How to paint the exterior of your home during the hottest part of New England’s summer.
It is no secret that prolonged periods in direct sunlight and high heat can be hard on your body, but did you know that these conditions can also be taxing on a fresh paint job? Exterior home painting is a nuanced process that comes with many unique challenges, and those challenges don’t end just because winter is over.
As we reach the hottest part of New England’s summer, it is important to be mindful of the impacts this weather can have on your paint job. With the right insight, you can beat the summer heat and produce a paint job to be proud of!
Preparation
Regardless of the time of year and weather, every good paint job starts with preparation. Power washing, sanding, and other cleaning efforts are always the first step to a perfect paint job. The heat and direct sun of the summer should make areas that require extra preparation vastly apparent. Flaking paint, cracks, bubbles, and faded areas should be noted and attended to.
When it comes to preparation, the nice thing is that heat and sunlight don’t have a huge impact on the process. As long as you are physically capable of working in the climate, you should be okay to get started. Dry hot days also have the added benefit of speeding up drying times which helps you move from washing to painting more quickly.
Once your quality choice of paint is properly applied and dried on your home it is durable and resistant to most weather, but it is surprisingly sensitive while it is still in liquid form. While painting you will want to protect your containers of liquid paint from the sunlight and any heat above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If your paint becomes too hot it can start to dry or change consistency which leads to brush marks and other complications.
Luckily New England summers tend to have cool mornings and evenings. You can also protect your paint by keeping a majority of the can in cool or shaded places while you work with small amounts to avoid excessive heat and sun exposure.
Avoid Mid-day Painting & Seek Shade.
The afternoon tends to be the hottest part of summer days and depending on the maximum temperature for a day and availability of shade, mid-day painting is generally recommended against. This is because excessive heat combined with the drying factors of direct sunlight can cause paint to dry too quickly after being applied. This leaves no time for adherence to the home and results in cracking or flaking later on.
If possible, it is best to follow shade as you paint or to wait for cooler times during the day. This does require some intensive time management as you also don’t want to be painting in the dark or when it is too buggy outside, for both your own comfort and the quality of your paint job.
If you want a fresh new paint job for your home this summer but you don’t have the time or energy to devote to working with the summer heat, don’t work. The Zuck painting team is experienced in working on exterior and interior painting jobs during the summer months of New England and we would be happy to help. You can visit our website or call us at (508) 250-7272. We offer free estimates and are ready to answer any questions you may have about your next paint job.