Humidity & Gloss Paint - TIP

This is an important post for anybody spraying rockets in an area with high humidity! 

I may have figured out the relationship between humidity levels and gloss finish spray paint!

Boy, did I have this wrong!

Since moving to Florida in the early 1980s, I assumed humidity levels rose with the temperature.

In the Summer months, gloss finishes can dry with a flat finish. So, I tried spraying (outdoors) in the morning. I reasoned - cooler temps = lower humidity.

According to this chart, humidity levels are higher in the Morning then drop in the Afternoon.

Lately, I've been having a hard time getting gloss finishes to dry shiny.

Yesterday I sprayed a heavier final coat in the afternoon when humidity was lower. 

The paint went on wet and dried glossy!

Try a search of your state or better yet - your hometown humidity.

Insert your State (XXXXXXX) in this address:

https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/XXXXXXX/humidity-june.php

That will bring up the humidity for June in your state. Change the month as needed.

In the above Florida chart, the morning humidity was recorded at 8 a.m., the afternoon humidity was from 4 p.m. The humidity level recorded times vary in different state charts.

My spray cans say to spray when the relative humidity is 60 or below! 

I grew up in the Monterey Bay area of California. The average temperature was 70 degrees. If there was any humidity you didn't notice it. Back then, the old formula Krylon went on smooth and dried glossy!

TIP: If you live in a high temperature area, think twice about using a final clear coat acrylic. Acrylic clear coats get sticky on a hot day. By the time you walk your rocket to the launcher, there could be fingerprints left in the clear coat!