Non drying floor paint

[stuartpaul]

The conversion of the garage to workshop continues. Yesterday was paint the floor (well, half of it) day and today was supposed to be finish the wiring day. However, after something like 20 hours the paint still hasn't dried! I clearly can't walk on the floor but I suspect from the degree of sheen it's the same as near the door.

It was 'old stock' (Wickes garage floor paint) in that I've had it for about 6 or 7 years but it was given a good stir and showed no signs of being unusable. Floor had been previously sealed with a diluted coat of PVA (as I had done before with good results).

I think I have two options. Firstly just wait (and wait , and wait). Given current state of tackiness I reckon it will dry eventually but will take many days (time I don't really have). Secondly, attack with white spirit and 'scrub' the worst off, - messy but doable. I reckon this will mean I can get a dry surface overnight.

Any suggestions as to what might have gone wrong and any further thoughts on remedial options?

Thanks
Stuart

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Ventilate and get some air movement and possibly some warmth in there.

 

[pcb1962]

Does it say anything on the tin about working temperature?

 

[AJB Temple]

Depends on type of paint. Some dry by evaporation (e.g. water or solvents) and others by polymerisation (chemical reaction). Air flow and temperature will be factors with evaporative drying. Old paints can degrade and will take ages to dry if they depend on chemical reaction to do so.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I think you have little option but to sit and wait. I can see trying to scrub off half a floor of sticky paint is going to be the biggest mess you ever did see, and will take a bath-tub of turps to do it.

Not what you wanted to hear, I know.

 

[DrPhill]

I think you have little option but to sit and wait. I can see trying to scrub off half a floor of sticky paint is going to be the biggest mess you ever did see, and will take a bath-tub of turps to do it.

Not tried it myself, but If I needed to remove sticky paint I would start by working in fine sand. At least some of the paint will stick to the sand which could then be shovelled out. The remainder of the floor will now be coated in slightly less sticky sand/paint. Maybe a repeat of the process would help, but this may at least reduce the amount of solvent needed - dont want to be breathing in any solvent.

Just my tuppence.....

 

[stuartpaul]

Thanks all, - it is s l o w l y drying. I've done what I can to improve ventilation and it appears to be making a difference. I can't get any heat in there due to inability to run any power there so I suspect it may take a few days.

This must be chemical reaction otherwise the solvent based stuff would have long ago evaporated.

I wasn't thinking about a full on scrub using gallons of white spirit, more a simple 'wash over/wipe off' in the hope of removing the worst of the undried paint. I know it would have been extremely messy but in the absence of any drying it would have been something of a hail mary approach.

Anybody interested in a tin of 7 year old slow drying floor paint?

 

[RobinBHM]

On the bright side at least its a non slip surface

 

[Freddyjersey2016]

Assuming this a simple solvent based paint (rather than a 2 part expoy paint) - as you sealed it first, the solvent could not penetrate the concrete - it needs to evaporate - I think the only solution is to warm the garage up with a couple of fan heaters and wait. Trying to clean it off will just make a fearful mess - I'd grab a beer and watch the Calcutta Cup ...

 

[whiskywill]

watch the Calcutta Cup ...

I'd rather watch paint dry.

 

[stuartpaul]

It's now dry, - took a little over 48 hours to fully dry to a point where I was happy to walk on it. Absolutely no idea why it took so long other than it was old paint and might have 'gone off' a bit. The remainder will be binned rather than go through that again!

 

[Psw1811]

Glad to hear all worked out ok