Painting Outdoors: Weather Edition!

Painting outdoors brings in a whole new collection of considerations for paint type and timing. Your crew might say they can’t come today or maybe you are feeling unsure due to the weather circumstances. Here are my recommendations for painting outdoors.

Bare wood should be dry for 2 days before applying a primer to the home (depending on dew point). Paint companies recommend oil-based primer. My company uses oil-based primer to stop any bleeding or staining. Acrylic-based paint can be applied as long as the forecast has no rain slated for the day. When the dew point is high (anything over 65), do not paint the doors because they will stick and pull the paint off. Lastly, do not apply dark colors in sunlight. Work on the shady side of the house and move with the shade. If you do paint dark colors in the sun it could bubble up. This does not happen with light colors. Dark colors attract the sun.

When thinking of outdoor painting it is common sense to think of rain or shine. The truth is, it can be much more intricate. You want to consider the dew point, general weather conditions, how strong the sun is, and where the sun is shining. If you hire the right contractor with experience, you will not have to worry about weather and they will be doing the right thing already.