Paint for interior of safe

Peter Nelson <NELSON [at] jeflin__tju__edu> writes

>We recently acquired a new fire-proof record safe for secure storage of
>our especially valuable objects, records and (I hope) books.  Since we
>installed it one month ago it has given off a distinct odor of fresh
>paint. The vendor told me that this is normal since every safe is
>painted just before leaving the factory, and that the smell would
>dissipate in a few days; the service manual likewise claims that "the
>fumes present no threat to users or to information stored within."

Re: The solvent-filled safe:  I would be more concerned about the
fire-proofing material in the walls, which is often a plaster compound
that is extremely hygroscopic and that creates an abnormally high
interior RH.  Some manufacturers use a non-hygroscopic material, but I
don't know which use what.  The "new-paint" or solvent smell is unlikely
to effect paper, but it could effect certain adhesives, pyroxylin
bindings or even some electrostatic copy images.  The effect is likely
to be fairly minimal unless such objects are physically against the
paint, in which case they could stick to it.  I recommend leaving the
door open with a heat lamp or other heat source directed at the interior
to accelerate off- gassing.  Leave it "cooking" for several days or
maybe even a week. Some paints (especially some acrylics) release
solvents very slowly.

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:41
                Distributed: Thursday, December 1, 1994
                        Message Id: cdl-8-41-004
                                  ***