When is the Best Time to Paint Your Home’s Exterior?
There are many factors that go into when you can paint your home’s exterior. In our latest blog, we discussed the signs that your exterior needs to be repainted, but how do you know when your home can be repainted? In this blog, we’ll look at how weather affects paint application, weather to avoid, and the best time(s) of year to repaint your home’s exterior.
How Does Weather and Temperature Affect Paint Application?
Temperatures that are too hot or too cold can cause issues with paint application.
Adverse Effects of Hot Weather
If the weather is too hot, your paint won’t bind correctly to its surface. This heat causes cracks, blisters, and bumps in the paint. Additionally, when the temperature is too high and/or you’re painting in direct sunlight, paint can cure too quickly. Even though it seems great to have paint dry quickly, there is such a thing as it drying too quickly, which can cause problems with the paint adhering well to the surface.
Ace Hardware Painting Pro Tip: Don’t paint in direct sunlight and check your surface before painting to ensure it feels cool to the touch.
Adverse Effects of Cold Weather
If temperatures are too cold, the paint will take much longer to dry. It takes longer to dry because paint becomes thicker in colder temperatures. Cold weather will also extend the painting project since the paint will take longer to cure. You’ll need to wait at least 24 hours before applying a second coat.
Weather to Avoid
- This probably seems obvious, but it is worth mentioning. There are a few reasons for you never want to paint in rainy weather. First, you want your surface to be dry before painting so that the paint is able to bond well to the surface. Second, if it’s raining during your project, the paint won’t be able to dry correctly causing issues.
- Many of the rain issues also apply to humid weather, which isn’t as harsh as rain, but because of the moisture content, can cause the same issues.
Ace Hardware Painting Pro Tip: Check your surface before painting to see if it feels wet. If it is even slightly wet, wait to paint it.
- Wind, like heat, can cause paint to dry too fast. When paint dries too fast, it will cause the end product to have imperfections, such as cracks and blistering.
- Temperature Fluctuations. Paint has difficulty drying well when temperatures fluctuate a lot. Those in desert climates need to be watchful of this since temperatures can change drastically in a day there.
In What Temperatures Should I Paint?
As you can see, weather and temperature have a big effect on paint and paint application. To achieve the best results for your home, there are temperature zones you’ll want to stay inside.
When you’re using oil-based paints, paint should be applied between 40- and 90-degrees Fahrenheit. When you’re using latex or acrylic paints, paint should be applied between 50- and 85-degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re still unsure of the best temperature for your specific paint product, check the paint can for a temperature range, contact the paint manufacturer, or contact a professional painting contractor.
When is the Best Time to Repaint My Home’s Exterior?
Residents of the Denver Metro Area in Colorado can likely paint their exteriors at any time during the summer, late spring, and early fall! The average high in Denver during the summer rarely exceeds 90-degrees Fahrenheit. However, you probably won’t be able to paint between late November and late February due to the cold temperatures.
If you’re a resident of another area, check your average high and low and keep an eye on the weather if you plan to paint your exterior outside of the late spring and early fall windows.
Ace Hardware Painting Pro Tip: Check the weather forecast before picking days for your project. Most exterior paint projects take a full two days to complete, so you’ll want to ensure you have two to three days of weather that can give you the best results!
In general, painting your exterior during late spring and early fall is the best time. However, hiring professional painters is your best bet for a beautifully painted exterior. Painting contractors can better navigate weather conditions mainly because we have the tools to do so. Also, professional painters paint more quickly and efficiently than homeowners, so the paint job isn’t subject to a month’s worth of weather.
Want to have your exterior repainted this year? Reach out! We’d love to show you how we’re raising the bar on what to expect from a painting project.
