Planning Your Exterior Painting Job with the Weather
If you live in one of the colder parts of the country, you might wonder, “When Is the Best Time to Paint Outside?” Can you paint when it’s cold outside? Does the paint require specific temperatures to dry? Should you wait for summer until you paint?
In this post, we’re going to answer those questions and a few more.
Can you paint when cold outside?
Most exterior paints need a temperature of at least 10°C to dry properly. That means that if the weather is freezing, it’s not the best time to paint the house. Painting in the heat of summer may not be the most enticing prospect, but it may be necessary to get a long-lasting finish.
After all, you don’t want to have to repaint in a few years again, do you? Wait until the winter cold is completely gone before deciding to paint the exterior of your home.
Skip the Rainy Season
Naturally, if you want the paint to dry as fast as possible, you want to avoid painting during the rainy season. If rain or snow is falling, it’s a bad time to paint. If you’re not sure, speak to a pro contractor to find out when the best time in your area is.
The Best Time of Year
This will depend on the weather conditions at the time. You ideally want to choose a time when the weather is fairly consistent. Late spring or early fall could also be good times to paint.
What kind of paint do you use outside?
You should be prepared to spend a bit more on paint for the exterior of your home. You’ll need a paint that is suited to the typical weather conditions in the area. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, you’ll need a paint that can shrug off the water.
If you live in a drier area, where extremes of temperatures are an issue, you’ll need a paint that can expand and contract without cracking.
Use a purpose-built exterior paint, or be prepared to paint again in a couple of years.
What is the best outside paint?
That’s going to depend on the area that you live in, the look you want, and the amount of prep work you want to do.
Our best advice is to choose the best quality paint that you can afford. Choosing a quality product will make maintenance a lot easier down the line. High-quality exterior paints will last at least five years, and usually a lot longer than that.
Don’t Neglect the Prep Work
Finally, to get the best possible results, you’ll need to do the prep work properly, which means cleaning the area well before applying the paint. Depending on the surface, you may need to sand it down so that the new paint adheres better.
It’s not a lot of prep work, but here are steps that you should never skip:
- Clean the walls off first. Scrub them down with a solution of soap and water.
- Tidy up the rough edges. Where paint is peeling, remove it.
- Fill holes or cracks in the wall.
- If necessary, sand the surface so that it is even.
- Paint on the primer coat.
- Now you can paint the house.
Final Notes
Painting the outside of your home is not something that you want to have to do often. That’s why it’s important to take the time and effort to do it right the first time. Don’t skimp when it comes to prep work or quality, and you won’t have to repeat the process anytime soon.
It’s a big job. If you need some help, give Mayfair Paint a call – we’ll make sure that the paint looks good inside and out.