How Late in the Year Can I Paint My House?

Sunlight can fade paint, especially dark colors on the side of the house that gets the afternoon heat. Maybe it’s late in the summer and you’ve just realized that your paint doesn’t look as good as it did in June. Or maybe you’ve just remembered that wetter times are coming and you’re not sure your paint has another winter in it. Paint is essential to protecting your home from the elements, so you want to make sure you’re covered. But how late in the year can you really paint your house?

Towards the end of the summer, exterior painting contractors are working like crazy trying to get their final jobs done before the rain and colder temperatures come and they have to move inside. Those are the two factors that influence how late a painter can work outside.

Weather

Rain can’t be in the air when a house is being painted because it can cause the paint to run. This is pretty much a given. But even more than temperature, the humidity will affect the drying time of the paint and can affect the overall quality of the dried paint when it’s done.

Temperature

Clearly temperature does have an effect on drying time. If it dries irregularly, too slowly, too quickly, or if paint freezes while drying, the quality of the finished product will not be as good. That’s why a good exterior painter will not paint when it’s too hot or too cold.

So How Late is Too Late?

It all depends on the year. Some summers seem to last forever, but when it starts raining it can take a while before there’s another sunny day. This is a painter’s (and homeowner’s) worst nightmare: having a job half-done while waiting for a good day to paint. A responsible painter will do everything they can to wrap up their work before the rain comes. Unfortunately this sometimes means that other outside jobs get delayed until the spring comes.

In general in the Pacific Northwest, you can usually find house painters working into October, but there are no guarantees. If you’re reading this during the summer, unfortunately many painters are already booked out that far, but you may be able to find a quality house painter to help. Otherwise, be sure to plan early for next year!

If you’re looking for someone to paint your house this year, give the team at Mt Hood Pro Painting. We’ll do everything we can to fit you in the schedule!