Santa Rosa has a long dry season and a wet one. Most of the year's rain falls from November to March, and summers are dry with cool, often foggy mornings and warm to hot afternoons. Exterior painting fits that pattern.
What is the best time of year to paint the outside of a house here?
The best time of year for exterior painting in Santa Rosa is the dry season, roughly May through October. Rain is rare, surfaces are dry and days are long.
Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable, with mild afternoons. In midsummer the work is planned around the heat. Exterior painting can also be done in winter during dry spells, but the schedule has to bend to the forecast.
Can you paint outside when it is raining or about to rain?
No. Paint should not go on in the rain, onto a wet surface or when rain is due before the paint has dried. Water-based paint needs several dry hours to set, and longer in cool weather.
Our winter storms mostly arrive from the Pacific with a day or more of warning, so a painter can watch the forecast and stop early when one is coming. Covered areas such as porch ceilings can sometimes be painted on a damp day. Open walls cannot.
It rained a few hours after painting. Is it ruined?
Usually not. If the paint had a few hours to dry before the rain, it is normally fine. Acrylic paints become shower resistant fairly quickly in mild weather.
If rain hit paint that was still wet, you may see streaks, spots, thin patches or a soapy residue running down the wall. Let it dry fully and look again. The residue rinses off. Washed-out areas need another coat. A careful painter comes back and puts that right.
How long after rain before siding can be painted?
Wait at least a full dry day after rain before painting siding, and longer for bare wood, shaded walls and long wet spells. The surface has to be dry inside, not only to the touch.
Stucco and bare wood soak up water and let it go slowly. North walls and walls under trees in places like Forestville and Glen Ellen can stay damp for days. The same wait applies after pressure washing. A moisture meter takes out the guesswork on wood.
How cold is too cold to paint outside?
Below about 50 degrees is too cold for many exterior paints, and some newer acrylics are rated down to about 35 degrees. The limit is on the can, and it refers to the temperature of the wall as well as the air, during application and for hours after.
Santa Rosa days seldom stay that cold, but winter nights can drop into the 30s. In the cool months the working window is the middle of the day, so the paint can set before the evening chill and dew arrive.
How hot is too hot, and is direct sun a problem?
Above about 90 degrees is too hot for most paints, and direct sun is a problem even on a milder day. A dark wall in full sun is much hotter than the air. Paint dries on it before it can level and bond, which leaves lap marks and can cause blisters.
Inland Sonoma County gets heat waves in summer and early fall. On hot days the answer is to start early and follow the shade around the house, painting each wall after the sun has moved off it.
Does morning fog or dew matter?
Yes. Fog and dew leave a film of water on siding, and paint will not bond to a wet wall. Summer mornings in Santa Rosa often begin with low cloud that comes in from the coast overnight.
Painting waits until the surface is dry, and it stops early enough in the afternoon for the last section to set before the evening damp. The effect is stronger toward Sebastopol and Petaluma, where the fog lingers.
Can you paint inside in winter with the windows closed?
Yes. Interior painting works well in winter, and the windows can stay mostly closed. Modern water-based paints are low in odor, and normal room heating is enough for them to dry.
Winter is a good season for interior work here, because it frees the dry months for exteriors. Paint dries a little slower in cool, damp air, so keep the heat on and crack a window or run a fan for air movement.
To plan an exterior for the dry season, call or text (707) 205-3959 for a free estimate.