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You already know that people hardly perform exterior paint jobs during the cold winter season. However, you may not know other reasons for avoiding winter paint jobs. Likewise, you may wonder when the best time is to paint house exteriors - especially if you have a painting project.
This article discusses the reasons for painting your home's exterior, the best time to paint your house's exterior, and tips for painting your home's exterior. You can also read up on the best time for interior painting jobs and the qualities to look for in commercial painting companies.
Reasons to Paint Your House's Exterior
Here are some benefits and reasons to paint your house's exterior:
Improved curb appeal
Exterior painting tends to weather over time. Painting the exterior of your house helps it to recover its curb appeal.
Addressing wearing caulk and peeling paint
Caulks help seal up joints between paint surfaces. It can lose elasticity over time and start to wear down. This is an excellent reason and a sign to refresh your house's exterior paint. Other signs of wear and tear that may make you want to repaint include shrinking wood and flaking paint.
Refreshing fading paint colors
This is one of the common reasons to repaint your home's exterior. Besides, trends in exterior paint color change, and you may choose to update the paint colors with a fresh coat of paint. Remember that this can be a perfect opportunity to use a lighter color, as dark colors tend to fade more quickly.
Prepping Up Before a House Sale
In the first instance, repainting your home increases its property value. In addition, you may need to repaint your house exterior to help guarantee a quick house sale.
Best time to paint your house's exterior
The cold temperatures during winter may make you want to avoid painting the exterior of your home during winter—the best months for exterior painting fall between March and October. Read on for other clues on the best time for exterior paint jobs.
Best weather conditions for exterior house painting
The rate at which paint dries depends on weather conditions, such as temperature. It would be best if you had a good weather condition for your paint job to look its best. Painting your home's exterior on warm, dry days is best.
Low temperature
Some expert painters recommend not painting when the outside temperature is below 50F. However, modern paint formulations give room for temperatures as low as 35°F. You can check weather conditions to know their nature before, during, and after paint day.
Rainy and humid weather
A great reason to avoid outdoor painting projects during wet or humid weather is because moisture can cause paints to dry badly. You can perform outdoor painting projects when the humidity is mild and between 40 and 70%. Note that your siding may need extra days to dry out if it rains before you paint.
Temperature changes
Keep in mind that paint reacts to significant temperature fluctuations. Ultimately, performing exterior paint jobs in early summer and early fall is best. The weather conditions during these seasons have reduced rain, and temperature fluctuations are minimal.
Therefore, you can paint more smoothly, and your paint dries and cures quicker. This is unlike the winter months when it takes longer for exterior paint to cure properly due to lower temperatures.
When it's too hot for exterior painting
While summer is an excellent time for exterior paint jobs due to reasonably dry weather, some days have extreme heat. Too much heat can make the paint dry too quickly. This can result in unsightly brush marks, and paints on brushes can quickly form clumps.
Besides, it's undoubtedly more uncomfortable to paint during extreme heat.
As such, you should paint on a day that is not so hot. You can check humidity levels, as paint dries better when humidity levels are not too high.
Tips for Painting Your Home's Exterior
- Obvious as it may seem, do not paint on rainy days. Your painting surfaces need to be fully dry for an even paint application.
- Stick to the acceptable temperature range for painting. You may have a problem with how your paint dries if you paint during extreme heat.
- Outdoor painting jobs are better done before November, as some climates get too cold. However, other climates are still warm enough, even in early winter.
- Remember to keep yourself hydrated when painting during summer. Take needed breaks and protect yourself from direct sunlight.
- One pro tip is to check your local average monthly rainfall and choose days with clear and calm forecasts.
- If you must paint during winter, the temperature should be above your paint's recommended minimum for better drying times.
- Painting during winter is also better when there is low humidity. The drying times are less long.
- You need to allow enough time for water-based latex paint and oil-based paints to cure well. The water must naturally evaporate even though oil-based paints have a wider curing temperature range.
- There are benefits to hiring a professional residential painting company. They can provide a color visualization to test the best colors for making houses look fresh.
Best Time for Interior Painting Jobs
Now that you have an idea of the best season to paint the exterior of your house, you may wish to know the best time for painting house interiors. This is because you may want your house painters to add a new interior coat of paint to refresh your indoor look after finishing with the exterior of your home.
Indoor painting does not necessarily depend on outdoor weather conditions. This is unlike the fixed weather requirements for painting house exteriors. You can generally perform interior paint jobs at any time. Some house interiors have controlled interiors with adjustable temperature and humidity levels.
As such, weather conditions and outside temperature do not affect interior painting jobs much. However, note that you need to have good humidity. Otherwise, the paint will have longer drying times and find it more challenging to stick to wall surfaces.
Frequency of House Exterior Painting
The average frequency of painting a home's exterior is between 5 and 10 years. So, when it's over five years, you should be thinking it's time to repaint your house's exterior.
You may refresh the exterior paint of aluminum siding every 5 to 10 years to get your home looking new. On the other hand, brick exteriors can do with a fresh coat of paint every 3 to 5 years.
What to Look for in Commercial Painting Companies
Professional painting contractors can get your exterior to look fresh. Their work can also protect underlying materials.
- An excellent commercial painter takes pride in making sure the paint quality for paint jobs is high. Otherwise, you may have to repaint your house in no time.
- Your professional painter should be experienced in helping you choose the perfect weather for your exterior painting project.
- They should be able to advise you on the best quality and type of paint for your climate.
- It shouldn't be too much for them to help you determine the best time to paint your house.
- Their process for exterior paint jobs is thorough. They should give enough time for external paints to get adequately cured.
- With their pressure washing services, they should be able to make your home look cleaner.
- Safety is paramount, so your painter should have all the necessary equipment.
- They should also be well-licensed and insured.
Experts Can Help With Exterior Painting
This article should have answered your question so you no longer need to ask: "When's the best time to paint my house?" You also read up on the reasons for painting your home's exterior, the best weather conditions for exterior house painting, and the best time for interior painting jobs.
It would be best if you didn't only think about the cost of painting when it comes to painting outside your house. You may spend more money long-term if you go down the DIY route. A professional painting company can help you out with exterior house painting. They have the right paint professionals who have experience painting outside homes.
