If you’re considering refreshing your exterior walls or learning how to paint a room yourself, you might wonder if this is the best time of year to paint your house. Not only can a fresh coat instantly transform your space and improve your home's curb appeal, but could help you sell your house faster.
That’s why it’s important to get the job done well, in the best conditions. Things like the right weather conditions, humidity and lighting all play a role in the finished results.
Luckily, we’ve got a decorating expert at hand to answer all your paintwork questions. So if in doubt, here’s the best time of year to paint your home, and their top tips for doing it the right way.
When is the best time of year to paint outside?
Painting the exterior of your home is a huge job that relies heavily on the weather conditions. After all, the last thing you want is for unexpected showers to ruin your finish.
“Typically, the summer months offer the best conditions to paint outside as these (usually) have the least amount of rainfall and higher average temperatures.” says Jimmy Englezos, Senior Brand Manager from Ronseal.
“Outdoor paints' worst enemy is rain and cold temperatures as both of these can interfere with the paints drying and can cause the paint to become thick or semi-solid making it harder to apply.
The optimal conditions for painting outside are a warm, dry day, with the humidity levels below 80%. You also want to try and avoid particularly windy days as again this can interfere with the drying and also blow debris onto the wet paint.”
Whenever painting the exterior of your home, always take extra care and safety measures. And if you're not confident, it might be better to call in a team of professional painters to get the job done.
What are the common mistakes to avoid when painting outside?
In addition, just because you’re experiencing a heatwave, doesn’t mean your paint finish will look perfect. Experts advise to not paint in direct sunlight on sweltering, summer days.
“When painting outside, one of the most common mistakes is exposing your paint to too much direct sunlight at the hottest parts of the day. This causes the paint to dry too quickly and means it could fail to adhere to the surface.
My advice is to regularly check the weather forecast and have all your supplies ready to go. If the weather conditions look favorable you should be able to get most paint jobs completed in a matter of hours.”
What is the best time to paint indoors?
Surprisingly, experts suggest that winter (cooler) months are actually ideal for painting your interiors, especially if you don't have one of the best dehumidifiers to hand. This is due to lower levels of humidity in the air that will help the paint to adhere to walls. “However, it is important to note that the average room temperature should be above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, otherwise this can cause the paint to thicken or even freeze. This will greatly affect the quality of the paint finish.”
In addition, if you do wish to paint during summer months, or have no other option then it’s best to paint early in the morning. “It’s always recommended to paint in the early hours of the day before the surface has become too warm. By doing so, it also provides more time for the paint to dry in the natural sunlight.
“This also allows you to keep the window open for most of the day to allow fresh air to circulate. You want as long as possible to let the paint dry undisturbed - typically at least six hours”.
Any top tips for painting inside?
During painting, it’s quite common for us to open up all the windows to allow proper ventilation in the room. However, while there is nothing wrong with this, experts suggest that we only need a minimal airflow.
“A common mistake people make is assuming that windows need to be kept open to allow paint to dry and prevent any smells. These smells are caused by VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which are chemicals that evaporate quickly into the air.
Most interior paints have 'low' or 'mimimal' VOC these days but this can easily be checked by looking on the back of the paint can for a VOC Globe. An easy solution is to use a small desk fan for ventilation and open interior doors to allow for a gentle airflow.” Using an air purifier is another good way of keeping air pollution low when painting your interior.
Alternatively, you could check out these quick ways to remove paint odors when decorating. Or if you’re deciding on changing up your color scheme, check out how to choose the best paint for your interior finish.
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