You could say that attempting to tackle exterior painting jobs in the winter is more or less asking for trouble. And you’d be right, as the vast majority of paints simply aren’t designed to cope with the inevitable nastiness outdoors right now.
Interior painting, by contrast, is an entirely different story. Just as long as you go about the job strategically, there’s really no better time than right now to consider painting your interiors.
Understandably, painting in the coldest and darkest months of the year brings certain questions and concerns into the equation. To such an extent that many are put off by the idea of attempting home improvements until spring.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a brief FAQ covering several of these common questions and concerns. If you have any further questions or would like clarification on any of the following, be sure to contact the team at Homm CPS anytime for an obligation-free chat:
- Is it possible to paint in winter or should we just avoid it?
Not only is it possible to paint indoors in the winter, but it can actually be preferable for a variety of reasons. Interior air is drier and speeds up paint curing times, you’ve total control over the temperature of your home and you’ve (probably) not a great deal else to be doing outdoors.
Interior painting can therefore be the perfect weekend project for the winter, getting your home in top shape for when the warmer weather makes an appearance once again.
- What’s the best time of day to paint during the winter?
It depends on your exact location, the direction your windows face and the weather at the time. As a general rule of thumb, however, it’s recommended to paint interiors from 10am till 3pm during the winter.
That’s because this is the time when your rooms are more likely to be bathed in as much natural light as possible. You’ll also want to see how your rooms look at night when you’ve turned on the lights, but focusing on how they look during the day is more important.
- What jobs are best for this time of year?
The short answer is any job you can take care of in a relatively short amount of time, without completely wrecking your interiors. This more or less extends to the overwhelming majority of standard interior painting jobs – anything from painting trim to painting walls and ceilings in their entirety.
Just be mindful of the fact that the room-by-room approach is the way to go during the winter. You may have limited access to your outdoor spaces and there may be no allowance for storing your furniture and possessions outdoors while you paint. You’ll need to make use of the finite space you have available, so tackle smaller areas and tasks one at a time, before moving on to the next.
- What kind of interior temperature should I be aiming for?
As a general rule of thumb, the usable temperature range for most types of paint is 50 degrees F / 10 degrees C to 95 degrees F / 35 degrees C. Aiming for something right in the center is ideal.
If your interiors are particularly warm for any given reason, there’s always the option of adding a hot weather additive to your paint to encourage it to dry faster. Though it’s usually far easier just to turn the heating down and cool your interiors slightly.
- How important is ventilation?
That’s for the manufacturer of your paint to decide and indicate on the packaging. For obvious reasons, it’s important to ensure adequate ventilation and air circulation, in order to maintain temperature and humidity balance throughout the job. However, there are also plenty of paints that produce unpleasant and potentially harmful vapors when in use.
Always be mindful of the manufacturer’s guidelines and take common sense precautions. The smaller the space, the more important it becomes to ensure adequate ventilation.
- Should I hire the pros this winter?
Last up, there’s always the option of hiring help if you’re not 100% confident in your capabilities (or simply don’t have the time to do the job yourself). Hiring a pro painting contractor in winter can be surprisingly advantageous – prices are often lower and availability greater than during the warmer months of the year.
Plus, there’s the benefit of pro painters getting the job done faster and thereby minimizing disruption. Whether ready to go ahead or simply considering an interior makeover this winter, the team at Homm CPS is standing by to take your call.