As it’s October now I thought it’s a good time to say something about the effects on paint of the cold and damp and how low temperatures can effect the drying process of the paint.
October has many warm dry sunny days and although it does record the highest( not by much) average monthly rainfall, the rain is usually followed by windy autumn weather to dry things out quickly.
It is therefore alright to paint outside in October.
Just beware the cold nights. If the final coat is applied around 6pm and the temperature then drops rapidly it is likely to alter the curing process and diminish the durability of the paint finish.
This liability can be overcome by painting earlier in the day and doing the further preparation work later in the day.
A rule of thumb would be if the paint takes 4 hours to dry you don’t want the temperature dropping below 5c during that period.
Dulux and others now have an all seasons paint. Dulux All Seasons Masonry Paint for example can be used in temperatures above 5c and dries within about an hour so is ideal for difficult climates.
Some other tips for painting in October:
Don’t get blown off your ladder during the strong equinoctial winds.
Secure anything left on the scaffold overnight.
Speaking of scaffold and ladders brings to mind that question: Should the work be done from scaffolding or ladders? Will a better job be done from a scaffold? The answer to the second question is yes, you will get a better job from a scaffold. However for some work erecting a scaffold is not reasonable. We recently did the gable end of a house where the only excessively high area was the top triangular section of stonework requiring little preparation and about 2 hours of painting. We opted for the ladder, saved the client a bunch and thereby sold the job.
But if you don’t feel like doing any painting yourself or hanging around to accommodate decorators in October you could ask us to do it for you and take advantage of the last sunny days on the coast. If you’re a sea swimmer you probably know that October has a higher average sea temperature than July.
Give us a call for a free quote and sound advice. We can take care of your property better than most.