Mother Nature is a fickle beast (Just don’t tell her we said so). If you get to know her well enough, you’ll start to suspect that she has no interest in making your project any easier. Even a little humid air can interfere with drying times, and if you put ice and rain together, you have a potential timing disaster. Paint is equally fickle. It doesn’t like temperatures below 39 degrees, and it despises rain. That’s why it’s so important to time your exterior painting just right.
Something is there that Doesn’t Love a Wall
Every wall is different. Some parts hide from the sun. Others have hairline cracks and nail holes. Still, others have complex trims and moulding. Anything without a simple, flat surface will dry particularly slowly. The moment the raindrops start falling, the wet paint hidden in the details will send streaks across your beautiful wall. There’s only one way to fix that: cover the surface all over again. No wonder so many contractors baulk at the sight of a tiny rain cloud.
Built-up moisture causes drips in exterior painting, as does heavy dew. Thick fog and humidity need to be avoided as well, so you’d be forgiven for thinking the climate is out to get you. It probably is. At Fresh Paint Inc, we understand that you’re on a tight schedule so unpredictability isn’t an option, so we do what we can to create a quick-drying surface. We’ll remove old caulk, repair frames, and scrape away old paint before we begin your coating. This way, your walls will dry evenly and quickly, rendering the weather a little less dangerous to your coating. We do, however, still need to ensure that we do your exterior painting in the right weather.
The Perfect Temperature
Cold weather will interfere with the consistency of your paint. Curing paint absorbs moisture, and if the weather turns icy, that dampness will crystallize, destroying your coating. Thickening will lead to an uneven shade and tatty texture. Paint doesn’t dry on icy days, so water spots will destroy the beautiful patina of a latex coating. Fresh Paint believes in achieving perfection, and to achieve it, we need temperatures of at least 40 degrees for a full 24 hours to complete your exterior project.
Achieving a Dry Surface
Painting over a damp surface can cause surfactant leaching: a kind of white and brown discoloration. It can also draw moisture into your coating, eventually causing bubbling and peeling. Given enough time, those small imperfections will cause larger areas of chipped paint. Latex and acrylic paints dry by evaporation, and if the weather doesn’t allow that, your coating will lose its adhesive properties.
The Trouble with Painting Season
You can paint the interior of your home at any time of year, but exteriors have a painting season when the climate is mild and rain is at a minimum. Mother Nature still has an extra complication to throw at you, though. If the weather is too hot or windy, your coating will cure prematurely. Water and glycols will evaporate too early, causing hairline cracks. Your surface will be too rigid, so it won’t be able to expand and contract adequately with temperature changes. This will age your coat in no time.
Little in this life is as changeable as the weather, but if your contractor’s climate-based scheduling seems over the top, it’s a sign that they take quality seriously. We’ll wait for just the right conditions because nothing is as satisfying as the velvety sheen of a perfectly-dried coat.
