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So I tried to prime some of my new Eldar models last night, this being the first time I've primed outside in Florida on a horribly humid hot night. In retrospect, it should have been common sense, but I didn't quite realize the negative effect humidity would have on priming until I saw the results and used Google to figure out why they looked so craptastic. However, after some searching I'm finding it hard to get information on what humidity it SHOULD be to prime. I've rarely seen it below around 85% here, more often higher. What would be a good level of humidity to prime at? Would the temperature and time of day effect it? If all else fails, would opening my balcony window and spraying them on the inside threshold fix it or would the humidity still effect it?

Did you read the directions on the can? While it's not guaranteed, most will list a recommended humidity threshold along with an ideal temperature range for spraying. The gloss varnish can I have handy lists 85% as the recommended upper limit.

The most common recommendation I see from people living in particularly hot and humid climates is to spray early or late in the day, avoiding the worst of the weather. Shortly after rainfall is good, too, but that window is less than reliable.

Spraying indoors would solve the humidity problem, but fumes are problematic (as is overspray, if you aren't careful). When the weather is poor, I spray models in the bathroom (wearing a respirator would be smart, here, but the more reckless among us might just don a bandana or dust mask), letting a closed door and vent fan keep the stink contained.

Spraying shortly after opening a window should leave the air more than dry enough to spray, if your house is air conditioned. The models will continue to off-gas for a while, requiring continued ventilation, but once the paint has settled on the model, a bit of humidity is unlikely to ruin the cure, only prolong it. Just close off the room so that you don't heat up the entire house, or close the window and move the models elsewhere.

I live in Nevada and I stopped priming outdoors a couple of years ago. These days I use Vallejo Primer through a Airbrush. The only problem with the Vallejo primer is it needs to set aside for at least 24 hours in order for the primer to cure.

I live in the Carolina's and I would not prime outside at all. Humidity messes with every spray out there. If you have to prime outside do it at 5-7am only time during the day it's not to humid also bring them models inside the minute you finish spraying.

I live in New England, so also a very humid climate and at turns too cold to prime outside.

Gesso is the answer. I use Bob Ross brand black. It's almost impossible to over-brush it on, because Gesso contracts as it dries - so even if you slop it on, if you can make out the detail, it will dry up and contract so that the detail will not be obscured at all.

I switched to Gesso about 3 years ago, and i absolutely will not go back to spary primer at all. Any climate, any time of year, any humidity, and it dries to paintable quality in about an hour or two tops.

It's also cheap. The same bottle of black Gesso i've had for 3 years has done a 3000 point LM army, about 4000 of HE, 2500 points of VC, and literally hundreds of points of Privateer stuff, and i have over half the bottle left.

Its non toxic, wipes up with water off of just about any non-cloth surface (cloth, mkay, you're screwed, lol). No fumes, no smell actually period, and it comes right off of paint brushes.


Give it a whirl. You won't go back, I promise.


-- Haight

I live in Southern Illinois, where it gets so humid we can kick up our feet and just swim away.

I've seen the weird reactions you get from humidity effects when priming (like some crap Bill Nye would dream up while acid tripping) and I've fought this every step of the way since I started 40k.

My recommendations: prime at night if you can. Prime just after (or during, if possible!) a moderate to heavy rain. As far as brands are concerned, Rustoleum is the only one I've found that never had a bad reaction, even when I was using it high humidity. I cannot say enough good things about Rustoleum paints.

I lived in Florida for 7 years and primed in the worst and best humidity available. Here's the secret:

Store models and spray can indoors. Step out side, prime as normal and bring them indoors to dry.

This worked for close to 5000 points worth of Space Marines and Imperial Guard with nary a problem.

I live in florida aswell and I learned that priming outside wasnt gonna happen after being here a month. Ive primed in my garage ever since

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I'll try the idea of quickly taking them outside to prime then bringing them back in. If that doesn't work, hopefully a friend has a garage I can borrow or I'll just have to switch to non-spray primer.

If you do stick with spray priming, go with duplicolor sandable primer (comes in lots of colors, i have mostly used white and black). Its available at any auto parts store that sells auto paint.

It's the most humidity resistant one that i've found, personally.

I still say switch to Gesso, and cease caring at all about weather conditions or fumes.

Haight wrote:
I still say switch to Gesso, and cease caring at all about weather conditions or fumes.

YES!

I am a HUGE fan of gesso. For about 10 bucks you can prime literally hundreds of models without worrying about humidity or all that nonsense. I use it straight from the bottle and it works wonders. You can get alot more primer for your money and the fact you actually control where the paint goes is a HUGE plus.

Living in the UK, I don't think we ever get any weather that isnt workable for spraying apart from during rainfall.
Saying that, I do all my spraying in the shed unless the weather is beautifully sunny and calm outside (which isnt too often over here )
You should talk to people who spray cars in your area if at all possible, particularly those who would do it at home away from professional booths where the humidity and temp is all controllable. And see what tips/tricks they have for using the good old rattle cans when nature is against you.
I would expect that most paint manufacturers will make their paint to work reasonably in all the areas they want to sell it. So it might not take much to reduce the humidity down to a more friendly level for the paints. A small cheap de-humidifier running for a bit before spraying, and while drying (not during as it will suck up the overspray lol) might do the trick if you can confine a smallish space for spraying in... no home de-humidifier will make much impact on the great outdoors lol

 Todosi wrote:
I lived in Florida for 7 years and primed in the worst and best humidity available. Here's the secret:

Store models and spray can indoors. Step out side, prime as normal and bring them indoors to dry.

This worked for close to 5000 points worth of Space Marines and Imperial Guard with nary a problem.

This is the truth. I've lived in central Florida for most of my life and have to say this is what I do. Don't prime before or after it rains and bring the models indoors after you prime they should dry quickly so they won't be wet. My wife just complains of the smell as I walk by and put them in my hobby room. I tend to prime on Saturdays when there isn't a tropical storm moving through the state