Should You Paint During the Fall and Winter Seasons?
Posted on October 24, 2019
The weather has decidedly changed from summer sun to crisp fall. Most homeowners assume the window for painting has closed, along with the pool. Our pros say not the case. Fall and winter can provide several benefits to painting. It’s not all fun and games though.
Should you paint during the fall and winter season?
The Cons
Probably the most obvious con of painting in fall and winter is the weather. While there are still a lot of great days ahead, the cold can prohibit painting. When the mercury drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you are looking at potential bonding and drying issues within your project.
Temperatures can affect both interior and exterior work. With interior work, you do have the option to turn on the heat and keep both you and the paint more comfortable. However, you will need to open windows to ventilate the room. Working in a completely sealed room can be dangerous even with low VOC paints. Obviously, turning on the heat and opening the windows is not the most eco-conscious option, but for the paint job, it might be the only option.
The Pros
Cooler weather can be a negative check mark for your paint job, but it can potentially be a benefit. Cooler temperatures without humidity can help your paint to dry much more quickly. Avoid working when the thermometer goes too low or your paint viscosity can be changed. This means thicker paint that rolls on thicker and is more difficult to work with. Alternatively, heat can make the paint dry too quickly, get thin and require more coats. Fall provides a nice opportunity to use the cool weather to your advantage.
Fall also provides painters with less humidity to deal with. This allows the paint to dry naturally, without moisture ruining the finish. While the paint is drying, it needs to have dry around it. It also needs to have a dew point that is far enough off of the mercury level that dew drops are not likely to form on your newly formed paint film.
Should you be choosing to hire a crew to help with your painting, not only will they be well versed in painting during this time of year. You will also find that most painters have more availability since this time of year is not traditionally thought of as painting season. This will help you to get your job done much more quickly.
If you’re ready to get started with your painting project, schedule a free, in-home estimate with our team today.
