Exterior paint is incredibly important when it comes to curb appeal. While a custom house plan in Fort Wayne, IN, is a great draw all by itself, curb appeal still matters. However, updating the exterior of your home isn't always possible. Paint needs the right conditions to cure properly, and you can't paint during rain or snowstorms. Finding the right time to paint the exterior of your home is just as important as choosing the right color and shade.
Summer
Many homeowners assume that summer is the ideal time for exterior painting. In some ways, it is a good season for painting. It's warm, and the sun is shining. As long as there's no rain and your area isn't prone to summer storms, it could provide an excellent window for exterior painting. However, the heat could be a concern. Extreme heat tends to prematurely cure paint. This means that the paint is practically drying while you're painting. This is why you generally want to avoid painting when the sun is shining directly on the roof. For areas prone to intense summers, the early summer months are typically the better option.
Autumn
The other option is to wait until summer has passed, and the weather is turning slightly cool. When it comes to painting, extreme temperature fluctuations should be avoided. If it's over 100 degrees during the day and below 40 degrees at night, it's not a good time for painting. During the early autumn months, these temperature extremes tend to be less severe. Summer storms are also less of a concern. September or October could be great months for exterior painting.
Spring
As with early summer months, spring is also a good option for painting. The one issue that might arise is spring showers. Spring showers can sometimes appear unexpectedly and get in the way of painting. The later spring months may allow you to escape these sudden showers. Provided that you can keep out of the rain. Spring is warm enough and tends to lack extreme fluctuations in temperature. This is a good combination for exterior painting.
Winter
Winter is not ideal. Paint manufacturers tend to list a minimum temperature for painting. Years ago, this was 50 degrees. Today, modern paints usually recommend nothing below 35 degrees. In Indiana, this usually means there's no exterior painting after November. The weather simply gets too cold to guarantee the paint will cure properly.
Moisture
Moisture is the main aggravation of every professional painter. Paint needs to be applied to a clean, dry surface. This means rain or snow prevents you from painting. Spring showers, summer storms, and the snow in winter all put a stop to painting progress. This is why painters always pay close attention to weather conditions.
You'll notice that professional painting companies typically switch to interior painting during the winter months. Interior temperatures allow the paint to cure, and it's easy to keep the inside of your home free from snow or rain. With a dry, clean environment and controlled temperatures, interior painting is absolutely fine at any time of the year. Of course, this isn't true with exterior work. You'll find that professional painters tend to treat winter as an interior-only season.
There are some great custom luxury house plans in Fort Wayne, IN. If you want the greatest curb appeal or to simply breathe new life into an old, exterior paint works wonders. Contact Lancia Homes at (260) 489-4433 if you'd like to learn more.
