This is a question many people ask and the submission of the information is more valid than you think and the wrong timing leads to spending a lot of money for a paint job that ultimately gets wasted. The paint can end being much more expensive and you will have to paint again in the near future.
So, What is the Best Time to Paint the Outside of Your House?
The answer is late spring and early fall of the year.
Why timing of exterior painting is important.
Many exterior paints require the temperature to be 10 degrees so the curing will be effective. The paint gets too soft for bonding, and will not last. Most modern paints claim they work in cooler temperatures, but their paint ultimately performs much better in warmer conditions.
When painting hot conditions, you are also at risk of having extreme paint problems. When temperatures are too high, paint will dry way too fast. This can end up causing brush marks and a lot of paint can be wasted for a lower grade appearance.
If you are painting in summer, trying to paint early morning or late afternoon if possible. This will help to make sure the paint stays wet enough to have a strong and high quality adhesion to the area that you are painting.
Why Spring Works Well
Between late April and June, spring opening seasons are warming, with frost risk, and longer stable periods with warming.
The downsides of spring compared to other seasons are its shifting warmth. One week it can get lovely, and the next week it can be really rainy, and you won’t be able to get the job done. You’ll need a good weather window, ideally four dry days in a row. Even when you’re adding a second coat, the drying time before a layer of paint is crucial to a job.
To avoid morning dew problems, surfaces should be dry before you start. If moisture is building on surfaces overnight, you might have to wait until it’s gone as sun erosion to dry it mid morning.
Summer Sounds Obvious But…
The warm, dry, sunny days of this season are incredibly beneficial. However, it gets hot. Paint seems to dry good and quickly, stiffing it to a wall, and getting dry before a good job is done, especially on the south-facing wall with hot sun exposure.
Also, everyone wants their house painted in summer. If you’re hiring someone, they’re busy and booking weeks ahead. You’ll pay more and wait longer.
Having a rainy summer is unexpected and more disruptive than experiencing rain during the winter. In the winter you can plan around the weather, but during the summer, rain showers can create havoc.
Early Autumn Is Ideal
September and early October is an especially great time for exterior painting. The temperature is at a good level, the weather is clear, and it’s not too sunny so the paint can dry correctly.
In addition, you can get ahead of winter. Once the paint is applied and adequate time is allowed for it to dry, you can dodge the cold and rainy months.
And the only downside is there are shorter days. Once October rolls around you start losing daylight, but. Most of the time the weather is perfect so it’s worth it.
Winter Is Risky
November through March can be a bit of a gamble. The days are short, the temperatures and weather can be cold and rainy, and it can be tricky. If you’re lucky, you might get away with a couple days of good weather, but not likely.
Frost can ruin the paint if it freezes over before the surface can dry. The adhesion will fail, and you won’t be able to paint over the surface again. You’ll just be back at square one.
In the winter we will do exterior work if there are urgent repairs, or if the job is too small to wait, but we are very selective on the conditions, and we will let you know if it’s just impractical.
What Happens if it Rains?
Ideally, you should wait at least 48 hours after you paint before it rains, although at least 24 is necessary. Make sure you’re keeping an eye on the weather, and look at the forecast for a couple days after you paint, not just for the day you are painting.
If you are in the middle of painting and rain is in the forecast, just pack it up. If possible, you should cover what you have done and wait for better weather. There is no point in keeping moving forward, the rain is just going to cause the paint to run and get a streaky mess on whatever surface you are painting.
What you do when planning is just as important as the weather. These damp, muggy conditions are going to cause the paint to take a long time to dry. Especially if there is wood, it is soaking in the moisture and the paint is not going to be able to adhere properly.
How to Plan Your Painting
If you are painting it yourself, pick a time when you have a week or so free just to give yourself flexibility to work arund the weather. If you are hiring someone to paint, like in the spring and autumn, you should book early because the good painters are going to be busy during the best weather spans.
Don’t rely on weather long range forecasts, because the weather is very subject to change, but you can use it to get an idea. You should be flexible when it comes to timing and if the conditions look bad, just postpone to avoid bad results.
Late spring and early autumn are good times for setting things up. Stable temps. Reasonable humidity. Enough dry days to get things done. Summer should be fine although there are challenges. Winter should be avoided but can work as a last resort.
We know how unpredictable the weather can be. This is why we need to be flexible. But get the timing right and the work and the paint will last much longer.
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