claudiusx":nwf5jdnf said:
It all depends on what type of paint you use.
This is the statement that says it all with regard to both fumes and curing/drying times.
The problem with paint & other finishes is
off-gassing VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Here's an article that IMO explains things pretty well:
https://www.thespruce.com/low-voc-paint-and-no-voc-paint-1976533
You can find more info by googling:
VOCs
Unfortunately, many plastic tubs can/may
also off-gas VOCs and/or
other toxic substances (e.g. vinyl chloride gas from PVC plastic). So again, it all depends on what type of
plastic tub you use.
If, when you remove the lid from a tub, you smell any kind of odor, it's off-gassing
something. Whether that something is toxic or not is the question.
Think about canaries in mines. Small animals are likely to be more sensitive than humans to many gasses/fumes/toxins. Personally, I'd rather err on the side of caution. At the very least, I'd suggest finding out what kind of plastic the tub is made of, and do a little homework. :wink:
That said, I agree with getting some help and moving the primary enclosure to a safer place until the paint is
completely dried/cured--which could take up to 30 days for latex paint.
Paint doesn’t cure, or reach maximum hardness, until days after the paint is dry.
Oil-based paints cure faster (in about 7 days) than latex paints (in about 30 days).
https://www.glidden.com/inspiration/all-articles/how-long-does-paint-take-to-dry-cure
YMMV.