Knowing When It’s Too Cold To Paint Outdoors in Raleigh
Some may consider painting outside in cold weather less than ideal. However, if temperatures exceed 35 degrees, there is no risk of paint failure when using low-temp-specific exterior paints. Although the proverbial “Is it too cold to paint?” is a normal question during the cold weather season.
Additionally, while a light freeze from midnight to early morning technically violates manufacturer recommendations, as long as the paint has fully dried before the light freeze and is low-temperature rated, we have not had any issues. No chalk, loss of adhesion, or discoloration. And our warranty backs this claim for up to 5 years.
The Homeowner Concerns
To validate a homeowner’s concern, product knowledge does help when painting in cooler weather. Otherwise, the paint could blister or peel. But that also stands true for heat and humidity. However, the idea of painting when it’s cold, when a homeowner researches a general “best time to paint,” can cause concern and confusion. And if there is no means of educating past that objection, it is best not to hire your painter if there is any chance of cold weather in the near future.
The ideal temperature to paint is between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. So, temperatures below 55 are inevitably considered low-temperature applications and must be treated accordingly. Other than that, you technically get a thicker coat of paint when brushing in our mild North Carolina winters.
Understanding the Metric of Temperature
| Winter Paint Factor | The Technical Threshold | Raleigh “Pro” Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Application Temp | Minimum 35°F | Use Sherwin-Williams Latitude; its low MFFT allows for safe curing during NC’s “mild” winter days. |
| Cure Time (Winter) | 30 – 45+ Days | Avoid “scrubbing” new finishes until February/March; cold weather significantly slows the molecular cross-linking. |
| Winter Caulking | High-Performance 1050A | Essential for Triangle homes; standard caulk snaps in the cold. Quick-dry formulas are required to prevent paint cracking. |
| Optimal Work Window | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Allows morning dew to evaporate and ensures paint dries before the midnight frost cycle. |
*Pro Tip: While national blogs suggest waiting for 50°F, our technical use of low-temp resins allows us to extend the Raleigh painting season safely through the winter months.
The best temperatures for oil-based paints range from 45 to 90 degrees. Surface temperatures must be at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit for most exterior latex paints. In contrast, a cold-weather exterior paint such as Sherwin-Williams Latitude allows surface temperatures to drop as low as 35 degrees.
Atmospheric temperatures differ from surface temperatures, while outdoor temperatures may be higher than surface temperatures in shady areas. In hotter months, an experienced painter will dodge the sun and chase the shade, while in winter, the opposite is true. Exterior painters are more successful in painting on the sunny side in late fall and early winter.
6 Steps to Painting in Cold Temperatures
There are additional considerations besides finding the sun when the temperatures are low, and you don’t need to be a professional exterior painter to follow these basic steps.
- Check the weather to ensure rain, high winds, or a cold front is not coming.
- Check the surface temperature and look for visible moisture.
- Heat the surface when needed using an outdoor heater.
- Buy a low-temperature paint that allows cold-weather applications.
- Purchase fast-drying caulking and paint supplies.
- Allow plenty of drying time.
Cold Weather Painting Tips for Raleigh
The possibility of painting outdoors in cold weather depends primarily on the paint you use and how far into winter it is. Late February is the hardest month for us to paint outdoors. Generally, our temperatures in the Triangle range from the mid-20s to the upper 30s this month. However, depending on that year’s weather patterns, we can see Arctic blasts from Canada that cause temperatures to dip even further. Painting during this time frame should be avoided. But if the weather is moderate and feels like early spring, these temperatures, paired with a clear forecast, give enough time to sneak in an exterior paint job. However, wood staining should be avoided.
The unavoidable setback to painting in the winter months is the reduced number of working hours, primarily due to limited daylight. However, planning the start and end times for the painting is ideal, no matter what challenge you face.
If the weather is forecast to be rainy or change, use low-temperature paint and stop painting earlier to allow the paint to dry before exposure.
To play it safe, start painting two hours later than usual and stop two hours earlier. Usually, by 10 AM, the temperatures and ground-level moisture have reduced. If it gets dark at 5 PM, stop painting at 3 PM. Or, if you are painting and the temperature is projected to drop, stop even earlier to make sure the paint dries in time.
Allowing the paint to dry before temperatures drop below freezing will ensure it adheres properly to the surface. If paint freezes on the surface before it dries, it will not stick, resulting in cracking, blistering, and peeling. The technical phrase for this phenomenon is Incomplete Coalescence (or Coalescence Failure). In our paint industry, the specific thermal threshold required to avoid this is known as the Minimum Film-Forming Temperature (MFFT).
Likewise, painting over wet surfaces will cause paint discoloration and loss of bond. In both cases, the paint will lose its bonding strength, so it should be avoided to prevent premature paint failure and repaints.
Additional Tips For Painting When It’s Cold
Understanding exterior paint application temperatures is only one of many considerations. Cold temperatures also affect caulk, painters’ putty, and primers.
Painting over caulking that has not dried will cause cracks in paint coatings. We recommend high-performing, quick-drying caulk like Sherwin-Williams 1050A, which dries faster in colder conditions. None of the quick-dry caulking will require more time to cure before painting.
Central Sherwin-Williams locations in Raleigh, Cary, and Wake Forest include Creedmoor Road, Capital Blvd, Galaxy Drive, and Winston Hill Drive.
Another tip is to allow more time between coats of paint. We recommend allowing 4 to 24 hrs. between coats at temperatures below 55 degrees. Even cold weather paints will need additional time – particularly dark colors will be most affected. Dark colors contain more colorant, inherently causing the paint to dry more slowly.
Cold Temperatures vs. Hot
Temperature, humidity, and surface moisture can all adversely affect paint. There are also exterior paints available that will mitigate high-temperature paint failures. So, knowing which exterior paint to use during each season is crucial to paint performance.
Painting in the cold will increase paint cure time, but that is not exactly a drawback. Slower house paint dry times promote better adhesion, but all surfaces must be dry. So, why does colder weather take most of the blame? It’s because the general public does not understand how cold you can paint outdoors, and it’s a professional’s responsibility to educate them.
How Painting in the Cold Affects Cure Times
If temperatures drop below freezing for more than 48 hours, low-temperature-specific paints that have already dried will not suffer adverse effects. Once the surface reaches 50 degrees, the curing process will continue.
Some exterior painters refer to paint drying to the touch as “cure time,” which is inaccurate. Instead, paint cure time refers to the time it takes the surface to harden thoroughly. You can expect exterior paint to take longer to cure in colder weather, sometimes 30 to 45 days or more.
Slow paint cure times in cold conditions are even worse when using low-quality paint. To prevent doors and windows from sticking, we recommend using high-grade exterior paint.
Our Experience & Purpose of This Article
Reflecting as local professional painters, we tend to get caught up in production. When painting in winter, we seldom get asked questions regarding temperatures. If we were presented with an opportunity, we would address potential temperature concerns for every project during this time of year, especially for dark colors, heavily shaded areas, or lower-elevation areas near Creedmoor Road and Nipper, where it’s always moist. Even areas around Durant Nature Park and local lakes such as Shelly and Lynn add another layer of complexity when it’s cold.
We can work around most of these conditions, but not always. If we need to push the project out, we will. After all, we don’t want any issues either. But for the homeowner who thinks they have done their research and is waiting for a “got you” moment, it is important to trust the professionals who can explain the process and its technicalities so that your concerns don’t turn into an outright and misguided objection. Context of application, product, color, and field experience are key for real-world assessments.
Additives That Allow Painting In Cold Conditions
Modern exterior house paints are formulated to be applied under various conditions while considering health and safety. House paints designed for colder-weather applications contain additives that prevent paint solvents from freezing at low temperatures.
Ethylene glycol is a toxic additive that was used in latex paint until the late ’80s, when it was replaced with propylene glycol. Although some paint manufacturers still use ethylene glycol. Propylene glycol poses fewer topical health concerns and is used in several household cleaners.
H2O is a solvent found in most modern latex paints. Propylene glycol improves the properties of latex paint emulsions, facilitates mixing of raw materials, and reduces water evaporation. Slower water evaporation increases the time it takes paint to dry, giving more time to correct application mistakes.
Propylene glycol is the main ingredient for most exterior paints, allowing cold-temperature applications. It serves as an anti-freezing agent, allowing all water to evaporate before the acrylic and vinyl polymers are affected by cold temperatures. Paint solvents include water, glycols, blenders, and additional chemicals used to make glycols and auxiliaries.
Conclusion
We all know that water freezes at 32 degrees, and painting below this temperature can cause issues. So, if the season doesn’t provide suitable conditions, you must wait until the temperature warms up.
Timing is essential, whether you are working through a cold season or planning and budgeting for the future. But suppose you are paying for an exterior house painting service, and the painter uses a low-temperature paint in temperatures above 35 degrees, and still guarantees the service. In that case, there’s not much to be concerned about.
Contact us or see our exterior painting projects on our social channels.
