Over a period of time, the exterior paint of your home wears down due to weather conditions, quality of the paint used, and the lack of proper maintenance. So whether you are repainting the exterior of your house or applying the first coat of exterior paint to your new home, it is important to know the best season to do it in. For starters, a general rule of thumb is that either spring or fall is the best season. The moderate temperatures, scarce rainfall, and lower humidity creates a conducive environment for your exterior paint job.
Here are a few reasons that make fall ideal for your home exterior painting project.
- Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold
The temperature range at which it is best to paint the exterior of your home varies on the type of paint – oil or latex – and the brand of paint that you use. But generally, it is best to paint the exterior between the temperatures of 50 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (10-25 degrees Celsius).
Temperatures below 50 degrees F/ 10 degrees C or conditions with chances of snow will prevent the paint from being cured properly. As a result, you won’t get a smooth finish as the paint will not bind to the surface well which makes your paint job susceptible to cracks and peels.
Hot temperatures, above 80 degree F/ 25 degree C, will cause the paint to dry too quickly. You would not be able to get a good finish since the paint would dry before you got a chance to even out brush strokes, causing clumps and an uneven appearance.
- Low Humidity Levels
Fall is a season with relatively low or moderate humidity. During fall, the percentage of moisture in the air is between 40% and 70% which ensures that the paint surface is dry. This condition is favorable as it allows the paint to bind properly with your home’s exterior.
During cooler temperatures, the moisture from snow can fill the pores and cracks of your exterior and make it difficult for the paint to stick on the wall. Similarly, painting during the warmer seasons is not conducive due to condensation caused from dew, moisture accumulation on the walls will affect the paint’s ability to bind to the surface.
- Moderate Temperature Fluctuations
Temperature fluctuations can get in the way of the consistency of your paint job and since there is very little temperature fluctuation between day and night, fall is optimal for exterior painting.
Painting the exterior of your house can be a costly and time consuming job. Make sure that you get your time and money’s worth by painting between August to October!