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Glad You Asked About Exterior Panting |
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Q: Is the Fall a good time to paint the outside of my house?
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A: Any time when proper conditions of temperature and humidity exist is a good time to paint. Most latex paints work best in a temperature range of 50 degrees Fahrenheit - 90 degrees Fahrenheit,and most areas of the country provide this environment during the fall. But depending on where you live, Fall can be too wet, too hot, or too cold. In general, it's best to keep in mind that a surface subject to morning dew should be allowed to dry before painting and the surface temperature should be above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Q: Is special surface preparation required in the fall?
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A: No. As always, the surface must be sound and clean. You want to follow all normal surface preparation techniques. If the surface face is washed, it may take longer to dry before it will accept paint. Also, caulk and putty need more time to cure because of the lower temperatures and possible dew.
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Q: How cold can it be to use exterior latex paint?
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A: There are some products that can be applied at temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but the temperature should be rising or remain steady during applications and should remain above 35 degrees Fahrenheit overnight. If dew is expected, you must quit painting early in the day. If temperatures are falling, the dewpoint can be reached long before the paint can tolerate it. This will ruin the paint film. Each products label contains temperature range imformation that must be followed for best results.
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Q: Should I paint in the sun to help paint dry?
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A: Though this is a common practice as temperatures dip towards 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it is a questionable one. The reason is there is no way to predict whether the paint film will cure enough below low temperatures or dew will cause a problem.
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Q: If water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit why cant I paint with latex when the temperature is above that?
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A: Due to radiational cooling during the night, the paint temperature can fall several degrees below the air temperature. At the same time, the risk of heavy dew increases. The results will be flaking and cracking of the paint film in areas where the paint has not yet cured sufficiently. |
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