Tips For Painting Your House In The Winter

When winter comes, many homeowners’ home improvement projects go into hibernation. Winter may not seem like the best time to paint a home, but in the south, winter may be a great time. It really never gets too cold in Texas, Louisiana and Florida during the winter. Painting during the winter months can be a little tricky, but if you plan it correctly, it can be a great winter project. There are actually some benefits to painting your house in the winter.  Let’s check out some of our winter painting tips.

Painting Your Home In The Winter Could Be Cheaper

If you plan on painting the exterior of your home, the temperature must be more than 35 degrees at night for two days after the paint is applied. It can get a little chilly even if the temperature is above 35, so get started painting in the late morning just after the sun has had time to warm up the surface of your home. Stop painting for the day around mid-afternoon. This schedule gives your paint enough time to set before the cold air sets in. Keep an eye on the weather as part of your painting plan.

Paint Dries Faster In The Winter

Many people think that paint dries more quickly in the heat of the summer; however, this is actually not true. The colder the weather gets, the less humid it gets, especially in the south. The lower the humidity, the quicker the drying time for paint. Humid air can actually lead to blistering paint, chips and flakes.

Painting Contractors May Be Less Expensive

In the winter, many people do not paint their homes as much, especially the exterior of their homes. This means that many paint contractors may have better painting prices during the winter. Plus, the cost may be cheaper because it will not take the painting contractor as long to complete the job.

Check Your Thermostat for Indoor Painting

Ideally, the temperature should be above 60 Degrees when painting the interior of your home. If the walls are too cold, the paint may not bod to them correctly. During the winter, the cold from outside can make the walls colder inside of the home. Make sure that you check the thermostat temperature and adapt the temperature to make sure the walls are not too cold.

Specialty Paint

If you are worried about the exterior paint not drying fast enough during the winter, consider investing in specialty paints and primers that are formulated for color temperatures. There are many different types of paint that is great for low temperature application like Benjamin Moore Regal Select Exterior or Aura Exterior Paint. The Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior can be applied to surface temperatures as low as 40 Degrees F. It is also manufactured with the Gennex Color Technology that helps to deliver a more durable finish that lasts for years.

Winter Storms

Winter storms will not only increase the cold, but can also increase the humidity. Be very careful of the weather when painting the exterior of your home to avoid bad weather. Occasionally, it can get a little cold in the south and the storms will make it more difficult to paint. In the event that it ices, it can take longer for surfaces to dry enough to begin painting.