When is Exterior Season Over?

As the cold weather rapidly approaches, the race against mother nature begins. If you want your home exterior painted, you may be wondering if it’s too late to get the job done. Because of the weather change,  I have been asked several times, “Can you get my exterior done this season?”  “When do you have to stop exterior projects?” Let’s see if we can address these questions because plenty of people have them. 

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When it is too cold to paint. This may seem like an obvious answer, but it’s the honest truth. 

As most people know, paint in the bucket cannot freeze and thaw again and again, and still be stable enough to use as a coating for your home. When temperatures begin to drop, however, the chemistry involved in the product starts to change. Paint becomes harder to apply and does not cover as well making uneven coats a possibility.  

Curing is also a major concern. Paints are manufactured to cure within certain temperatures.  Painting above or below these thresholds can cause paint to not cure properly and fail. Most paint manufacturers recommend not painting if temperatures drop below 35 degrees.

The one major piece to keep in mind is surface temperature matters just as much as air temperature. The air can be in the 40s but if the night grows colder the wall surface could be below the 35-degree threshold. 

That being said, the exact time a season ends varies from year to year. The past few years have seen some warmer winters, and in that case, it is possible that we can paint later in the year. However, in Indiana and Northern states in general, the exterior season is over at the end of November. If you live in a southern state, the exterior season could continue through December.

IS THERE SPECIAL PAINT FOR COLD WEATHER? 

Yes, there is. It isn’t uniquely expensive, and products like Sherwin Williams’ Resilience apply very well in cold weather. It is also moisture-resistant and protects against mold and mildew, just like any other protective paint coating. However, it isn’t as durable as its other premium products. If you want your exterior coat to last for years to come, it is better to just wait for a few months and do it in the spring. 

In conclusion, the weather and our backlog of projects dictate if we can get to your project at the end of every warm season.  We watch the weather closely to make sure we are not jeopardizing your project’s success simply to get it in at the end of the season. 

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