Can Acrylic Paint Crack In The Cold?

Acrylic paint is a versatile, water-based art material that dries quickly, produces vibrant colors, and is easy to use. It’s one of the most commonly used paints that many artists prefer because of its low maintenance features. However, among other painting materials, such as watercolor and oil paints, acrylics require more attention in terms of their tolerance to low temperatures. Whether you work with acrylic paints regularly or are an amateur who’s planning to try this medium, you need to be careful of the temperature you store them in, especially if you live in a place with a cold climate. It’s best to learn this early to avoid damaging the paint and wasting money (we know art materials aren’t cheap)!

Can Acrylic Paint Crack in the Cold? Yes, acrylic paint can crack in the cold. If you store acrylic paint or painted objects below 49°F (9.44°C), they’ll become more susceptible to defects, such as weak film development and cracking.

So let’s discuss what happens when you store acrylic paint in the cold and talk more about why acrylics crack. I’ll also teach you how to prevent cracking in your acrylic paint and help you thaw it if it does freeze so that you can get a smooth, opaque finish every time.

Table of Contents

1 Acrylic Paint Can Crack in the Cold
2 Final Words
3 Source

Acrylic Paint Can Crack in the Cold

What Causes My Acrylic Paint To Crack?

A key point to remember is that acrylic paints are water-based, which means they have a fast-drying capacity and are subject to freezing. If you expose your dry acrylic paint to cold temperatures, it’ll inevitably be prone to cracking and damage over time.

Your acrylic paint will crack when the top layer of the paint loses moisture quicker than the underlying layer. As the bottom layers dry, it stretches the semi-hardened outer surface, which creates a crack.

This cracking happens in cold conditions, where microscopic ice crystals form and disrupt the stability of the paint through a chemical process called polymer coagulation.

In a more scientific explanation, disruption in polymer coagulation happens in extreme weather conditions as polymer chains don’t form correctly in acrylic paints’ drying process.

If your acrylic paint was at a frozen temperature, you could expect that it might become brittle, discolored, and permanently damaged once it goes back to an average room temperature.

At What Temperature Should I Store and Use Acrylic Paint?

Paint suppliers and manufacturers nowadays have different recommendations in terms of storage temperature. Still, to avoid confusion, remember to stick to the standard temperature, which is 60°F (15.56°C).

You should store and use acrylic paint at room temperature, above 60°F (15.56°C). Using and storing acrylic paints at temperatures lower than that can weaken the layers and cause cracking and chipping.

The thing to avoid is keeping them in places with a temperature lower than 49°F (9.44°C), also known as Minimum Film Forming Temperature (MFFT). If an acrylic painting is in conditions below the MFFT, problems such as cracking may occur during the curing process.

The mentioned values are standard temperatures, but some manufacturers of acrylic latex painting may recommend increased temperatures. For example, Crackle Paste’s suggested temperature range is between 65 to 75°F (18.33 to 23.89°C). It’s best to check the labels when you shop for acrylic paints to be sure.

Can I Thaw My Acrylic Paint when Cold?

The good news is that if your acrylic wasn’t frozen or exposed in the cold for a long time, you could still restore it to its original condition if you thaw it.

You can thaw your acrylics in two ways: submerging the sealed tubes in warm water until it’s softened or placing them at room temperature and waiting for them to thaw independently. Although the first method is the fastest way to restore your acrylic paint, the second one is still the safest.

Once your paint has thawed, you’ll see that it has separated a bit, but you can simply shake the tube or mix the paint by using a knife palette to combine them again.

Most acrylic paints are unusable if they undergo the freeze-and-thaw process multiple times or if they have been frozen for quite a while. In this case, it’ll have a lumpy consistency and may result in unwanted inconvenience during application.

Prolonged freezing may also reduce the quality of your painting. The best solution is to discard the paints and purchase new ones when this happens.

How Do I Prevent My Acrylics From Cracking?

If you fear that your acrylics may crack and become damaged during the cold season, worry not because these potential problems are easily preventable through proper care and planning.

The best way to prevent your acrylic paint from cracking is by making sure it’s stored correctly. So, keep your acrylics and acrylic paintings at room temperature to prevent cracking and a loss of paint quality.

If you live in a cold climate, ensure that your work area has temperature-regulating mechanisms like a heater. This prevention measure also applies to the temperature at which you’re painting and storing your finished paintings because even finished pieces are likely to crack when exposed to freezing temperatures for an extended period.

You’ll also want to keep your acrylic paintings as dry and warm as possible to ensure that they don’t become brittle, flaky, or cracked. If they do crack, you’ll likely need to start all over again (no one wants that).

If your area doesn’t have a heater, it’s advisable to store your acrylic paint in a more temperature-controlled part of your house. Using a container can also keep the temperature warmer. So, you can place your acrylics into a used shoebox or any compact container and secure them inside a shelf if you’re worried.

Final Words

Acrylic paints and paintings are sensitive to the cold because they are water-based. When they freeze, they are likely to thicken and separate, which causes cracking on your paintings.

However, as long as you keep your acrylic paints and painted objects within the standard temperature range, you won’t have any problem with their consistency and saturation. Even if your paints accidentally freeze in the cold, you can thaw them without losing quality. So, stay warm and happy painting!

Source

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