It Feels Like Spring! Can I Paint My Home Exterior?
Don’t you love those days when spring seems to have come early? The birds are singing, the forsythia starts blooming, and the air is so fresh it’s a pleasure just to breathe! For those of us who have been waiting all winter to get to an exterior painting project, this might seem like the perfect time to start, but would that be too hasty? Is the weather sufficiently warm and dry for exterior painting?
Exterior Painting Conditions: What to Look For
There is no official date that governs when you can start painting the exterior of your house, but there are two specific conditions you need to be careful to meet.
First, the surfaces you will be painting must be completely dry. If there has been a recent rain, it can take a couple dry days before your exterior surfaces are dry enough to paint. In the spring, when even the warm days are mild, this drying time may take longer than you expect.
Another part of this dryness requirement is that you need to be aware of the forecast as well. If rain is expected within 24 hours after you paint, it is best to wait for a longer dry spell. It is simply not worth putting the effort and money into the exterior painting project if there is any chance the rain will mar it.
Besides moisture factor, you also need to keep an eye on the temperature. Most exterior house paints cure best above 50 degrees. This does not mean, however, that you can begin painting the minute the thermometer rises to that number. The surface of the house should also be 50 degrees or higher, which means you will need to wait a bit longer. The side of the house that receives morning sun could be ready before the rest of the home.
Just like when you consider rain, you need to look to the forecast for the temperature. If the nighttime lows are going to be dipping well below 50 degrees the night after you paint, it might be best to wait for warmer weather.
What to Do if You’re In a Hurry to Paint
If you have an exterior painting project that feels urgent to you, it would be wise to contact a local house painter. There are three ways in which a professional painter can help you get optimal results from an early spring painting project:
- There are some exterior paints that are specifically designed to cure well at lower temperatures, and your painting contractor will know which of these are reliable and effective.
- Your house painting company has the knowledge and experience to help you evaluate when the weather is appropriate for external house painting.
- When there is a short window of good weather for painting, a professional painter can make the best use of that time, providing beautiful results with efficiency.
Local House Painter for the D.C. Area
For homeowners who live in the Washington, D.C. region, Williams Professional Painting is ready to serve your family. Since 1979, we have been working in northern Virginia, in D.C. and in Maryland, offering premium-quality exterior painting at a reasonable price. In addition, we offer interior painting, carpentry, popcorn ceiling texture removal, drywall services, cabinet refinishing, and more.
Contact our office today to get a free house painting estimate, so you can be first on our schedule for the exterior painting season!
