When is the Best Time to Paint Your House Exterior?

When is the Best Time to Paint the Exterior of Your House

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When you’re looking to get started with painting the outside of your home, you may be trying to sort out as many details as possible about the process. How can you ensure that you’ve got everything necessary to stay ahead of things? Are there ways to get good results?

Knowing when to paint your home is essential so that you save both time and money on the process. So, when should you call an exterior painting service to take care of your outside paint job? What time of year is best, and how long does that paint last? Let’s take a closer look at all of these questions so that you can make an educated decision about how you may want to proceed.

What Is The Best Temperature to Paint The Exterior of a House?

The fact of the matter is, it’s going to depend on what type of paint you’re using for your home. Latex and oil paints have very different considerations that need to be made, so you want to know which type of paint that you’re using before you make a final choice as to when you’re going to take care of everything. You also want to be sure that you understand the specific brand of paint that you’re using, as well.

  • Latex Paint. As a good rule of thumb, you’re able to use latex paint between 50 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Oil Paint. Oil paint does best between 40 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you don’t pay attention to the temperature when you paint, you will find that the paint has a very difficult time binding together, which can make it appear like it’s melting, or it won’t even stick to your surface.

Latex may also have some problems because the extreme heat can make it dry too quickly, making it appear to be streaky. This will require you to redo the paint job or, at the very least, you will need to add a couple of additional layers to the exterior of your home or whatever other building that you are painting.

You also need to be sure that you’re aware of the humidity. No matter what type of paint you use, if it’s too humid outside, then it’s going to be much more difficult for the paint to dry.

The best humidity for using and drying your paint is going to be at less than 50% humidity, even though some experts say that you’re still alright if you’re anywhere up to 70% in regards to the humidity.

So, in short, as long as you’re painting in temperatures higher than 50 degrees, but less than 75 degrees, you will find that it’s a lot simpler for you to accomplish your goals and take care of all of the different things that need to be done with your outdoor paint job. The paint will look better, it’ll last longer, and you can ensure that it is actually the color that you want it to be when all is said and done.

How Long Does Exterior Paint Last on a House?

How long does exterior paint last on a house?

This is a very common question that comes up when trying to figure out how you should paint your home. It depends on several very important factors. Here’s a quick list of those factors:

  • The quality of the last paint job that was done.
  • The material of the exterior of your home.
  • The climate that you live in and any relevant weather events.
  • What type of paint was used in your last paint job?
  • What brand of paint was used in your last paint job?
  • How well do you maintain your home’s exterior?

So, while we can’t necessarily give you an exact answer related to your specific home, there are a number of guidelines that you want to consider.

  • Wooden homes should be repainted at least once every 3 to 7 years. If your wooden siding is stained, then you can probably do that every 4 years.
  • Bricks don’t need to be painted, but only need to be cleaned every once in a while. If you do make the decision to go ahead and paint your brick, make sure that it’s done well, and it will last a decade or longer.
  • Aluminum siding should be painted every 5 years or so.
  • Fiberboard, which is typically made from cement or another similar material, only needs to be painted once a decade or so.
  • Stucco only needs a touchup every 5 years or so, and paint jobs (if done well) can last more than 10 years.

As you can see, these guidelines vary greatly, so do some research and see what your home’s exterior is made from. Once you know that, you can determine how best to move forward with future paint jobs and touch-ups that you may be looking to do.

What happens if you paint when it’s too cold?

 There are a number of concerns that can arise if you paint when it’s too cold. If you don’t take these into account, you may end up spending a lot more time and money on your paint job than you meant to, and the whole thing could be a wash. Here are some of the things that may occur if you try to paint when it’s too cold outdoors.

  • The first is regarding the initial paint job. Many people don’t like being outside in the cold, and if you’re doing your paint job on your own, you’re more likely to do a shoddy job on it so that you can get back indoors and warm up. So, you end up with a paint job that you aren’t happy with and that will likely need to be redone later on.
  • Another consideration is how paint interacts with the weather. Some paints will actually start to become a lot more solid depending on the temperature and the materials involved. As a result, you will find that it’s harder for the paint to get onto the brush, or that you end up with chunky bits that make it hard for you to get a smooth paint job done.
  • Of course, if you are able to get the paint out of the can without getting chunky, then you may also find it’s hard to get the paint onto the house. It may not bind to itself or the materials on your home correctly, thus making it a lot messier to deal with and making it so that you can’t actually get the entire job completed.
  • You may also find that the paint comes out much thinner, which has its own issues. If the paint is really thin, then you will need to put more coats of paint onto your home than you wanted to. As a result, you could end up spending much more money because you need to use more paint than previously estimated.
  • Also, if you paint when it’s too cold outdoors, the paint won’t hold as well. The colors may be “off” after they dry, or you may have to redo your entire paint job as soon as it’s warm enough for you to get started with it.

As you can see, there are a lot of different problems that may arise if you paint when it’s way too cold outside to do so.

Does Paint Dry in Cold Weather?

Paint does not dry very well if you apply it in cold weather. The fact is, paint does not like cold weather at all.

As you may expect, water-based paints are going to freeze when it hits 32 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s often best to avoid painting if it’s 50 degrees or colder. Most paints won’t dry in that temperature and you could end up with weird discoloration, streaking, bumps, film cracking, and more. These will make your exterior look unattractive and make it difficult to keep everything in top shape.

In short, your best bet is to wait until warmer weather prevails. Late spring, the entirety of summer, and early fall (when it’s usually 50 degrees or warmer outside) are your best options if you’re painting anything that is outside. Otherwise, you could end up with a lot of problems with your paint job, or you could end up in a situation where you’ll just need to redo it more quickly.

If you’re looking to complete an exterior paint job, Dallas Paints is here to assist you. We offer years of experience in a variety of painting jobs, providing you with the best options for any paint touch-up or complete painting job that you may have.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about your potential paint job and what may be involved, don’t hesitate to ask us – our team is ready and willing to give you solutions regarding your particular situation. Learn more about our services and consider contacting us to schedule a paint job today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the right time of year to paint the exterior of the house?

Painting during the spring is a great risk taken by painting contractors because the majority of exterior paintings need a temperature of about 500. You will get the best painting results when you hold on till late June, July, August, or early September to paint your home exterior. 

What temperature is best to paint the exterior of a house?

The best temperature to paint the exterior of a home with latex is around 500 to 700o F/ 100 – 21.1110 C, and 450 – 900 F/ 7.2220 – 32.2220 C when using oil-based paint. 

When should I paint the exterior?

There are various recommendations for the minimum and maximum temperatures for exterior paint based on the type, whether oil or latex and the brand of paint used. You can generally apply oil-based paint when the temperatures fall between 400 and 900 F and between 500 and 850 F for latex. 

What happens if you paint during a cold?

Regardless of how warm it was during the day, its temperatures drop too low at night; the paint will not form properly. That affects how long the paint will last before it starts cracking. Mildew or staining can occur on the surface if it is too wet or is exposed to cold temperatures. 

What exterior paint holds the longest?

Acrylic paint is durable, and it lasts longer and is ideal for sidings, such as cement, wood, aluminum, or fiber. It is also best used on plaster, porch floors, stucco, drywall, or plaster. The surface finishes from oil-based paint are stronger and durable, which makes it a nice choice for painting the exterior of a house. 

How long does exterior house painting takes to dry?

Even though exterior paint dries within some hours, it might take about thirty days before it fully cures. That is why weather is an important factor to consider during exterior painting. 

Is house painting in the winter OK?

Against common belief, house painting can be done at any time in the year, even during the cold season. Homeowners are usually worried about how cold temperatures will affect the quality of their exterior painting finish. 

When should I paint after pressure washing?

Note that drying of your pressure washed surfaces may take 2 to 3 days when you arrange for painting, based on the materials used to make your siding. Vinyl or aluminum siding often dries faster than wood siding. A month is enough to wait for the surface to dry before you start painting. 

How long will it take to wait between coats of exterior paint?

Waiting too long will extend the project more than necessary. You may be at risk of ruining your paint project or you rush the paint coats. 

Water-based paints & primers

Paints

Drying time

Recoat time

Semi-Gloss Paint

1 hour

2 hours

Eggshell Paint

1 hour

2 hours

Glossy Paint

1 to 1 1/2 hours

2 to 2 1/2 hours

What happens if you don’t wait for enough time before you paint a second coat?

Applying your second coat of paint too soon could lead to peeling, streaks, and un-rhymed color as the paint is likely to pull up when rolling. When you wait for the first coat to dry, you will be able to see clearly where the second coat has been applied and where you need to apply it, because the majority of colored paints usually apply brighter when wet. 

Is hiring someone to paint your house a nice move?

You can get a more quality paint job and save more time when you hire a professional painter. The application of one coat of paint generally takes 2 hours for professional painters. As the homeowner, you should prepare to pay between $150 to $600 for each room when you need your painter to apply two coats of paint and one primer. 

What happens if you don’t wait long enough before you paint over primer?

Your paint job may be ruined if you do not allow the first layer of paint to dry up well before you apply a second coat. Read the instructions given on the can of your paint for how long to wait for drying, and if you are still concerned, wait for 24 hours.

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