint create the hardy finish needed for windows, doors, fascia and gutters. The solvents in the paint also act as a bonding agent, which completely eliminates the need for a plastic primer to be used before paint application.
And so, UPVC can be painted with special solvent-based paints down to 8°C and with standard plastic paints down to 12°C.
Don’t forget about the weather
In addition to the temperature range, it’s also important to consider weather.
Temperatures below 8°C can create dew, and wet weather makes painting impossible.
UPVC should always be painted in dry weather and ideally on an overcast day or in the shade because direct sunlight can cause the paint to dry too quickly. And if it does dry too quickly, it won’t bond with the surface correctly.
The ideal day for painting UPVC is a dry day with shade or an overcast. It can be painted in any season so long as the air temperature is 12°C to 30°C – or in the case of our special paint – 8°C to 30°C. We hope this answers your question.
