When it comes to painting your home, the interior can be painted any time of the year. The inside of your home is a controlled environment, meaning the conditions can be altered to best meet the requirements that are right for painting. On the other hand, painting the exterior of your house cannot be done at any time, during any season of the year. The forecasted weather and current weather conditions play a huge role in determining the right time to paint the exterior of your home. 

So, the question is  … is August too late to paint the exterior of your home? Should your home’s exterior painting project have been completed at the beginning of the summer? The answer is no, August is not too late for an exterior painting project. In fact, August is a great month to paint your home, both inside and outside. Flying Colors Painting’s list of reasons why August is a great month to paint your home exterior. 

Less Moisture 

You do not want to paint your house when the exterior has moisture on its surface. If you do paint while your surface is wet, it could result in poor paint coverage. The moisture could mix with your paint, causing it to become thinner. The moisture and humidity could also cause your paint to bubble as it dries. Every paint manufacturer has a recommended moisture level for optimal drying. 

The exterior of your house can attract water to its surface when it’s humid or rainy. If it rains close to the time of your project, you may want to wait 24 hours before you start painting to ensure your surface has dried. You may be able to reduce that wait time if the exterior surfaces are in the sun. Sometimes, the surface may look dry, but the underlying materials are not. We’ll complete a detailed check of the exterior composition materials of your home before we begin painting. Even if there is just a little moisture, we’ll wait until the surface is completely dry and ready to paint for the best results. 

Dew and overnight rains can throw a wrench into your exterior painting plans. If this happens, it is crucial to have a thought-out plan of how to adjust and adapt to the conditions. A good rule of thumb is to check the weather before, during, and after your painting project, as well as to check daily as weather can change quickly. 

Temperature

Just like moisture, the temperature outside can cause problems for your painting project. All paint manufacturers have ideal temperatures at which their paint dries best. Too hot and the paint dries too fast. Too cold, and the paint will not adhere to the surface well. Paint dries best between 50 and 90 degrees. However, if there is a significant fluctuation between these temperatures as it is drying, like 85 during the day and 55 at night, you may see bubbling, chipping, or flaking. 

Additionally, the extreme heat can also cause your paint to dry too quickly. If the temperature is too high, the paint may dry instantly, causing it to dry in any way it is applied, whether or not you want it to set that way. This may cause the paint finish to look sloppy and makes it more difficult to do any necessary touch-ups. 

On the warmer days, avoiding the direct sunlight and painting in the shade is a good workaround. The sun can heat up the surface of the area, making it considerably higher than the actual temperature outside. During the colder months, the temperature might be too cold for paint manufacturer recommendations. Additionally, if you hire a professional painting contractor, they will not want to have their crew out in extremely cold temperatures. Colder months are the perfect time to work on interior painting projects.     

Here in Olympia, August is the month that has the least amount of humidity. August is also the month with the least amount of rain. During an average year, the temperatures in Olympia stay relatively moderate. There is some fluctuation, but it is not very dramatic. The average high temperature for August is 78 degrees Fahrenheit, with a low of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of these things, August is a great month to paint the exterior of your home.

Since most homeowners hire a professional painting contractor to paint their home’s exterior, you can leave the scheduling and timing to us. We know our weather conditions (we’ve painted in Thurston County and Pierce County for over 40 years!) and we have the up-to-date skills and knowledge to provide you with a beautiful exterior paint finish for your home.

Flying Colors Painting is dedicated to exceeding your expectations for your exterior house painting project. Our experienced staff is here to answer any questions you might have about the timing of your home’s painting. It is not too late to book your free estimate today. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to get your home painted this summer!