It is almost a rule that house painting is done during summer. The warm weather, long days, and abundance of sunshine make summer the best time for general housework. But, you might be surprised to learn that winter house painting also carries certain benefits. Well, let’s see whether you can paint your home this winter so that you can enjoy the following summer in its entirety.
Pros
To help highlight why painting your home during the winter can be a good idea, we will first go over the pros. If you need to paint over something small, winter can even be a better period for the renovation than summer.
You’ll Hire the Best Pros More Easily
Home painting is usually considered seasonal work. As most people choose to paint their homes during the summer months, it makes sense that summer is when painters have most work. Come winter, most painters either do something else or sit tight until it’s summer again. Well, those painters would much rather make some money than sit around. Due to having more free time, painters will be able to paint your home according to your schedule. This is why finding and hiring expert painters is easier during winter.
The Paint will Dry Fast
People have a common concern about painting their home in the middle of winter because they think the paint won’t dry fast enough. After all, you need to keep your home winded until the paint dries. And if it will take weeks for it to completely dry, there isn’t much sense in tackling it during winter.
This, while being a common concern, is also a common misconception. Namely, two factors determine how fast paint will dry: temperature and humidity. While temperature is essential, humidity plays a vital role in drying too. And, as you can imagine, just because it is winter doesn’t mean that it will be humid. If there is little humidity, your home will dry in just as much time as it would take during summer. If we had to paint a house and choose between a dry winter and a humid summer, we would definitely opt for the former.
You can Take Care of it During the Winter Holidays
If you find painters you can trust, you can easily have them paint your home while you are off on your winter holiday. Store away any valuable items, and make enough room for them to work freely. Just remember that if you should opt for this, you should look for storage before you start looking for painters.
Cons
If cheaper service and fast-drying were the only traits of painting your home during the winter, people would do it far more often. But, as you’ve probably guessed, there are certain downsides to keep in mind.
You Have to Monitor the Weather
The great thing about summer is that it is usually there to stay once sunny weather comes along. This, of course, can vary based on where you live and your local climate. But, people usually choose summer or spring for home renovation because you can reliably expect suitable weather.
Unfortunately, this is not the case come winter. Winter weather, even if it starts nice, can quickly turn. Today’s relatively dry weather can easily turn tomorrow and make drying a lot more problematic. Even a minor winter storm can cause a considerable setback. Now, you can closely follow the weather forecasts and determine when it is best to paint. But, no matter how careful you are, you’ll still be working at risk.
You will Have to Keep your Home Constantly Warm
As we said, temperature and humidity determine how quickly your paint will dry. And while it may not be humid during winter, it is bound to be cold. For your walls to dry, they should be around 60°F (16°C). But, this doesn’t mean that you can set your thermostat at 60 and be done with it.
As a rule, your walls will always be colder than the interior of your home. It means that you will have to keep the indoor temperature above 60 if the paint is to adequately dry. If you prepare your home for winter, this won’t be much of an issue. But, if you don’t, it can be a difficult task to achieve.
Exterior Paint is out of the Question
The final thing to keep in mind is that winter painting is only possible if we talk about indoor paint. Painting the exterior of your home is not feasible, as the cold weather won’t allow it to dry, so if you want to paint the inside and outside of your home, best wait for summer.
Final Thoughts on Winter House Painting
As you can see, there are situations where winter house painting is feasible. But, it is essential to note that it requires more knowledge and care than summer painting. If you and your painters tackle it with due care, you can paint your home beautifully for a fraction of the cost. But fail to maintain temperature, or misjudge humidity, and you’ll soon see how unforgiving winter can be.
Written By: Mary Aspen Richardson
