When painting interiors, you have complete control over the conditions. But when it comes to exterior painting, it’s a whole different ball game. Exterior painting in Gauteng isn’t the kind of job that can be done all year round or just at any time of the year, winter is the ideal time to get the exterior of your building painted.

Gauteng enjoys a drier climate in the cooler months with little to no rain, making it the exact time to get those exterior painting projects done. With less humidity in the air and no harsh sun to compete with, exterior paint enjoys perfect conditions to set and dry.

Gauteng enjoys a milder climate during winter with temperatures averaging around 20 degrees Celsius. It’s colder during the nights, yes, but luckily it’s not freezing. No snow, sleet or rain, pretty much no moisture to complicate the process.

Best Weather Conditions For Outside Painting

For your exterior paint job to turn out just right, the weather needs to cooperate. Because the way the paint dries is directly related to the conditions and temperature at the time of the paint’s application.

Ideally, you want to choose a time that gives you warm, dry days. It’s also a good idea to look at the weather for the duration of the exterior painting project. Rain can affect the job and although not common, it can rain from time to time in Gauteng during winter. Check also, to see if there is any rain forecast after the application—you want to make sure it’s not going to pour in the days after application when your paint is still curing.

You also want to be careful of massive temperature fluctuations from day to night. If you’ve got perfect temperatures during the day, but then a sudden drop after the sun goes down, the paint will react and won’t cure properly. This could result in a less than a smooth surface with cracking possible cracking and peeling.

High wind speeds can also really hamper exterior painting. Too much wind can be dangerous rocking ladders side to side and flinging debris around. Wind can affect the paint itself, causing it to dry quicker than it should. Worse yet, dust, dirt and debris might make their way onto the paint while it dries.

How Warm Should It Be To Paint Outside?

We’ve mentioned that winter in Gauteng is the ideal time to get your exterior paint job done. While winter gives us reliably dry weather and usually doesn’t have a lot of rain, it also comes with the cold. When it’s too cold out, it could cause the paint to dry too slowly, which could leave you with a less than ideal finish.

It’s always best to aim for a day that’s not too cold, the see relatively constant temperatures. You’ll also want to pay attention to humidity levels as well. Paint will usually dry the best when it’s not overly humid. As we mentioned earlier, you’ll usually find the best temperatures during the late autumn and early winter, depending on where you live. If you stick to these times of the year, and you’ll probably end up with fantastic painting weather!

Pitfalls To Avoid

1. Don’t paint when it’s wet outside

Avoid rainy days, and always make sure all the surfaces you’ll be painting are completely dry. This is essential if you want to end up with a perfectly even application.

2. Don’t paint outside an acceptable temperature range

You don’t want to try to paint outside in the below-freezing temperatures since it’s usually too cold for the paint to be able to dry and properly cure. Remember to think about the temperature at night too, since your paint will still be drying and you want to make sure the conditions are best.

3. Don’t paint when it’s too windy

Too much wind can be dangerous, rocking ladders side to side and flinging debris around. Not to mention making conditions dustier which can affect the overall look of the paint job.

4. Don’t try to paint outside the seasons

If you can, plan the painting jobs to coincide with the best weather conditions for where you are based. During summer the conditions are far too hot and the paint job will not look good. Besides, painting in extreme heat is not the best idea!

Of course, when you decide to paint will largely depend on the climate where you are, but if you adhere to these general guidelines, you’re sure to end up with a flawless finish.