Peak Exterior Upgrades: Winter Exterior Painting Tips

Exterior painting in winter is taboo. But should it be? The widely accepted belief is you should never paint in the winter. This is 100% true if you live in Alaska or other cold climates. However, Texas is not typically stricken with long cold spells that put painting plans on ice.

The industry standard is that you should not apply exterior paint when the temperature is forecasted to be below 40 degrees either 24-hours before or after application. During the 2017-2018 cold season, Dallas had a total of 25 days of freezing temperatures. So only approximately half of the time would temperatures prevent you from successfully painting.

Peak Roofing & Construction takes a conservative approach when scheduling winter exterior painting projects. If there’s any concern that the quality of the job will be affected, our crews will postpone and reschedule. We guarantee the workmanship on every project we do, so want to make sure it is done correctly and with the highest quality the first time.

Why would you paint in winter?

Spring is usually the preferred time for most people to have the exterior of their home painted, but that is also one of our busiest times. However, there are some people who would rather not wait and get the job done as soon as possible. For instance, we’ve had customers that are having a big function at their home in the spring (such as a wedding or graduation party) and want an exterior facelift completed well ahead of time. The other common reason is due to an insurance claim where damage has been done to the home and aesthetically the owner wants it done right away.

What is the big concern about painting in winter?

The major concern for painting in inclement weather is proper paint curing. In fact, paint manufacturers typically will not warrant their product if it’s applied below 40 degrees. Cold temperatures affect how the paint is applied which changes the curing process and performance of the paint. For instance, alkyd and other oil-based paints have natural oils and resins that must off-gas for the paint to properly cure.

If you are doing the painting yourself and using latex paint, be sure the paint you purchase is not lumpy. It’s rare but if the paint has been stored incorrectly and has been frozen and thawed repeatedly, the resins can crystalize and coagulate into lumps. One last thing to keep in mind is that cold weather slows drying time and can affect adhesion.

Planning for winter painting

A week before beginning your project Peak begins monitoring the upcoming forecast. Ideally, we look for at least four consecutive days where temperatures will be above 40 degrees. If at any time we see there is a change, we will contact you to reschedule. As we get closer we start looking at other factors as well including overall weather conditions like precipitation and wind. The ideal day for the actual paint application will be a sunny day. A sunny day will increase the surface temperature and help with the curing process.

Again, one of the many joys of living in Texas is we have our share of warm winter days. If you have an exterior painting project you want to be done during the winter, give us a call.

About Peak Roofing & Construction

Peak Roofing & Construction is family-owned, with 30-years of experience. Bonded, insured and accredited, we provide roofing, gutter, fence, window and exterior facelift services. Guaranteed. Call (972) 335-7325 in Dallas-Fort Worth (residential & commercial) or 281-290-7325 in Houston (commercial roofing).