Exterior House Painting During the Winter

One of the most destructive seasons of our year is the onset of winter and the cold that follows.  Because of these very brutal forces it is crucial to make sure your home is safe and well protected to endure until Spring.

One of the most important steps in preparing for Winter is to make sure the exterior paint of your home is sealed and unexposed to the elements.  In just one winter, snow and ice can very easily rot and erode away a home.  To avoid rotten wood replacement and much more a simple examination of your house will tell you if your house is ready or not.

When looking around an easy way to tell if your home is ready is to look for cracked or peeling paint that exposes layers or even the raw material underneath.  Some key places to point out can be wooden fences, yard sheds, porches, decks, garages, doors, and some forms of siding.  When reviewing these areas it is crucial to recognize any forms of weathering or erosion.

While Spring and Summer months are more acceptable for any type of exterior painting it is however possible to achieve during the Winter months.

While most paints use latex based systems, which perform well at 50° F and up, winter painting will require the use of alkyd based systems.  Alkyds perform better in the 35-50° range compared to most typical latexes.  This ability to dry in extreme temperatures is a unique power that is best utilized by your local house painting contractor.

The reason for this is that Winter offers many dangerous hazards and complications, whether it be frozen ice, snow, or frost.  A local house painting service is a great way to insure that the job is done right and that the paint has effectively been sealed but homeowners are still more than welcome to undertake the task themselves if they feel comfortable.

To maximize the effectiveness of your winter painting take a can of primer formulated with premium alkyds and apply as a solid base coat before the color you want it to be even touches the surface.  Most exterior work below 50° F will require primer and topcoat systems of alkyd/oils.

When you paint try to start in the early morning and paint from the first dried, warmer spots in conjunction with the sun.  When painting in the late afternoon care must be taken to avoid the paint coming into contact with the evening dew/ condensation.

As we’ve mentioned before any home owner is more than welcome to try such a project on their own but to insure that it is done effectively it is strongly suggested to seek out and hire a local house painting company for the job.

Better yet doing annual inspections of your home and making these simple checks and touch-ups in late summer to early fall will go a long way to not only protecting your home but saving you a great deal of hassle, time and money.