What Are the Best Outdoor Conditions for Exterior Painting?

Outdoor conditions are an important consideration when doing exterior improvements. This is why projects like roof repair and siding replacement are typically done during warm months. While exterior painting is not as complex, it has to be done under the right conditions to ensure the best results. In today’s post, Larry Walty Roofing & Guttering Inc. takes a look at the best conditions for exterior painting.

Cool air is a natural dehumidifier, which means it should help paint dry quickly. However, paint doesn’t just need to dry — it needs to cure under a certain range of conditions. Improperly-cured paint will crack, chip, or peel, or even turn to a chalk-like substance. Temperature is an essential factor that facilitates proper curing. The ideal temperature range for curing depends on the type of paint: latex-based paints can cure between 50 and 70 degrees, while oil-based paints have a wider range; between 45 and 90 degrees.

What if you need to paint your house during the cold months? Ideally, you should do it when the outdoor temperature is at least 55 degrees. While paints can cure a few degrees lower, they do so at a much slower rate, which increases the likelihood of wrinkles or pockets of wet paint underneath. Your rollers or brushes may also stiffen too quickly, resulting in uneven application and less coverage per gallon. It may also cause clogging in spray painting equipment.

Humidity levels are generally low during the winter season, and the ideal humidity level for exterior painting is between 40% to 70%. One of the advantages of painting under dry conditions is that wood and other porous surfaces are more absorbent, which creates better paint adhesion. In comparison, painting under excessively humid conditions can result in leaching, a white or brown discoloration that appears on the surface of cured paint.

If all of this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry — professional painters like us take such factors into consideration and discuss risks, alternatives, or ideal appointment dates with our clients.

Larry Walty Roofing & Guttering Inc. provides roof repair and installation services to customers in El Dorado, KS, and the surrounding communities. Give us a call at  662-488-5149  or  662-488-5149. You can also fill out our  contact form  to schedule an appointment.

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