5 Useful Hacks for Exterior House Painting in the Summer

The beautiful weather of the summer is perfect for beach days and vacations, but it can also be great for outdoor work and new projects at home. Many people find the motivation to paint the exterior of their house in the summer, and a project this big takes a lot of planning and consideration. Painting takes strategy, and knowing some insider tips will make your project even easier and more successful. Read on for the best tips and hacks to help you with your summer painting project!

Avoid Conflicting Conditions

In warm weather, paint dries very quickly, which can be helpful and harmful at the same time. In order to ensure that your paint dries correctly, there are a few outdoor conditions that you should keep in mind on your painting days. When you’re painting outside in the summer, it is best to avoid temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit and painting in direct sunlight at the same time, and either of these conditions should not be combined with painting a hot or porous surface. Avoiding painting when two or more of these conditions are present is important for ensuring that your paint job ends up as successful as possible.

Pay Attention to Temperature and Humidity

Many people have a desire to paint the outside of their house during the summer, but there is definitely a temperature guideline to be followed when it comes to outdoor painting in the heat. If it’s too hot outside, the paint will have difficulty properly binding to the exterior of the house, and this can result in cracking and peeling. For a more specific temperature guide, check the label on the cans of paint you choose, but a general idea of the perfect outdoor painting temperature is around 70 degrees. Humidity also plays a role in when you should work on your outdoor painting job, because high humidity affects the amount of time it takes paint to dry and cure. It is advisable to wait until there will be a stretch of good weather to start your project, so that you do not have to constantly start and stop. 50% humidity is ideal for outdoor painting.

Rinse the House and Let the Sun Dry It

One of the most crucial parts of preparing to paint the outside of your house is rinsing it to get rid of any mold and mildew, and the summer is a great time for this. Start by spraying the house with a diluted bleach solution and then rinse it with a hose (power washers can be too powerful and damage the wood) and then wait a few sunny days after rinsing to proceed with the painting. The sunnier and warmer, the better for drying.

Chase the Shade

When painting in the summer, the sun is bound to be out, but staying in the shade is one of your best bets for summer exterior painting. In order to do this, start painting on the shady side of your house and follow the shade as the sun moves across the sky throughout the day. Staying in the shade is important because direct sunlight increases the temperature of the surface that you are painting on, and can bring the temperature of the outside of your house up to 15 degrees above the temperature of the air.

Complement the Landscape

When it comes to making the outside of your house look beautiful, the summer is one of the best opportunities. In the summer months, plants are at their greenest and flowers and trees are in full bloom, so there is no better time to ensure that the color you have chosen for your house matches the rest of your property. Your yard will be the most colorful and vibrant in the summer, so it’s the perfect time to spruce up the exterior of your house as well.

Buy Exterior Paint at Gleco Paint Stores

If you are looking to paint the outside of your home this summer and get it looking as beautiful as possible, Gleco Paint is the best choice for you. We have three locations across Pennsylvania, and a huge variety of paint and stain options. Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff will help you choose the perfect paint color for the outside of your house and ensure that your summer painting project is as successful as possible. Contact us today for more information about the products we offer, and for any help with your future painting projects!