When is the Best Season for House Exterior Painting?

You can paint the interior of your home any season. Controlling the temperature and humidity levels inside your home is fairly easy. Both temperature and humidity can be adjusted for painting.

But painting exteriors is a different ballgame. There is not much you can do to control the elements and other factors at play. Rather than trying to adjust conditions around your project, you need to adjust your project around conditions. 

The Best Season to Paint a Home’s Exterior

Painters in Santa Rosa, CA and other parts of Northern California recommend painting your home’s exterior during spring or summer. Summer has several rain-free days. The pleasant temperatures during spring and summer allow exterior paint to cure at an ideal rate.

You will spend less time prepping your surfaces and can quickly get to painting. Thanks to the heat, your paint will dry much quicker, allowing you to apply multiple coats in a single day.

Ideal temperatures for painting are between 50- and 90-degrees Fahrenheit. Paint on days when the humidity range is between 40 and 70 percent. Begin your painting project early in the morning. Paint in the shade. If you are using latex paint, consider adding 4-6 oz/gallon of clean water to maintain its workability.

Painting in Winter

In winter, both temperatures and humidity levels are not ideal for painting your home’s exterior. However, this is a time when you can start that interior home painting project you’ve been wanting to do.

Weather in winter can be unpredictable. If you do want to paint the exterior of your home during winter, it’s still possible. You can use cold temperature paints with the ability to dry at lower temperatures. Cold paint takes more time between coats to dry.

Apply paint between 10 AM and 2 PM to allow time for drying. Mix paint at room temperature. Use tarps and heaters.

Painting in Moist Conditions

Before applying paint to a surface, make sure it is dry. Check surfaces after rain. Even a slightly wet surface should not be painted immediately after rain.

Mike Chavez Painting is one of the most reliable local painting contractors near you. Our team comprises of expert painters. We will help you choose the right color for your home and design, and execute a plan customized to your needs. To talk to one of our professionals, call 707-623-5850.