Deciding to paint your home is a big decision, and a lot of thought can go into what part should be painted, the colour and design you’re going to go for, the materials you need to buy or the company you’re going to hire. That’s why finally deciding to take on this project is very exciting, and it’s understandable that you would want to start right away. However, those unfamiliar with professional painting might not know how weather can impact the result, and in an area of Canada like the GTA, with four distinct seasons, some parts of the year are better for painting than others, and other parts of the year are flat out unworkable. Let’s take a look at the best and worst times of year to paint your home, how certain conditions affect the paint and painting process, and how this differs between interior and exterior painting, so you can get the best results in the safest conditions for your home painting project!
The Best Time of Year for Exterior Painting
Living in Canada, it might not come as a surprise that the winter is not a good time to paint your home’s exterior. Not only would the icy, cold conditions be uncomfortable and unsafe for the workers, the cold temperature and moisture from the snow would cause the paint to not adhere properly, leaving an uneven result that would not last long. However, there are other seasonal conditions to keep in mind when trying to decide what time of year to paint your home. First of all, as we mentioned with snow, moisture of any kind can hinder the painting process. Moisture in the air from the melting snow can affect a paint’s performance, and regular rainfall causes its own problems. Workers cannot paint in the rain, and rainfall in between coats of paint can affect the result. This can lead to serious delays in the project, and force workers to cover areas between coats if there is a fear of rain, both of which can be disruptive to the people living in the home. For this reason, early spring is not an ideal time of year for an exterior painting project. We also mentioned that you should avoid painting in extremely cold temperatures. In the same way, extremely hot temperatures are not ideal for painting. In order to provide an even coat, the paint must be transferred from the brush or roller and spread equally over a surface. When it is too hot, the paint can actually dry too quickly, before it can be distributed equally, resulting in a streaky, uneven finish. That’s why it’s not advised to paint your home in the height of summer or during a heatwave either.
Now that we know when not to paint your home’s exterior, let’s check out when you should! Because of the ideal temperature and moisture levels, early summer and early to mid fall are the perfect times of year to paint your home. The temperature is warm enough to make it safe to work outside, but not too hot to leave an uneven coat. Of course it still rains in the summer and fall, but not as much as the spring, and there will likely not be any snow or frost in the early to mid autumn. That means conditions will be dry enough for the paint to adhere properly and allow the project to be completed with as few rain delays as possible. Keep this in mind when planning an exterior painting project to make sure that you get the best results and the safest conditions!
The Best Time of Year for Interior Painting
Unlike exterior home painting, there are far fewer limitations when choosing what time of year to paint your home’s interior. To make a long story short, there is no wrong time of year for interior painting. In a modern home with climate control, a home should never be too humid or be too extreme a temperature for the paint to not adhere properly. That said, there are a few small things to keep in mind. If you haven’t painted your home’s interior in a while, you might think that it needs to be done during a time of year when you can comfortably open all the windows. Not long ago, interior paint contained chemicals that could be aggravating, so it was recommended to paint in a well ventilated area. However, with advances in paint chemistry, high quality interior paints now have little to none of these chemicals. That’s why it is safe to use these paints indoors without every window in the house being open. That said, it is a personal preference if you’re not a fan of the smell and would want to air out your home, in which case I wouldn’t recommend doing this in the middle of January!
As well, if you are planning on hiring a professional painting company,the time of year might impact this process. As we discussed, exterior painting is basically non-existent in the winter. For this reason, professional painting companies have much more availability during these months. It will be easier to work with the company of your choice, they will be more likely to be able to fit your schedule, and the job will likely be started and completed more quickly. That’s why it can sometimes be recommended to do interior painting in the winter. Why compete with everyone trying to get their exterior painting done in the warmer months? If you don’t feel the need to air out your home during the process, the winter can be a great time for an interior painting project!
Now that you know the best times of year to paint your home, choose one that works for you and leave the rest to Encore. Our free, no-risk evaluations are your opportunity to meet with one of our professionals and show them the vision you have for your home. They will answer any questions you have and choose a time for the project that works for your schedule. You now know the best times to paint your home, all you need to do is pick one! Contact Encore Painting Ltd. today to get your free estimate.