You know, exterior painting is a little like camping. You plan for it, gather your gear together, invest in your favorite snacks, try (and often fail) to get a friend to come along, and hope that the all-important weather holds out. A rainy, stormy day can totally undo a lot of planning and preparation.
Aside from obviously being unable to paint in the rain (unless you really love messy, blended colors and were planning to highlight your landscaping anyway), a lot of homeowners wonder what really is the ideal painting weather?
The Best Temperature for Painting
As a general rule, the ideal temperatures for painting fall between 50 and 85 degrees. This means that late spring, summer, and even into the fall can suit the needs of your paint just fine.
Here’s another bit of good news: thanks to the continued development of quality formulas, there are some exterior paint options that are designed for application in even colder weather. As a couple of examples, take a look at Sherwin Williams’ Duration, or Benjamin Moore’s Regal Select. Products like these make painting possible even when the outdoor temperature dips as low as 35 or 40 degrees.
Painting in Wet Weather
As we said above, moisture is never the friend of exterior painting.
The key to a healthy, sturdy paint application is providing a clean, dry surface. With that said, after a substantial rainstorm it’s best to wait a couple of days to paint.
It also is important to be aware of temperature fluctuations. These are especially common in the early spring and fall, when the days get very warm but then become drastically cooler as soon as the sun goes down. Your paint will need a couple of hours before and after the dew point in order to be ready for action.
Bonus Tip – Follow the sun. Keeping the sun around the corner from where you’re working cuts down on both the need to bathe in sunscreen and the issues that can come from your paint drying too quickly.
Do You Need a Professional House Painter?
If so, the A.G. Williams Painting team would love to be of assistance. We can take the worries of “how” and “when” off your plate, and ensure that only the best practices and products will be used. Why not give us a call today?