A question I am often asked by homeowners is, “When is the best time of year to paint the exterior of my home?”

As someone who has been painting residential and commercial properties for over thirty years throughout the Inland Empire, Los Angeles and Orange Counties, I can honestly say painting the exterior of a home can be done just about any month of the year.

You might say I picked the right location to be a painting contractor. That’s because the greater SoCal area is typically blessed with good weather year-round.

As a rule of thumb, the best temperature to paint is when the surface temperature is between 35 to 98 degrees Fahrenheit, with an ideal painting temperature range of 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. As long as there is no rain in the forecast, Arnold Fields Painting has your painting needs covered.

But there still are certain weather factors to keep in mind to make sure that the paint cures — or fully hardens — properly. If it doesn’t do that, you might be repainting your home’s exterior sooner than you planned, and we at Arnold Fields Painting want your paint job to last as long as possible.

For instance, there can be big fluctuations in temperature from day to night. Even with perfect painting temperatures during the day, sometimes we have a sudden drop in temperature after the sun goes down. Thanks to modern advancements in paint materials, most paint manufacturers now offer paints that can be applied to the exterior of your home in temperatures as low as the threshold of 35 degrees. On these rare occasions, Arnold Fields Painting makes sure to choose the right paint for the conditions.

Another factor to consider, especially in the Inland Empire, is the wind. Windy conditions can blow debris into your paint and also lead to uneven drying. The best wind speed for painting is anything under 8 mph — which is basically a gentle breeze.

And what about those days when the hot California sun is beating down on us? When the temperatures are high, the paint could potentially dry too quickly, leaving you with a less-than-optimal finish.

When intense heat is in the forecast, Arnold Fields Painting starts work earlier in the morning. We paint in strategic sections, starting on the shady west side of your home. As the sun passes over, our crew works on the east and north side to avoid working in the direct sun while applying the paint. Working in this fashion, we get the optimal finish on your property.

Here’s one more thing to remember: painting adds substantial value to your home. In other words, if you keep up on the appearance of your home, there will be no need for costly repairs in the future. Arnold Fields Painting can provide the necessary services to keep your home in top-notch shape for many years to come.