​When Is It Time to Do Exterior Painting?

When you rub your hand over the surface of an exterior wall and powder from paint comes off on your hand, it is probably time to paint. This is called oxidization and as paint ages, it will be a victim of the natural process. After all, with nothing but fresh air outside, it's inevitable.  Home owners and property owners always ask ‘when is it time to paint my exterior surfaces’?  So, now that we know the paint’s oxidization conditions are sending a message to paint, when is it a good time to paint?

​Exterior Painting and the Weather.

It is generally considered a good time to paint when weather conditions are stable and minimum temperatures are not falling below 50 degrees overnight, although with some of the newer products, this hard rule from past years is easing up a bit.  Some paints can tolerate low temperatures of 40 degrees and will still cure properly and last accordingly.  Technology is a wonderful thing.  Just as important are the extreme high temps that can happen during the warmer seasons.  Paint does not like to be painted while temps are over 90 degrees, and temperature fluctuation is a factor as well.  40 at night and 95 during the day will wreak havoc on the curing of the paint and its lasting ability will be reduced.
  
This brings us to the value of painting in fall or spring.  Exterior painting might best be done in fall or later in the spring when temperatures are comfortable but moderate and fluctuations between night and day are quite limited.  It would seem that in the northern climates house painting can be done as early as late April and as late as November.  Further south one could begin painting in March and going as late as December.  It’s always best to check the forecast.  If you are looking for the longest lasting paint job, it is so important to spend some time looking at the weather patterns for extreme heat, humidity and sudden projected drops in temperature and making sure you take advantage of best times for you and your painter if you are having the house professionally painted.  It just makes sense.   

Can Exteriors be Painted if Moisture is Present?

If the surface is not dry then paint should definitely not be applied. Most people know that paint will not adhere to a wet surface properly but they need to know that extreme humidity can be just as damaging to a pint job as direct rain. To be safe always wait at least a day, or even two, after a rainfall to ensure dry surfaces and even if the surface feels dry, it may not be.  Wood and masonry are porous and can still be wet inside where you can’t see it. If there has been a rain, or rain is on its way, often that can mean humidity so be careful and check closely for that.  Morning dew should not be overlooked; warm evenings and mornings can leave dew on surfaces and will cause the same problems as humidity.
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