What’s the Perfect Temperature for Painting Your House?

It’s time – past time, actually – to repaint your house.  But it’s the dead of winter.  Or the middle of summer.  Is it too cold/hot to do the job?  What is the perfect temperature to paint a house, anyway?

Well, according to home improvement expert Danny Lipford, the maximum and minimum recommended temperatures for exterior paint vary depending on the type (oil or latex) and specific brand of paint used, but a general rule of thumb is that oil-based paint can be applied when the temperatures are between 40°- 90° F and latex between 50°- 85° F. The best drying will occur when the relative humidity is 40% to 70%.

Too high or low a temperature can cause the paint to not bind together properly, which can lead to cracking and peeling. Latex can also be difficult to apply at high temperatures since it will dry too quickly to brush out properly.

When you’re painting outside, work your way around the house during the day so that you’re not painting in the sun, since the actual temperature on a sunny surface will be much higher than the weather forecast “in the shade” temperature.

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Photo Credit:  ronstik / Shutterstock.com