If you’ve been considering painting the exterior of your home in the near future, but you are concerned about autumn or winter weather potentially having an adverse effect on the finished product, your fears may not be unfounded. There are, as a matter of fact, certain ideal temperature ranges for both latex and oil-based outdoor paints. In this question and answer guide, you will learn more about these temperatures and how to know for sure if it’s too cold to do an exterior painting job.
What are the perfect temperatures to paint?
If you’re planning to use latex paint for your upcoming outdoor project, the ideal temperature range is relatively small, with anywhere from 50-70 degrees being perfect for the task. If, on the other hand, you intend to use oil-based paint, you have a bit more leeway, with temperatures between about 50-90 degrees being acceptable. It is worth noting that painting when the temperature is one or two degrees hotter or colder than these guidelines probably won’t cause major issues, especially if it is not humid outside, but you should still pay attention to them to avoid problems.
What will happen if I paint it when it’s too hot or too cold?
If you decide to go ahead and complete an exterior painting project even though the weather falls outside of the ideal temperature guidelines, there are a number of issues that could occur. If it’s too hot, paint can dry too fast, which doesn’t give it time to adhere properly, leaving spotty and streaky areas on your surface. Furthermore, painting in extreme heat is likely to cause the paint to blister, creating extra work for you since you’ll have to scrape those areas and redo them.
If it’s too cold outside, on the other hand, the paint is likely to take far too long to fully dry, which leads to a whole different set of issues. Wet paint attracts everything from dust to insects, leaving your fresh paint job riddled with dead bugs and other debris. This can be nearly impossible to fix without starting from scratch. Your best bet is to wait until the weather is right for your project simply!
Are there other factors I need to consider?
In addition to checking your local Carolina weather report for the temperature on the day you want to paint outside, you should also pay attention to the humidity level. High humidity, which can affect most areas of both North Carolina and South Carolina, can cause paint to discolor almost instantly via a process known as leaching. Excessively humid conditions can also lead to adhesion issues, especially on wood siding or trim, which can result in peeling, bubbly paint.
If you are starting to wonder if outdoor painting is even something you want to try, don’t fret any longer and turn to the experts at Hatch Homes. Although exterior paint jobs can be a do-it-yourself task, allowing professionals to handle your next job will give you peace of mind that everything will be done correctly in appropriate temperatures. The less you have to worry about during any kind of remodel, the less stressed you and your family will be!