When Is the Best Time to Paint a House Exterior?

If your home’s exterior is looking lackluster, it may be time for a fresh coat of paint. Faded and damaged paint can hurt your property’s curb appeal and make your home feel significantly less home-y. But when is the best time for that new paint job?  The experts at Rhino Shield of New England recommend painting your home’s exterior during a warm and dry period in the summer or early fall.

Why Paint in the Summer or Early Fall?

No one wants to be outside painting when it’s freezing cold and snowing, but that’s not the only reason to avoid painting your home’s exterior in the winter. Cold weather makes it more difficult for paint to properly dry and cure, causing potential cracks and peeling. Snow can also add troublesome moisture to the mix. Precipitation like rain and snow makes it harder for paint to be applied and dry evenly. Painting during a warm and dry time in the summer or early fall helps tremendously with these issues.

The outside temperature’s consistency is also key to applying a quality coat of exterior paint. Paint will not be finished drying by the time the sun sets, so you need to ensure the evening weather won’t ruin the job. Avoid painting during months when the daytime is warm and dry but the weather gets cold or wet in the night. The more consistent temperatures of the summer and early fall offer an ideal painting environment.

Potential Summertime Concerns

While the warm weather of summer is ideal for an exterior paint job, scorching heat can pose its own issues. During periods of intense heat, it is best to skip painting the outside of your home. Temperatures that are exceedingly high can cause paint to dry out too quickly, leaving a less than flawless finish. When paint dries too quickly, unseemly brush strokes may stay visible, and clumps of dried paint can get stuck on your walls. Painter safety under these conditions should also be a concern for both businesses and homeowners.

We mentioned moisture-related paint damage caused by snow and rain, but high humidity can lead to the same results. If you’re living in an area that experiences high humidity during the summer, it may be best to plan your painting project for the early fall or another less humid time. Humidity affects paint’s ability to dry just like precipitation.

Other Notes

The season’s weather in your area can differ substantially from others, so pay attention to your local climate. Remember that consistently warm and dry weather will be best for exterior painting no matter the calendar month. Paint quality can also play a role in what conditions are acceptable to paint in. High-quality paints or coatings will hold up better than bargain bin brands in any situation.

Choose a Trusted Painting Service

Trusting an expert to handle your exterior paint job can be the easiest way to ensure the job is completed at the right time and in the correct way. If the outside of your commercial or residential property could use a makeover, contact Rhino Shield of New England. We apply specially designed ceramic wall coatings that last longer and look better than traditional paints. Call us today to set up a consultation and learn more about our painting services.