Weather affects paint. Of course wind, rain, and ice will all degrade your paint over time, but the most important weather conditions to consider are on the day you actually paint. The temperature outside when you apply paint will affect how it ages in the years to come.
We’ve mentioned how to paint during winter, but that advice was for interior paint. Exterior paint is much more sensitive to heat and cold. This is especially true of latex paints which have thermoplastic characteristics.
What does that mean? Here’s how adverse weather can affect fresh paint:
Too Hot
Paint applied in hot weather will dry quickly—too quickly. The paint becomes locked rigidly into place and will be brittle instead of durable, leading to flaking.
Too Cold
Thermoplastic latex paints become harder as the temperature becomes colder. So if they’re applied in cold weather, they’ll only ever get softer, not harder.
Note that both hot and cold are as problematic for surfaces as they are for weather. A pleasant, sunny day may seem perfect for painting, but if the sun heats up your wall, it may still dry too quickly.
Too Windy
Wind can also cause paint to dry prematurely, leading to early flaking and failure.
So What Is Just Right?
Your best bet for exterior painting is to work on days that are between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit—without too much wind.
If you are working on an especially sunny or windy day, you don’t have to give up. Just adjust your plans a little: On a sunny day, you can work on shaded sides of the house; on windy days, you can work on areas that are protected from wind by walls or other buildings.
Do remember that this is general good advice for most types of paint, especially latex. You should always consult the label of your paint for specific details. Paint chemistry is a complex and evolving technology, and the type you buy may be more tolerant.
Now you know when the right time to paint is, and when you should look at the sky, shake your head, and say “not today.” Of course you can always get the job done quickly and professionally. Give Zenith Painting a call at 800-381-4601. We’ll take care of all the work for you, and we’ll even get you started with a free estimate.
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