What are the Best Conditions to Paint Your Home's Exterior?

3/25/2019 (Permalink)

Many homeowners are looking for a simple, lower-cost way to update their home. A fresh coat of exterior paint is inexpensive, protects the home from water and mold damage, and offers better curb appeal. So when is the best time of year to paint a home’s exterior? In order to ensure that you will get the most out of your new paint, it is essential that the job is done in the most ideal conditions.

Ideal Conditions for Exterior Painting

1. Outside temperatures: Paint manufacturers will usually recommend minimum temperatures for painting. Generally, a good guideline is that if you are comfortable without the heat or air conditioning, then it is a good time for painting. It is also best to paint in times with smaller temperature fluctuations. Big temperature swings from morning to night are not good when painting.
2. Rain and humidity: It is important to remember that paint should only be applied to a dry surface. The painting surface can become moist either by direct contact with rain or snow or indirectly by humidity or dew in the air. Always plan your painting project for times when there is no rain in the forecast for the next couple of days and be sure to wait to start painting after a rain until everything is completely dry. Also take note of humidity levels, as too high or too low humidity will influence how the paint dries.
3. Wind: High winds while painting or before the paint is completely dry will cause complications. Dust and other particles blown onto the wet paint surface will stick. Paint sprayers do not operate as effectively in windy conditions and ladders may be unstable.
4. Sunlight: Direct sunlight on drying paint can cause it to dry too quickly, leading to cracking or peeling. It is best to plan your painting route around the shifting sun.