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It’s easy to think that the summer months are the best time for painting the exterior of your house because the weather is better than in the winter and the temperature is warm. But, actually hot weather can negatively impact the quality of your paint job. At Osborne Painting, our goal is to give your home the best exterior painting possible. In this article, we discuss how the hot weather can affect painting your home so you can better consider when to schedule the project.

What is Paint Curing and Why is It Important?

People tend to think about rain and wind affecting the success of painting the exterior of a house and neglect to think about the temperature. But, in fact, a high temperature on the day of painting can cause paint to fail because it doesn’t cure properly. Paint curing is different from paint drying. When paint dries, all the solvents evaporate from the paint coating and the paint actually feels dry to the touch, even though it isn’t 100% dry. 

Paint curing occurs when the paint coating reaches its maximum hardness and is 100% dry throughout, which usually takes about two weeks. At this point in time, the surface can be washed without messing up the paint. Hot weather causes the surface of the paint to appear dried but the lower layers are not. Additionally, excessive heat can cause the paint to develop bumps, blisters, lift, crack, and discolor. This is due to the heat forcing the paint to dry too quickly. So, it is best to paint in cooler temperatures in order for the paint to cure properly.

What Is the Ideal Temperature for Exterior Painting?

Most experts will tell you that the ideal temperature to paint outdoors is above 60 degrees and below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Latex paint is best when applied between 50 and 85 degrees. Keep in mind also that the surface temperature of the house can be 10 to 20 degrees higher than the air temperature. For example, if it is 95 degrees outside and the house is in direct sunlight, the surface could be over 110 degrees. It is best, then, to paint when the surface temperature is lower than 90 degrees and the air temperature is even lower.

When Is It Too Hot?

If you are painting the side of a house where the sun is beating down directly and the thermometer reads above 85 degrees, then it is too hot for the paint to adhere and cure correctly. However, it may be possible to paint different sides of the home as the shade and sun change during the day. For example, the north side of a house could be painted at most any time of the day, but the east side would be best painted in the late morning. Professional painters like our team at Osborne Painting know exactly when and where to do exterior painting for it to produce a beautiful finish.

What About Humidity?

Along with hot weather, you can usually count on humidity in most areas, especially around Raleigh. High humidity will impact the exterior paint job of a house because it increases water vapor in the air and on the surfaces you are painting. For example, the humidity will add water to the paint and change the ratio of water to solvent, which in turn thins the mixture and extends the drying time. Furthermore, when the surface being painted is wood, the added moisture can cause the paint to peel and bubble due to the porous nature of the wood. 

How Can You Avoid Problems?

You should definitely keep an eye on the temperature and humidity levels during the exterior painting project and avoid painting during times when the weather conditions are adverse. Our experienced painters at Osborne Painting are accustomed to monitoring the environment and working accordingly. We plan each job so the weather doesn’t become an issue that creates a less-than-perfect painting experience. We can identify the potential for problems and make adjustments during the project in order to work around weather conditions.

When scheduling your exterior painting, consider having it done before the temperatures have the potential to get higher than is recommended. In fact, spring is a great time for painting, in terms of temperature and humidity!

Request Your Free Exterior House Painting Estimate

Osborne Painting can do a superior exterior painting job anytime. To get started with a free estimate, call us at 919-878-6611 or fill out our online contact form.