We’ve had a long run of unseasonably mild weather recently, which has given property owners a little more breathing space when it comes to external maintenance. But it isn’t going to carry on forever!
If you’ve got external joinery that needs painting, now is the time to deal with it.
Windows, doors, frames and other external timber need to be properly protected before the colder, wetter weather arrives and of course leaving deteriorating paintwork exposed over winter is a route to having a more substantial repair job.
One of the important considerations is the type of paint being used. Many modern exterior paint products are water-based, and these generally require a minimum temperature of around 10°C for application. Traditional oil-based paints can typically be applied down to around 5°C, giving a little more flexibility as temperatures begin to fall.
That difference becomes particularly relevant at this time of year, and while daytime temperatures appear reasonable, cooler mornings and evenings can reduce the window of opportunity for exterior painting (sorry about the pun).
We’ve still got some warmth around, but it won’t be long before conditions make external decorating impractical and the work will need to wait until spring, so time is of the essence.
Watching external woodwork deteriorate across the wet winter months because I missed the opportunity to get it painted in time is a ball I dropped once and never intend to repeat!
