As the year is slowly coming to an end, fewer and fewer people decide to start painting and decorating works.

The weather conditions only get worse, and with fewer hours of sunlight every day, there is less and less time to do anything productive.

However, it’s not Winter just yet – October might be your last call for renovations.

With the Summer heat dissipating and weather being still relatively nice, now seems to be the perfect time to give your home a fresh new look.

While working on the interior will still be easy in Autumn, exterior painting might become a problem as the weather gets worse.

In case the outside conditions get so bad they might influence the final results of your work, it’s better to let professional contractors take care of it for you.

Give us a call if you need any help – here at Benjamin Painters, we won’t let the Autumn weather get between you and finishing your project!

Why might October be the last call for exterior painting in Northern Virginia?

Through most of the month, October is relatively warm, dry, and sunny.

Even though the month technically does record the highest average rainfall, the windy weather makes sure to dry out any remnants of rain rather effectively.

Therefore, October is still a good time for most exterior renovation works.

However, if you’re going to start a project in October, make sure it’s not a long one – as October passes, the weather will start getting worse and worse and might just cut you off in the middle of renovation!

Watch out for cold nights – finish what you were painting preferably before 6pm.

If you wait any longer than that, the low temperature might affect your paint as it dries, making it much less durable.

If you’re going to be doing the painting yourself, make sure to carefully read how long the paint you’re using is going to be drying.

Make sure the temperature during this time does not drop below 42.800°F.

The exact temperature depends on the paint, but 42.800°F works as more of a general rule of thumb.

If you think the temperature is going to get lower than that, you might want to look for special exterior paint that can be applied in lower temperatures.

Additionally, for most types of paints, the outside temperature shouldn’t drop below 35.600°F for 36 hours after it’s been applied.

This allows for better drying and gives the paint time to create a layer of film on the surface, protecting it from outside damage.

What’s the best time to paint in October?

If you’re going to be painting your building in October, it is best to start early – right after breakfast.

Start painting around 10am – you might start even earlier, but be mindful of the temperature, as it often tends to be rather cold in the early morning in October.

As you’re painting, try to follow the sun to speed up the drying process – something you probably avoided when painting in Summer, when the sweltering heat is just too much to bear and painting in shade seems a better alternative.

As we’ve said before, make sure you don’t finish painting too late – around 4pm, start watching the temperature more closely.

If you suspect it’s going to drop, maybe stick a pin in it for now and continue the next day.

Definitely make sure to watch weather forecasts, as it’ll give you an idea whether it makes sense to start your work on a given day or not.

What to do if the weather gets too rough?

We often hear from clients who weren’t able to finish their projects in October – many of them had a plan, but natura had other ideas and the weather became simply too difficult to work with without impacting the quality of the project.

In such cases, it might be better to let professional Virginia painters take care of it for you.

Here at Benjamin Painters, we’re prepared to deal with the Autumn and Winter weather.

If a sudden change of temperature has foiled your plans for the perfect renovation, you don’t have to re-schedule till next Spring!

If your building is located in Northern Virginia, contact us and we’ll be happy to make your dream come true – at an affordable price and with 100% commitment.