Exterior Painting Do’s & Don’ts For Louisiana Weather

If you live in Louisiana, you are all too familiar with the sporadic and unpredictable weather that comes our way. With jacket weather in the mornings, the high 90s in the late afternoon, and random days full of high winds and afternoon showers, we often get to experience each season within the week.

In Louisiana, the weather is often not a friend to your professional painting contractors – particularly the exterior painters.

This article will discuss some of the challenges associated with painting and planning around weather conditions for both exterior painters (or painting professionals in general) and DIY painters. Below we cover some tips for what to do and what not to do during certain weather conditions. 

Painting in High Humidity

Hot, cold, windy, or rainy weather in Louisiana all have one thing in common – humidity! Louisiana hits third on the highest humidity state at an average level of 74%.

When painting, one of the most crucial factors is a proper drying process that allows your paint to cling to the surface. As you can imagine, humidity complicates the drying process as it adds moisture to the equation.

This can lead to peeling paint, discolored spots, and more. The rule of thumb is to paint in an environment that is 40-70% humidity. So what do you do when humidity levels are on average higher than that? 

Tip: Check the weather! Choose a day that does not call for rain to minimize more moisture than necessary, and start your painting mid-morning.

The mid-morning painting will allow your paint to dry during the warmest parts of the day, assisting with the drying process. Lastly, proper prep work – which brings us to #2.

The Power of Prep Work

JMA Painters cannot stress enough the importance of prep work. Properly preparing your walls or home exterior for paint will drastically increase both the success of the paint job in less than favorable weather conditions and increase the life of your paint job. 

For full details see our post “The Power Of Prep Work – Painting Made Easier”. 

Tip: For exterior painting jobs, pressure wash the exterior of your home or business, and be sure to make necessary repairs before painting. A clean surface is a must, especially for outdoor environmental factors.

High Heat

While you can paint at any time of year in Louisiana, we recommend that if you are not hiring a professional painter (especially if you are painting the exterior of your home) then you should choose a time of year ideal for painting.

Ideal weather temperatures are between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Any hotter than this can cause the paint to dry too quickly leaving streak marks. Professional exterior painters will have equipment and access to the correct paints to accommodate high heat. 

Tip: The best time of year to paint in Louisiana is the Fall. Lower temperatures, lower humidity, and less rain will be in your favor during that season.

High Winds

When painting the exterior of your home, you want to check for windshields. Certain times of the year in Louisiana have windy afternoons just about every day for weeks at a time.

Avoid painting during these times as the wind will blow dust, dirt, etc into your paint and play a major part in the outcome quality and life of the paint.

And to state the obvious – if you insist on painting during hurricane season, make sure high-winded storms are not in the forecast on paint day or immediately following!

Tip: Avoid all exterior painting with winds over 8mph – basically anything more than a gentle breeze.

Type of Paint

Certain types of paint do better in high humidity, and high heat environments than others. Whether you are painting the interior or exterior of your home, consult with a local painting contractor about your project and get paint recommendations that suit your job and your environment. 

Tip: Contact JMA Painters for help with your project!

JMA Painters has a ton of experience with exterior painting jobs and we would love to help you with yours. With over 16 years of experience in Louisiana paint contracting, we have all the tools necessary to paint year-round. Contact us today for your free estimate.