Garage without constant heating source...how do I avoid ruining paints?

[ukiltmybrutha]

I have lots of rattle cans, plastidip, and home paints.

Due to house design and other demographics it makes most sense to store all automotive and household items in the garage.

The garage is 792 square feet with 11 foot ceilings. I *assume* that 3 out of four walls are insulated. I know that the ceiling above it is not.

I am running a 30k Propane ventless BTU heater that takes about 6 hours or so to heat the garage up to about 68 degrees when it's say 30 out.

This is certainly doable when I have a large automotive project to deal with but I don't bother with heating and avoid the garage unless it is important or I wait for a warmer day.

I have in the past had my rattle cans, plastidip, and house paints in a sub-freezing unconditioned basement and never noticed any issues.

Is this really an issue?

I can't imagine the money it would cost to keep my garage heated all the time. FWIW, my entire home is heated with propane, there is a large tank buried in the ground and it is refilled by the propane company.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[bored350]

I can't speak to the paint truly being affected or not but I can tell you what I did when I needed to store some latex paint and rattle cans in an unheated building that frequently was below freezing for days. I grabbed a large chest freezer that the compressor died on for free (had to haul it away) then vented it on the top and a few spots on the sides toward the bottom (1" hole saw). Next, I bought a pair of heated floor mats and placed one on the bottom and the other laying around the perimeter of the chest. I monitored temps within the chest and they never dropped below 50* on the coldest (single digits) days and I never lost any of the stored paint. This worked for me for 3 years and then I sold the setup when I moved since I'm now building a conditioned shop.

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[Shiftless]

You don’t list your location, but when it gets as low as 30 outside, what is the temperature in your garage? I assume it’s attached to your house. The common wall probably leaks a bit of heat through to your garage. If it doesn’t get below 32 your latex paint won’t freeze.

If latex paint freezes, I’m pretty sure it’s ruined.

As a test, why don’t you grab a partial can of old paint in a color you don’t use anymore or pour out half a pint of good paint into a plastic container and put that in your freezer. After it’s frozen, take it out and let it thaw. Stir it up and try to use it. I’m betting you’ll find out that it’s ruined.

Spray paint and oil based enamels will be OK with the low temps.

 

[Kaizen]

This and an old fridge.
Drill some holes between fridge and freezer for heat to move. Took a light bulb from the fridge and put a plug on it. Kicks in at 40 which is fine.
I must have ten gallon cans and 30 other things like rattle cans and caulking and such.
Well worth the time

BN-LINK Digital Heat Mat... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I15S6OM/?tag=atomicindus08-20


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[Bert_]

Anything that can't freeze I bring into the basement of the house.

Oil base paint is fine I think but not sure about latex. I bring it all in, needs to be warm if you want to use it anyway.

 

[Don1357]

Get the cooler/fridge/insulated whatever.

Get a thermo cube. These are used on chicken coops and other places where you want a heater or light bulb to kick in at certain temperature. I have one that kicks in at 35f and shuts off over 45f

Get an universal silicone heating pad, the sort that gets glued to the engine so you can keep the oil warm.

Long story short stick the heating pad to a piece of metal so it can radiate heat better, connect it to the cube, and leave inside of your winter warming cabinet.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

I am in Central Virginia. Wild temperature variations during the winter but the garage does drop below 32 for sure.

These are awesome ideas.

Thanks.

 

[Black300zx]

The garage in my parent's house in SE PA is uninsulated and there are plenty of old rattlecans in his "paint cabinet" which are still usable several years later. I imagine latex paint will be a different story.

I can't imagine the money it would cost to keep my garage heated all the time.

Probably a heck of a lot more than it would cost to replace a few ruined rattlecans of paint

 

[Don1357]

The garage in my parent's house in SE PA is uninsulated and there are plenty of old rattlecans in his "paint cabinet" which are still usable several years later. I imagine latex paint will be a different story.


Probably a heck of a lot more than it would cost to replace a few ruined rattlecans of paint

The rattle cans are fine, or at least I can attest to hitting -25F and them being fine come summer. If it gets colder on your neck of the woods your mileage may vary.

 

[HaiKarate]

I'd consider how much latex paint I actually need/use vs. the PITA aspect of storing it. How much of the stuff do you have anyway? How much would it cost to rebuy? May be a better deal to just toss it than having it take up floor space and electricity with some homemade chest freezer contraption.

 

[65ranchero]

When you "assume" 3 walls are insulated are they covered in sheet rock?

 

[PugetDude]

I store mine in a shelf that butts up to an interior wall. Throw a heavy wool packing blanket over it in the winter. Hasn't frozen yet.

 

[Don1357]

I'd consider how much latex paint I actually need/use vs. the PITA aspect of storing it. How much of the stuff do you have anyway? How much would it cost to rebuy? May be a better deal to just toss it than having it take up floor space and electricity with some homemade chest freezer contraption.

Some you can't just buy... My house has some really nice color combos inside, I don't know the codes and there is a chance that if they mix it now that it will be a good match, I have found out that color mixing is not an exact science...

I have a few 1/2 gal mason jars with the matching paint I keep indoors. Early this very year I use them to cure scratches on the paint. I figure I will use them a few more times over the next few years.

 

[Don1357]

Double post

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

When you "assume" 3 walls are insulated are they covered in sheet rock?

Yes, they are covered in sheetrock.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

I'd consider how much latex paint I actually need/use vs. the PITA aspect of storing it. How much of the stuff do you have anyway? How much would it cost to rebuy? May be a better deal to just toss it than having it take up floor space and electricity with some homemade chest freezer contraption.

Two houses worth unfortunately.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

The rattle cans are fine, or at least I can attest to hitting -25F and them being fine come summer. If it gets colder on your neck of the woods your mileage may vary.

Good info on the rattle cans. I have a large crawl space that is conditioned but it is hard for me to get into due to bad knees etc. Since I won't always be going in there I will lean on that and hopefully my health allows me to do more in the future.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

The garage in my parent's house in SE PA is uninsulated and there are plenty of old rattlecans in his "paint cabinet" which are still usable several years later. I imagine latex paint will be a different story.


Probably a heck of a lot more than it would cost to replace a few ruined rattlecans of paint

Looool! Seems like rattle cans can take it anyways FWIW.

 

[Noltz]

Upright freezer storage with heating pad sounds like your best solution.