Indiana weather can be hard on your exterior paint job and also cause problems with scheduling a date to start your project. Spring showers can be persistent and cause you to prolong your painting project. If you are considering starting an exterior painting project you need to know when conditions are best for a quality, long lasting exterior paint job.

Even if the air temperature and surface temperature are adequate, your paint job is still at risk if it drops below freezing at night before your paint job cures. The availability of paints that allow for application at lower temperature – some as low as 35 degrees – offers more flexibility. Oil paints tolerate lower temperature applications, but will require longer drying times when it’s cooler. The problem with these new options is that they tempt one to push the limits. Painting can be done in late fall or early spring, but the risks to achieving a quality paint job increase in variable conditions. Humidity levels also matter and if you are painting in humid conditions, you need to be aware of the dew point at which applications are acceptable. While it may now be possible to paint in colder temperatures with paints designed for it, other materials such as caulking, fillers and primers still need warm weather. Also, even if the conditions are right while painting, you need to consider drying time and the weather forecast. If it freezes before your paint dries, this can ruin the application. Since cooler temperatures slow drying time, you may have to wait longer between coats when painting in marginal conditions.

Another characteristic of early Indiana spring is frequent rain – especially this year. There are now paints available that develop a moisture-resistant film in half the time as regular paint. Oil-paints are also less vulnerable to moisture. However, damp conditions and rain simply do not lend themselves to a quality paint job. Even if the temperatures are adequate, exterior house painting during spring in Indiana requires you to keep a close eye on the rain forecast and know whether your paint will cure before the next rainfall.

When it comes to moisture, the moisture content of the surface to which you are applying the paint is very important. In fact, this is such a critical factor in the long-term durability of your exterior paint job, I will address it separately in a future blog. For now the important thing to know is that you can’t simply assume that conditions are acceptable if it is not raining. You’ll need to be sure that your exterior has had time to dry and that it will not be exposed to moisture before the paint has cured.

Elite Pro Painting takes all these variables into account when determining the best time to apply paint to your exterior. As professional exterior painters, you can be assured that if the conditions are not suitable for a quality, long-lasting coat of paint, we will wait for the right conditions. Despite the erratic weather conditions of the past month, it is not too soon to discuss your exterior painting needs with us.