Painting Your Front Porch? Better Check The Weather

That wooden front porch of yours has managed to weather through several years of use, but it may be starting to look pretty ragged with chipping and peeling paint along the rails, floor, and balusters. If you are like a lot of homeowners, you will pick a weekend or time when you have a few days off to tackle this task on your own with a fresh coat or two of paint. While painting your porch may seem like no big deal, there are actually a lot of factors that can affect your end result, especially where the weather is concerned. Take a look at these three things you will need to know about the weather before you attempt to paint your porch. 

Temperature

Did you know that the temperature can have an affect on how quickly paint will dry and cure? You may even find it surprising to learn that certain types of paint work best when they are applied at certain temperatures. For example, a general rule is that oil-based paint be applied at temperatures between 40 and 90 degrees and latex is best when applied at temperatures between 50 and 85, according to Today's Homeowner. This general rule can fluctuate depending on the exact ingredients and formulation of the paint. Therefore, different brands of paint will come with different recommendations. 

Precipitation

It's just common knowledge that you don't want to be in the middle of painting your porch and see a big rain cloud move in. However, many homeowners fail to check for precipitation before they start painting. The fact is, if your paint gets rained on before it dries, it can have a major impact on your end result. So make sure you get a detailed analysis from your weatherman for expected chances of precipitation before you start painting. 

Wind

Picture this: you are happily painting away on the porch when a gust of wind blows through carrying dust, debris, and leaves right along with it. You are left trying to pick tidbits of debris from your freshly applied exterior paint. This is why it is better to know before you start painting what the wind conditions are expected to be. It is best to avoid painting on windy days if at all possible. If you cannot avoid the breezes, make sure you hand up tarps or plastic to shield the area where you are working from the blowing wind. 

For more information and tips on painting your front porch, contact professional residential painting companies, or visit websites like http://stetsonpainting.com.