# Exterior Painting - Weather - When is it too hot to paint?



## cschultz (Jul 23, 2008)

We are going to paint the trim on our house.

We live in New Orleans, and the temperatures right now are in the mid to high 90's every day. Also, it is very high humidity and it goes down to the 70's at night.

Consumer Reports recommends exterior painting only in temperatures of 60-85. So we'd have to wait until October. 

Do you guys think this makes a big difference?

Should we wait?

Thanks, Chris


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

Paint manufacturers will change their formulations depending on where they'll be sending the paint they're making, so Consumer Report's recommendations may not necessarily apply. I'd talk to your local paint stores to find out what their experience has been with their customers painting in the New Orleans summer heat.

One alternative would be to drape blankets from your roofline to shade your house from the Sun during the day.


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

*Products vary...*

It will be on the can

IIRC, most top out at 90* F


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

*Too hot to paint?*

I used to not think it made any difference. That is until I tried painting a house one late spring when temps jumped from 70's to 90's in just a few weeks. Actually I was waiting for the spring pollen (middle GA) to subside and summer came in a hurry. 

I could only paint until about lunch time. After about 1:00 PM I spent more time rinsing dried paint from the heel of the brush than I did painting. I also learned the importance of "follow the sun." That is, paint only in the shade. Work around the house as the day progresses. Some may disagree with moving that much. I can only tell you what my experience was in the 90 temps one time. I won't do that again!:no:


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

downunder said:


> After about 1:00 PM I spent more time rinsing dried paint from the heel of the brush than I did painting.


I don't use a brush that much, but what I find works well is to rinse out the brush I intend to use in the solvent of the paint I'm going to be using first. That is, if I intend to use the brush to paint with oil based paint, I'll rinse the brush out first in paint thinner. Water if it's a latex paint.

The idea here is to use capillary pressure to draw water or paint thinner deep into the bristles of the brush where the heel is. That way, any paint that gets way deep into those bristles doesn't dry while you're painting, but remains liquid. And, when the times comes to wash out your brush, you'll find that the brush washes out not only faster, but more completely.

I just thought I'd suggest that. It kinda makes common sense, but people don't seem to do that until they realize that not doing it is why the heels of their paint brushes keep hardening up with dried paint.


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

> I don't use a brush that much, but what I find works well is to rinse out the brush I intend to use in the solvent of the paint I'm going to be using first.


I do that as well. Don't know if I do for the same reasons. Wetting the brush first helps the paint flow smoother from the first load, kind of like when you warm up first before exercising- just gets you (or your brush) in the groove quicker. Seems like the brush would have to sit out all day or night for the paint to dry all the way down in the heel. 

Anyway, my point was that in really hot temps, the paint on, not in, the brush dries in just a few minutes and affects being able to cut a clean line. That's when I would stop and give the brush a quick rinse. Not an end of the day cleaning, just enough to get the crust off and get the brush tips back pliable. In this case, I was cutting in trim: windows, porch railings, etc. Had to use a brush there.


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