Exterior painting only happens in one part of the year and can’t be done at any time in the year. It’s very unlikely to see anyone on a ladder painting the exterior of a building during winter. Why? The most obvious answer is because no one wants to spend the day outside in the cold, painting. But there is more to why weather plays a big role in scheduling your exterior paint job.

In order for your paint job to turn out perfectly, the weather needs to cooperate, because how the paint dries is directly related to the temperature and conditions at the time of application. You want to choose a time that gives you warm, dry days. It’s also recommended to look at the weather for the few days before and after your painting day. If it rains before you paint, you would want to give a couple of days to fully dry out your siding before painting. Now after the application—you want to make sure it’s not going to pour rain when your paint is still curing.

You also want to keep in the occurrence of mind big temperature fluctuations from day to night. If during the day you temperature is perfect, but then suddenly drops after the sun goes down, the paint won’t cure properly. This could leave you with a less than smooth surface, with cracking and peeling.

So, the best times to do that exterior paint job is during early summer and early fall usually, with minimal rain and minimal fluctuations in temperature from day to night. This will ensure the paint has the chance to dry and cure properly.

On another note, while summer gives us reliably dry weather and usually doesn’t have a lot of rain, it also comes with extreme heat. When it’s too hot out, it could cause the paint to dry too quickly, which could leave you with a less than ideal finish, ugly brush marks and sometimes clumps of paint that have dried on the brush being deposited on the freshly painted surface. Also, there’s the obvious fact that it’s not a great idea for anyone to be out painting in the extreme heat, under the blazing sun.

It’s always best to aim for a day that’s not too hot. You’ll also want to take into consideration the humidity levels as well. Paint will usually dry the best when it’s not that humid. The best drying will occur when the relative humidity is 40% to 70%.

What not to do when scheduling your Exterior Paint Job

Do not paint when it is wet outside. Always make sure all the surfaces you’ll be painting are completely dry. This is essential if you want to end up with a perfectly even application.

Don’t paint outside an acceptable temperature range. Winter is too cold for the paint to dry and properly cure. On the other hand, extreme heat can cause problems with how the paint dries as well. Also consider the temperature at night, since your paint will still be drying and you want to make sure the conditions are ideal. The recommended range of temperatures for exterior paint vary depending on the type (oil or latex) and specific brand of paint used, but a general rule of thumb is that oil-based paint can be applied when the temperatures are between 40°- 90° F and latex between 50°- 85° F.
The dates you schedule your paint job would largely depend on the climate where you live, but if you stick to these guidelines, you will most probably end up with an ideal painting weather and a flawless finish!