Fall Exterior painting in Minnesota

Here at Lake Area Painting, we are often asked, “When does it get too cold to paint?” Cold is a serious limiting factor and paint manufacturers are good about spelling out the temperature tolerances for their products. It’s really fairly simple, most exterior paint and stain is water-based. Therefore if the paint is applied during the day and the temperature falls to below freezing before the paint dries you will have a problem. The results will be obvious; the paint will crack and fall off!

There is, however, another concern or problem that happens far more often and is related to cold weather. SURFACTANT LEACHING! Very often in the spring and fall as those beautiful sunny days turn into cool nights we get condensation. Here’s what happens, as the temperature falls at night and it gets close to the dew point the humidity increases. That humidity in the air hangs on to the warmer sides of your home. If your fresh paint is not completely dry you will end up with streaks in the paint and
discoloration.

There is soap or surfactants in all paint and damp air will actually pull the soap to the surface of the paint causing a very unsightly looking finish.

To avoid the problems quit painting earlier in the day. Also, windy afternoons help to dry out the paint quicker or this is one of the few times during the year when painting on the sunny side of the house is a good idea. That sun on a 50-degree day will help dry the paint.

Happy painting!