When Is the Best Time of Year for Exterior Painting?

Every 5–10 years, homes need exterior painting to look their best. Scheduling professional painting lets you choose a beautiful new color for your home. New exterior paint is more vibrant and stylish, plus modern paints have superior moisture resistance. What time of year should you have exterior painting done?

Cool but Not Cold, Warm but Not Too Hot

The issue of when to paint comes down to the weather where you live and local temperatures. Exterior paint needs a specific range of temperatures to adhere and cure properly.

In some parts of the U.S., fall is just fine for painting exteriors. If it gets too cold (about 50 degrees Fahrenheit is the limit) however, latex paint can freeze and oil-based paint can have streaks and splotches.

Generally speaking, spring and early summer are the best times to paint. In places where summer and fall are mild, scheduling exterior painting in August and September is fine as well.

Not Wet

Moisture causes a lot of problems when trying to paint outside. In fact, if it’s raining outside, your exterior painter will generally need to reschedule. This is a hassle for you, but it’s also inconvenient for the painter. To avoid this situation as much as possible, try to schedule exterior painting when the weather forecast looks relatively clear.

Not Too Sunny

If rain is bad, then sun should be better, right? It depends. Hot days with direct sun on the home can cause problems as well. It can speed up drying too much and cause blistering or lap marks. The good news is that professionals know how to work around sunlight as long as the temperature isn’t too hot.

The Best Weather for Exterior Paint

What all these factors mean is that the optimal conditions for painting are an overcast or cloudy day with comfortable temperatures. Spring or late summer are great times to have exterior painting done.