Fall can be an excellent time to paint the exterior of your Kelowna home; however there are a few special precautions that need to be taken. A fresh coat can transform your home’s exterior from drab to fab. Use that extra time now that the kids are back in school to get to those home projects you’ve been putting off all summer!

Temperature and time of day matter

For best results, avoid applying exterior paints and stains when temperatures are lower than 10 degrees celsius.

As a general rule of thumb, the best hours of application in the fall are between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. When possible, try to start your painting on the sunny side of the house and follow the sun around (this is just the opposite of painting in the summer). Lower temperatures mean slower drying and longer curing times. Be sure to allow ample time between coats. At least 24 hours is recommended at temperatures below 10 degrees.

Pay attention to dew points

The dew point is the temperature at which moisture will condense on a surface. Paints, stains, or primers should not be applied unless the surface temperature is higher than the dew point. Remember that all surfaces to be stained or painted need to be clean and dry. If dew forms on a painted surface that hasn’t had a chance to cure properly, you may experience some water spotting or surfactant leaching problems, especially in darker colors.

Your home will be looking as good as new in no time! Do the project right by following these exterior painting tips for fall.

If you’re looking to hire a Kelowna painting company to do the job for you this fall, contact us today!