Why You Shouldn’t Paint Your House’s Exterior in Summer

It’s summertime and your house needs a fresh coat of paint. No better time to get to work than in all this sunshine, right? Well actually, you may want to reconsider that decision. Busting out the paintbrushes when it’s incredibly hot and humid significantly increases your chances of a bad paint job—and you really don’t want to screw up a massive undertaking like painting your home’s exterior.

Here, two seasoned pros (with over 45 years combined of painting experience!) share their expert knowledge on why summer isn’t always the best time of year to paint outdoors—and when is.

Why Some People Prefer to Paint in the Summer

Summer certainly seems like it could be the best time of year to paint outside. And there are some advantages to painting in warmer weather, says Anne Dages of Dages Paint, a third-generation family-owned line of three paint stores in Louisville, KY. She points out it’s more comfortable for the painter than in chillier times of year. “The dry times are faster,” she adds. Most importantly, though, summer is when we have “more consistent temperature ranges.” 

Painting in cold temperatures, meanwhile, can come with slower drying and curing times. Paint gets thicker and more difficult to apply. And it doesn’t touch up well: “Even A 10-degree drop in temperature will change latex paint color,” she warns. 

Why You May Not Want to Paint Your Home’s Exterior In the Summer

However, it turns out there are several reasons to reconsider painting in the summer, according to our experts. “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity,” we’ve all heard someone say on a steamy July or August day. When it comes to paint, though, it’s both. 

High Humidity

“During high levels of humidity, the ambient air becomes saturated with moisture causing the paint to dry improperly. Dew point is the temperature at which moisture in the air starts to condense as water on the surface,” Dages explains.

According to her, painting should be avoided when the surface temperature is equal to or less than five degrees above the dew point. When temperatures are soaring, paint may dry too fast, causing it to not level properly, she cautions. This can show more brush strokes, and make it more difficult to apply.

High Temperatures

High temperatures can also cause flash drying. This means the paint will dry on the surface almost immediately while remaining wet underneath. When this happens, the paint doesn’t penetrate the surface. This affects how well the paint adheres and can possibly cause blistering, wrinkling, and peeling.

Pollen

Another reason it may not be the best idea to paint outside in the summer: pollen. Yep, the powdery substance we see floating in the air may be a natural part of some trees’ and plants’ reproduction process, but it can wreak havoc on our allergies—and on paint jobs, according to Sam Ross of Nailed It Contracting, who has been painting homes in Louisville, KY for more than 15 years.

Start with prepping the exterior by cleaning: If pollen is swirling around in the breeze, it’s going to land on your house and make it difficult to get a clean surface to paint. It can discolor your paint job, too. Ross says, “Think about a green haze settling into the paint.” Pollen is also gritty, he adds, and it can ruin the finish.

So When is the Best Time of Year to Paint?

“There are advantages and disadvantages to each season,” Dages says, so here are some considerations to keep in mind when you’re ready to give your house a new look. 

When choosing the ideal time of year (and day) to paint outside, both the temperature and humidity should be considered. She says, “The temperature of the surface to be painted, the ambient temperature, as well as the temperature of the coating can all influence the overall color and performance.” 

Spring

According to Dages, spring usually provides ideal painting temperatures, lower humidity, and fewer bugs. “However there tends to be more rain interruptions, more moisture in the air, and larger temperature swings.” 

Fall

“Fall is often preferred because of lower temperatures, less rain, and lower humidity,” she continues. “But it has the threat of leaves falling onto freshly painted surfaces and larger temperature swings. There is also a shorter window to complete your job should cold weather come.”

The Final Verdict

The best time to paint, says Dages, is when temperatures are between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit for over a 24-hour period and rain is not forecasted within a 24-hour period. And Ross adds, “When there’s not an air quality alert for pollen.”