Paint drying time?

[ericmark]

Where I volunteer we have a load of benches for use by the general public, we would pull in the bad ones each winter and repaint, and we had experimented with plastic instead of wood, so no need to repaint, just one done to date, and it is working well, but to use plastic we have to put angle iron underneath, or it will droop over time, so it is a big job to replace with plastic.

This year we could not use the space normally used to repaint in, so we have around 3 benches needing either plastic or repainting.

Using oil based paint, some bits can remain transferable a month after painting, in general the paint is dry in a day or so, but any drips missed etc, can stay wet for a month, when we have painted wood before fitting like with a signal box refurbishing, we have found paint on our hands, two weeks after painting, so to repaint in summer, can't be sure safe to put back in use until a month after last coat.

So my thought is water based paint, which seems to dry faster, to a safe level where it will not transfer, idea is just to do the very bad benches, and over winter will start using plastic again, but the question is, why was water based paint not used before?

I know not as good preserving wood to oil based, but looking at a stop gap, not to last for years. So what is wrong with fast drying water based paint?

 

[Wayners]

Oil based paints are so different to old formulas. Many of the chemicals VOC have been banned now.
You could add harder and driers to the paint you have as that will help greatly. Maybe try that

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

My only experience of fast drying paint is that's it's a pain in the arse, it dries so bloomin quick that if you need to over-brush an area that is beginning to dry, you can never get a good finish. Horrible stuff. That said I've only ever done paneled doors with it so perhaps if you're doing slats(?) then you can do one slat at a time from one end to the other so less need to over paint anything.

That said when you see benches painted out and about they're only taped up with wet paint notices for a day or two, then the weather/people can get back at them so is this really an issue?

 

[Wayners]

I'd use the cheap HVLP from Screwfix and spray it because of the slates.
Stuff trying to coat them with a roller and brush..
With waterbased you have to be quick ISH as after 5 mins it starts to skin.
You need to get plenty on and let it settle.

Often people apply around 40 microns when you need to be around 100 microns or more thickness.
When you are shown its a wow and a lightbulb moment.