Exterior Painting—Can This Be Done in Fall and Winter?

Exterior Painting—Can This Be Done in Fall and Winter?

Exterior Painting—Can This Be Done in Fall and Winter?

You’re walking around your home, then suddenly you notice how dingy your exteriors are looking. It’s been a few years since you last painted, and your house is definitely due for an upgrade. However, it’s the beginning of autumn, and the weather isn’t exactly ideal exterior painting time. Does that mean you’ll have to wait six months until you can finally do the work that you need?

Depending on where you live, the readiness of your house painters, and a few other factors, you might be able to paint in the fall and winter. Here are the guidelines that can help you plan your next exterior painting job.

Think about the Temperature

Many paint manufacturers have a minimum temperature below which you cannot paint because then the paint won’t dry properly. However, thanks to advances in paint technology, this temperature has dropped over the years. Now, many prominent paint manufacturers make products that you can use above a minimum temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

A minimum temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit means that the temperature cannot dip below that point until the paint dries, so you need to carefully check the temperature for the few days and nights after your exterior painting project. While this means winter is off-limits in much of the northern United States, it extends the exterior painting season well into autumn.

Another factor related to temperature is temperature fluctuation. Paint manufacturers recommend conducting exterior painting when there is the least difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures. Sharp drops in temperature at night mean that frost or dew might form, and that stops your paint from drying properly. Early fall is actually the best time for exterior painting due to uniform temperatures throughout a 24-hour period.

Look for Sunny Days

Besides the temperature, you need to watch out for rain and snow. Exterior painting projects need several days of dry conditions for the paint to dry properly. If rain is more common in your region in the autumn, then fall is not the best time for painting.

However, that makes autumn and winter the ideal time for painting in some parts of the United States. States in the southeastern United States are prone to powerful rain showers in the summer, so fall and winter are actually better for exterior painting there.

Tips for Exterior Painting in the Fall and Winter

Although conventional wisdom says fall and winter are bad seasons for exterior painting projects, depending on weather conditions, it can be done as long as you carefully monitor weather conditions.

Another tip is to check which material you are working with. Painting on wood is easier than vinyl or aluminum because it is warmer.

The paint that you choose also matters. Manufacturers such as Sherwin-Williams make paint that has an extra durability rating for low temperatures. As long as you paint during the warmest part of the day and temperatures don’t go too low at night, your project will succeed.

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