For paint to adhere and dry properly to a home's exterior surface, consider painting it during the fall season, when temperatures are cooler. There is a constant debate about which season offers the best climate for painting houses. With people on all sides of the argument, here's what's important for you to know. There's no doubt that you can paint your house in the fall. Fall can be ideal for painting houses, as it's a little cooler than summer, and the weather is generally quite good.
This is a miniature meteorology lesson: the dew point is the temperature at which moisture condenses on a surface. So what does this mean for painters? Paints, dyes or primers should not be applied unless the surface temperature is at least 5° higher than the dew point. Remember that all surfaces to be stained or painted must be clean and dry. If dew forms on a painted surface that hasn't cured properly, you may experience some problems with water stains or surfactant leaching, especially in darker colors.
The temperature and weather conditions must be right for a professional finish and a long-lasting paint job. The use of sandpaper can be effective in this case, but remember that safety comes first: always use masks when sanding painted surfaces, especially if lead-based paints were previously used, as explained in the EPA guidelines. It may seem that everything is going well at first, but due to the conditions, some of the ingredients end up coming to the surface, over the course of a year or two, and the paint starts to peel off again. For example, if you live in New York City, the average temperature in October is 47 degrees, making it ideal for painting.
To obtain a professional and durable finish, experience and internal knowledge in preparation, techniques, paints and color management are needed. Wendy adds: “This is especially important when painting with darker colors, which have more colorant, or when applying a latex paint over an alkyd primer. But remember: humid days aren't ideal for outdoor painting because humidity causes problems, such as peeling and cracking over time. Anderson Painting is a licensed professional painting company based in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving the Great Triangle area.
It can be tempting to paint the outside of your home yourself, especially if you want to cut costs. Depending on the time of year, it can be difficult to schedule painters to come to your house to paint. The experience of homeowners who decide to paint their homes in the fall varies, providing useful information for those considering this option. Most homeowners schedule maintenance and improvement projects, including exterior painting, in the spring and early summer. The right conditions can make a difference, allowing paint to dry evenly and adhere properly.
Fall may be the best time to paint because there is less difference between high and low temperatures over a 24-hour period.
