Now that the summer is coming to a close and the cooler weather is finally rolling in, a lot of us are thinking about getting work done around the house. After all, who wants to do it when the temperatures are so high, even up here in Seattle? Of course, the rain doesn’t help with certain projects either, so it can be a bit tricky to plan out projects like this.
As we can see in articles like this one, humidity can have a pretty big impact on painting a home. Really, there’s a lot to keep track of in that sense, so that’s why we’re here today to help explain when the best time to paint a home is. Of course, remember that we don’t have to go through the process alone either – we can bring in trained professionals to help along the way.
What Time Of Year Should You Have Your House Painted?
Perhaps the biggest question that many of us face when it comes to this type of housework is this one: when should we actually start painting our homes? It’s a bit of a multi-faceted query, admittedly, but we’ll do our best to answer. For one thing, avoiding extreme temperatures is nearly a must. Obviously, this has partially to do with general working conditions. Most folks tend not to want to work in extreme heat or cold, and it also just isn’t great for the longevity of the paint. While we can certainly do our best to make the most of it by utilizing topcoats and primers, it isn’t always going to work out.
You see, at a certain point, even those won’t be able to protect the pain underneath. So, the middle of summer when it’s over ninety degrees probably isn’t going to be the best time. The same goes for winter but for the opposite reason, of course.
When is a better time, then? You may have already guessed this, but autumn and spring are the general “preferred” moments when we should paint our homes. This goes for it if we choose to bring in professionals as well. They’ll tend to charge higher rates the more difficult the job is, after all, and extreme temperatures certainly classify as upping the difficulty.
Autumn is nice because it gives us a chance to refresh our homes before winter hits. Tons of people have seasonal issues during winter, when we don’t get to see the sun very much. Having a nice, cozy space inside can really be a mood booster, and sometimes changing up the paint can be just the trick to bringing some life back into a space.
Exterior House Painting
Thus far, we’ve really just focused on things related to painting the interior of a home. While most of the advice we’ve given thus far can definitely apply to the exterior of a house as well, there are a few other pieces of advice that we’d like to highlight otherwise.
If you choose to paint the outside of your home (or bring in professional painters to do it for you), there are a few extra steps involved. For one thing, you’ll want to make sure the walls are squeaky clean. Typically, this will involve pressure washing to really ensure that the “canvas” is as clean as possible.
This is to make certain that the new layer of paint won’t look grimy or dirty. Unfortunately, while paint can cover up a lot, when we get the natural elements involved, it can be a lot more difficult. Dirt or mud can end up mixing in with the paint and messing up the longevity of it as well.
For those who weren’t aware, a lot of exterior paint is formulated in a special way to help it last longer even in rain, snow, and sunshine. Weather patterns take their toll, after all, and can make things fade out surprisingly quickly if we don’t get the right formula. Just something that you may want to keep in mind.
Once you’ve got everything nice and clean, you’ll probably want to fix up any rough edges or patches of damage that you see as well. If there’s loose paint anywhere, that’s something you’ll want to remove. The idea here is to make it as easy as possible for the painters to come in and get the job done.
Now, if you don’t know how that might work, you can check out a resource like this one: https://www.terapainting.com/ - it goes into some details about how you can hire professionals as well as how the process might shake out. Don’t forget that you can always ask questions along the way, and getting a quote or consultation doesn’t lock you into hiring a specific painter.
With that said, something else that you may want to consider is prepping the exterior of your home by using a primer stain and by protecting any windows, doors, or lights that could end up in the “danger zone.” This isn’t applicable if you do want those fixtures painted, but most people would prefer to do some precision work with them anyhow, so try your best to protect them.
After that, it’s as simple as starting the painting process! If you do end up hiring a team to help, you’ll do some consulting with them first of course. They’ll need to know what color you’re aiming for, as well as what they should avoid painting. Standard stuff there, as you probably know.
Ask if they have any recommendations as far as paint brands go, too – we should try to utilize these resources when they’re available! When in doubt, just ask questions along the way. Thankfully, there are a bunch of painting contractors in the Seattle area, so hopefully you’ll be able to find one that suits your needs.
Painting our homes can be a pretty big project sometimes, so it’s only natural that we take time to consider how we should do it. Hopefully, now you’ve got a better handle on that!
With that said, something else that you may want to consider is prepping the exterior of your home by using a primer stain and by protecting any windows, doors, or lights that could end up in the “danger zone.” This isn’t applicable if you do want those fixtures painted, but most people would prefer to do some precision work with them anyhow, so try your best to protect them.
After that, it’s as simple as starting the painting process! If you do end up hiring a team to help, you’ll do some consulting with them first of course. They’ll need to know what color you’re aiming for, as well as what they should avoid painting. Standard stuff there, as you probably know.
Ask if they have any recommendations as far as paint brands go, too – we should try to utilize these resources when they’re available! When in doubt, just ask questions along the way. Thankfully, there are a bunch of painting contractors in the Seattle area, so hopefully you’ll be able to find one that suits your needs.
Painting our homes can be a pretty big project sometimes, so it’s only natural that we take time to consider how we should do it. Hopefully, now you’ve got a better handle on that!