What's the Ideal Temperature for Exterior Painting in Colorado?
As a homeowner, you know the many benefits of keeping your home well-maintained. Paint is one of the most important maintenance jobs because it protects the substructure, maintains your home's value, improves curb appeal, and . . . a high-quality paint job increases the value of your home.
With Colorado's unique weather conditions, to ensure a long-lasting paint job it's important to understand the ideal temperature for exterior painting. Denver's semi-arid, four-season climate famously has about 300 days of sunshine per year and year-round temperatures range between highs of 47 - 92℉ and lows of 20 - 61℉. This climate can prove challenging when painting your home's exterior.
In this article, we provide expert guidance on how to achieve flawless paint results in Colorado's unique climate. We not only cover the conditions and ideal temperature for exterior painting but advise on how to choose the right paint. If you're considering an exterior paint job, talk to the pros at Singletrack Painting. With years of experience in the Denver and Front Range areas, Singletrack will paint your house with the finest workmanship and flawless results.
Understanding the Ideal Conditions for Exterior Painting
To achieve a top-quality paint job, avoid painting in rain, humidity, wind, freezing temperatures, or excessive heat. Pro painters understand how these conditions affect exterior painting. Quality paints are designed for application within certain temperature ranges and certain weather conditions (see below). If the recommendations are ignored, the final paint job will soon blister, bubble, crack, chip, and peel. All that hard work and money spent on paint and supplies will be lost.
Why Colorado's Climate Matters for Your Painting Project
Freezing winter storms and hot, dry summer days are just a few features of Colorado's unique, four-season climate. Rain and snow come with associated humidity. Colorado's Front Range winds, sun, and strong UV rays create aridity. Painting in these conditions can shorten a paint job's lifespan, even when the highest quality paint is used. Before painting, be sure to check the long-range weather forecast so the work can be completed in optimal conditions.
Keeping your home protected with a quality paint job is crucial to its overall condition. So when you're ready to paint, Colorado's climate matters big time! Be sure to consider how often you paint your home to keep it properly maintained. And be sure to keep in mind the seasonal climate challenges when planning an exterior paint job.
What's the Perfect Temperature for Exterior Painting in Colorado?
For a paint job to be long-lasting, standard high-quality paint has to be applied within a specific temperature range, and it has to dry and cure within the manufacturer's recommendations. The best temperature range for exterior painting is between 55℉ to 85 ℉. However, some experts suggest painting between 50℉ and 70℉ degrees. You should achieve great results if you paint within the range of ideal temperature and humidity for exterior painting.
If you absolutely must paint when the temps drop below 50℉, use special paints formulated for application down to as low as 35℉. Before painting, be sure to measure both the air temperature and the surface temperature of what you're painting.
In addition to understanding ideal temperature ranges for exterior painting, take into consideration wind, humidity, and precipitation. Wind will dry out the paint too fast. High humidity prevents the paint from drying properly. The Ideal humidity range of 40% to 70% will allow the paint to dry and cure correctly. Think of the rain as high humidity and avoid painting in rain or if rain is in the forecast within 24 hours after painting.
The best times of year to complete an exterior paint job in Colorado are late spring, summer, and into fall. But keep in mind that July is the hottest month with temperatures that can rise to over 90 ℉. Colorado winter temperatures drop below freezing at night. The freezing nights and higher dew points cause extended drying time that prevents the paint from curing properly.
Choosing the Right Paint
Quality paint is the key to achieving the best possible paint job – given that you follow guidelines for weather conditions! It simply doesn't pay to buy cheap paint. If you want to paint in Colorado's late fall to early spring, choose paints that are formulated for cold application. Luckily, with advanced paint formulation technology, your exterior paint options are more varied than ever. The types of binders, solvents, pigments, and additives help determine the quality and cost. Let's take a look at what's available:
Water-based paints
100% Acrylic Latex paints are flexible, breathable, and hold their color and sheen for a long time. This paint has great adherence, particularly on masonry, vinyl, and wood.
Cold weather water-based paint can be applied in temperatures down to 35℉.
Oil-based paints
Oil-based paints aren't as popular as they once were due to the VOC’s and odor. However, some painters still prefer oil-based for doors, trim, and metal because this paint dries into a hard glossy finish that is durable and highly resistant to dirt.
Specialty paints
Self-priming paint is formulated to save steps. However, you may need more coats to achieve the same result that you'd get with a good primer. It's still always good practice to use a high-adhesion primer prior to applying this kind of paint.
Natural paint is made with boiled linseed oil and ground minerals. It doesn't contain VOCs, solvents, petroleum, or toxic ingredients.
Water-based enamel paint is more fade-resistant and flexible than oil but doesn't provide as smooth a finish.
Learn from the Experts at Singletrack Painting
A top-quality long-lasting paint job is the best way to protect your home from Colorado's challenging weather. The Singletrack experts have years of painting experience in Denver and the Front Range. They use tried and true methods for achieving flawless painting results, even in Colorado's unique climate. Singletrack provides expert workmanship and excellent customer service, so when you're ready for the best possible paint job for your home's exterior, count on Singletrack Painting. Get a quote today!
