Correct refinish techniques for summer

In many regions of the world summer brings hot temperatures coupled with either increased or very low humidity. Despite these demanding conditions, it is still possible to achieve outstanding refinish results. The increased risks for refinishing that the weather can bring can be reduced with a few simple steps. Kevin Welling, Training Academy Manager for Axalta Coatings Systems in the UK and Ireland, offers some valuable tips.

Tip 1: Choose the right combination of hardener and thinner.
When clearcoats are applied at high temperatures, choosing the right hardener and thinner is critical. To avoid drying problems and to ensure an impeccable result in terms of gloss and flow, refinishers should choose slower drying products. The temperature guidelines on the Standox hardener and thinner tins already offer some help in narrowing down the choice. For some VOC clearcoats that means using the Standox VOC 2K Additive instead of a thinner. In high temperatures, and for larger repairs, refinishers can rely on the new Standox VOC 2K Additive long. Further details can be found on the technical datasheets.

Tip 2: Don’t forget the humidity.
In some countries, summer means high humidity, which can affect the application of the Standohyd Plus Waterborne Basecoat. In higher humidity climates, they are easier to apply; refinishers will need less Standox deionised water for Standohyd in order to prepare the paint for spraying. In a hot and dry environment, however, waterborne basecoats dry very quickly. That represents a challenge for refinishers as the spray mist is not absorbed properly and clouding can occur. The correct product setting will keep the paint flowing long enough during application under difficult conditions to achieve good surface wetting. For Standohyd Plus Basecoat the deionised water can be increased slightly. Alternatively, by using Standohyd Plus Hot and Dry Thinner the paint can be adapted even more to the application conditions. The use of a larger nozzle also helps. Application advice for different additives can be found on the technical datasheets.

Tip 3: Paint in the morning.
As the temperature tends to rise during the day in the summer, and the drying cycles make it almost impossible to lower the temperature, particularly in combination spray booths, it is advisable to carry out larger or more demanding refinish jobs in the morning when it is still a little cooler. Plan your spray booth usage sequence of vehicles carefully when the weather forecast predicts extreme temperatures.

Tip 4: Wear a sweatband.
If you work with a respirator mask instead of a full protective hood, wear a headband when the weather is likely to make you perspire. This is a simple and effective way of preventing beads of sweat from falling onto the fresh paintwork and ruining an almost finished job.

Tip 5: Three hardeners for the Standocryl VOC-Xtreme Clearcoat K9580.
For the fast drying Standocryl VOC-Xtreme Clearcoat K9580, Standox offers three hardeners for different temperature and humidity levels: the Standox Xtreme Hardener short for use at low temperatures under very dry conditions, the Standox Xtreme Hardener for the middle temperature range and the new Standox Xtreme Hardener long specially for high temperatures and high humidity. Application advice for the individual Xtreme Hardeners can be found on the technical datasheets.

For more information on high temperature application, please contact your local Standox representative.