How Weather Affects Painting Homes In The Portland Metro Area

The Portland Metro Area can see an average of 36 inches of rain per year (“Portland Weather | The Official Guide to Portland”). No matter where you live, when it comes to painting the exterior of a home, it’s best to get the job done before the rainy season. Otherwise, rain can destroy a fresh paint job and simply remove it from your walls. A wet surface also won’t allow fresh paint to stick or dry properly (“Can You Paint Home Exteriors In Rainy Weather – Berger Blog”).

Pro Tip: In Oregon, the rainy seasons are a great time to schedule indoor painting projects. Whether that’s repainting the walls and trim, your fireplace, stairs, kitchen cabinets and more.

Portland and the surrounding cities only see an average of about 4.5 inches of snow annually (“Winter Weather Basics and FAQ”). Snow indicates cold temperatures. Cold weather doesn’t allow paint to dry and cure correctly (“When is the Best Time to Paint Your House Exterior”). When exterior paint does dry through in cold weather, it will also affect the original color of the paint, which might leave you unhappy with a different shade. Depending on the base of the paint and the temperature, the coats could go on unevenly or even freeze (Rodriguez) while being applied. Snowy conditions are just not ideal for painting the exterior of a home.

The main effect wind has on painting is that it causes the paint to dry too quickly (“Best Weather Conditions for Painting Your Home Exterior”). Wind could also cause dirt and other particles to stick to wet paint during the process. It’s best to try and avoid painting during a windy day for these reasons. Scheduling an exterior paint job throughout the late spring, summer, and early fall is the best way to avoid windy weather.

Typically, the summer months are a great time to paint the exterior of your home in Oregon. However, it’s important to know that temperatures over 90 degrees fahrenheit could ruin paint (Cushman). The high temperature has the potential to cause the paint to dry too fast, get cracks, or even dry as the wrong color (“Temperature And Humidity With Paint | Blog”).

Depending on the type of siding material your house has, it’s a good rule of thumb to repaint your home when you start to notice any of the following:

• Cracked or chipped paint
• Discoloration, or fading
• Warping or sun bubbles
• Water damage/rot
• A bad paint job

Pro Tip: You can base a repaint job off of damages, like those listed above, or simply calculate the amount of time since the last time your house was painted. Each type of siding has a different life span as well as a number of years it’s recommended to be repainted, damage or not:

• Fiber Cement Siding: Every 10 to 15 years (Arvie)
• Wood Siding: Every 3 to 5 years (“7 Steps to Properly Paint Wood Siding”)
• Vinyl Siding: Every 10 years (“Can You Paint Vinyl Siding? You Bet. Here’s How — Advice from”)

• Paint brand: Choosing a quality paint brand will set your paint job off on the right foot. There are a lot of paint options out there, but JK Paint recommends using Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore paints.
• Paint finish: The finish you choose will affect how long your exterior paint lasts (Sharp). It’s important to make sure you get a finish that will be easy to maintain and resist weather conditions in your area.
• Paint color: This step is a personal preference but just make sure to choose a color you won’t get tired of so you don’t have to worry about changing it. Read our blog on popular paint colors to learn more about choosing the right colors for your house.
• Painting Tools/Equipment: Ensuring you have the correct tools to paint with are important for obvious reasons. If you want a professional, and quality paint job that doesn’t have to be redone, you could also hire a painting contractor like JK Paint.

• Blue paint: Whether dark or pastel, there is a different shade of blue for every home. Blue pairs exceptionally well with white, but play around with different shades of blue for the trim. A wooden stained door also looks great against blue hues.

• White paint: Big and small white houses will always be a classic favorite. Pair with a red door for a pop of color, or stick to a darker colored door and trim for bold elegance.

• Black paint: Black colored homes are definitely a new “classic,” but we’re sure it’s a trend that’s here to stay. You can use a lighter colored trim, like bright white or pastel gray, to expel any morbid feelings that might creep out new homebuyers.

• Earth tone paints: Colors like greens, browns, creams, taupe and clay or terracotta are a popular choice for those who like earthy tones. These colors can be mixed with any variety of neutral trim and door colors.

• Gray: Similar to blue, whether it’s a light colored shade of gray or a darker shade, you can’t go wrong with this classic option. White trim usually makes a great pairing with any gray colored house.

Pro Tip: If you’re still having trouble deciding on the best color match for your house, JK Paint also offers color consulting in the Portland Metro Area.