Noob Question: paint fumes.

[Graffiti]

Please let me explain my situation before I get to the foolish question. Basically I've built a large flowering chamber and a two shelved veg chamber. I started my seeds before both boxes were finished because I knew that if I had to get it done I would, but if there was no urgency then i'd prolly just sit around stoned all day with a handfull of seeds, a light, and no way to put them together... if that makes sense. I have no carpentry skills and both projects were much larger than anticipated. Now I've got the boxes finished, but I couldn't paint them in time and I've already got plants in both cabs. I'm really starting to see how much white paint would be helping the lighting in my boxes but I want to keep everything perpetual and there won't be a time when the flowering box will be empty and I don't really have room to put them anywhere else in my apartment for more than a day.

SOOOOO, I was wondering. If I paint my boxes up white, give it a day to dry with the fan on it, then throw my girls back in, will they be harmed by any remaining fumes?...it's prolly funny to see a graffiti writer asking yall questions about paint.... but still, i have no idea how it would effect my plants.

any advice would help, thank you

 

[pokerfish]

Simply, don't paint. Use any of the reflective materials you can purchase at the stores- they will perform better & clean easier. best.

 

[dyren]

Look for black/white Poly, sometimes called Panda film I believe.

http://mdhydro.com/mylar.html

^ here's a link, the second item is the one you want. Of course you could go for mylar too since you don't need the light blocking effect of the black/white poly.

 

[Graffiti]

I appreciate your replies, but I'm still looking for an answer to my question. I would much rather paint it then try to hang up poly or use mylar. I don't really have any reason other than preference, and I want to sort of seal it so the stank doesn't get soaked up into the lumber.

 

[10k]

titanium white paint outperforms any reflective product on the market hands down fact of life, but all paints will off gas fumes for more than a day, even if you bake it dry.

I'd go with a temporary fix like mylar or panda film for now and paint it later on between runs for more drying / curing time, but if you must paint it..keep the exhaust system running full time the first couple days at least.

 

[Graffiti]

Thanks 10k. I figured it would take more than a day. It prolly wouldn't help if I like wiped the surface down with a cleaning solution after it's dry, would it? Oh well, since I only got 2 females out of my 10 Big Bud seeds, I might as well just give it a try, I'm already full of disappointment, and I have tons of other seedlings sprouted for backup and a handful of new genetics on the way. Maybe I can convince the wife to sleep on the couch bed for more than a day while the plants sleep in our bedroom... we'll see.

Well, Ill check out the reflective material and see how much it costs, maybe if it's within my price range i'll change my stubborn mind. Thanks again.

 

[K.J]

It's very simple Graffiti, use no-VOC paint, available at your local Home DePot. I'm sure you can walk into ANY paint store these days and come away with a high quality no-VOC paint that's non-toxic. We used some from Home DePot on our cab and it worked great; nice paint, looks great, ZERO toxic fumes/odors.

It's a bit more expensive than regular paint, but it shouldn't take more than a gallon and it's well worth the expense to have clean air for your ladies.

 

[Graffiti]

That's what I need to know! Thank you KJ, you're inhaling the knowledge and I'm catching the second-hand contact. I'll see what I can get ahold of, right now i've got 'the cheapest they sell' which probably means 'gives off the most fumes' lol. Payday tomoro, back to work on the boxes!

 

[itsaplant]

i would just mylar untul grow is done and then fix

 

[K.J]

That's what I need to know! Thank you KJ, you're inhaling the knowledge and I'm catching the second-hand contact. I'll see what I can get ahold of, right now i've got 'the cheapest they sell' which probably means 'gives off the most fumes' lol. Payday tomoro, back to work on the boxes!

Hey, you're welcome. That's what we're all here for!

Here's one brand that you may want to look for. If you try and buy it through the website, it'll ask for your zipcode and if you're within 15 miles of a store that carries it you will be directed there. So that's one way to see who carries this kind of stuff around you. Check them out here: http://www.mythicpaint.com/

 

[JamieShoes]

like an idiot (yes I said it so you don't have to) I went ahead and painted the inside of my box last week, without giving any real thought to fumes. I moved the plants out for about 48 hours, vented the area well and then put them back afterwards...nothing has died....yet


oh and its GLOSS as I can't read dutch and bought the wrong paint - so very smelly/gaseous... it's a mistake I won't make again but it hasnt done too much damage as far as I can tell... let's wait n see if it taste like dulux dog in a bowl though eh


edit - just to be clear - I don't think what I did was big or clever, I don't recommend anyone else to do the same, I'm not trying to say it's ok to do this... simply that I did and so far it looks like I'm lucky