How to spray paint in the cold:

So I am painting a chair to sell at the Lancaster Yarn Shop! It is a knitting chair:-)
But here's the situation. I put my base coat on (usually, and yes in this case) with Rustoleum spray paint. However...it is 23F degrees today, and about 8F expected for tomorrow.

I really needed this chair painted with a base coat, so that I can spend my favorite weekend painting time writing the words on it, and all the fun stuff.

Last year I ruined a few pieces trying to spray paint in the cold. A terrible thing happens. The paint crackles and peels off.

Today I mastered how to spray paint in the cold. It works with moveable items. I wouldn't try this with like a dresser or anything. And remember, when it's cold, you take your chances that you'll ruin your piece. but if you want to ("try") get something painted, here's how I did it.


shake the can inside the house.
bring the can and the item to be painted outside onto the already protected surface.
quickly! put a layer on.
immediately bring the piece inside and set it on a protected surface inside (being careful not to touch a wet part, or get paint on you or anything else)
it will smell- FYI.
let it dry in your nice warm house for about half an hour.
repeat this process as often as needed, until you've painted the whole thing.

when you finish the last painting, let it dry inside for another half hour.
open a window near where the item is in your house, to air the house a bit. don't open a window that looks out to where you spray painted, or you will let the fumes in.

when I finished my chair and it was totally dry, I set it outside for a few hours to air out. It did not crackle.