painting steps, rain, etc.

[nosredna]

I'm in Pennsylvania and need to paint my porch steps. The paint store told me I don't need a separate primer, that I should do an undercoat of

1 part mineral spirits and 9 parts paint (oil-based porch paint), then put on a top coat of full-strength paint. The instructions on the can say I need to wait 24 between coats. The weather has been so wacky--we never get two solid days of sun lately. Do I need to wait a whole 24 hours after the primer coat, since it'll be thinner because of the mineral spirits?

[SQLit]

The 24 hours is the drying time, in optimum conditions. You might have to wait several days for it to dry and then a couple more to put the new coat on. Hurrying it will only result in doing it again sooner than later.

[nosredna]

Okay, thanks. In other words, I will need, at minimum, two consecutive dry days, which doesn't look likely, according to the weather forecast. Is it bad to do the undercoat and then the top coat a few days later when the rain lets up again?

[m Ransley]

Did the can say 1 part thinner 9 paint ? If you wait you just have to sand as the film gets hard,

[nosredna]

The can says to use a primer; the paint store personnel said I didn't need to buy a separate can of primer--that I could mix 1 part mineral spirits to 9 parts paint and use that as a primer coat. Is it necessary to add sand to the final coat to prevent slipping on the steps?

[m Ransley]

If you dont want to slip add a no slip additive - sand. Its necessary to use sandpaper [sand the paint by hand ] if you wait for the recoat as the can says. Porch and floor paint [ which I hope you have ] dont usualy recommend a different product as primer. Just thinning as you are doing.