How Winter Affects Exterior House Painting

Once again we are out of rainy season in Southwest Florida, the time change is in effect, and we are back to shorter days and longer nights.  For a professional painting contractor this time of year can be very challenging for exterior house painting.

Many homeowners feel that the winter months in Florida are the best months for exterior house painting, since it's cooler out and we are out of rainy season. In truth, though, it can be very challenging for a variety of reasons.

Now that the time has changed, it starts to get darker earlier, usually around5:30, but it is lighter earlier.

With the sun setting earlier, a professional painting contractor should stop applying paint by 3-3:30 at the latest. By doing this, it allows the paint that was applied late in the day to cure properly before the sun sets and the evening dew comes in.

What many homeowners and even painting contractors don't know is that a newly-painted exterior surface attracts moisture. The evening dew will set on these surfaces, and if the paint has not cured enough and is still wet the paint will run and you will get streaks from the water on your freshly-painted surface.  To put into context, if I painted one side of a home and quit for the day, and then the next morning started painting the other side, the side I painted the day before many times that side will be all wet from the evening and morning dew, and the unpainted sections would be dry.

 This is why the professionals at Ron's Painting always stop applying paint by 3-3:30 to allow the paint to properly cure. Painting exterior homes in December, January and February are the months we have the most issues with dew.

 Before you start your exterior house painting project in the winter, consult with the pros to make sure it’s done the right way.

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