With people often using the summer months to catch rays and use their free time to spring clean and complete home renovations, it makes sense that in the winter, people then want to slow things down and spend their time cosy and warm inside. People are creatures of habit, and if summer is when redecorating the house usually happens, they’re unlikely to consider a change. In this case however, the following article may in fact prompt you to think otherwise.
It’s true that cold days and evenings that lose the light earlier and earlier may not make for ideal working conditions, but it can in fact work in your favour. When deciding whether to re-paint in the summer or winter, the most important thing is making sure you’ve weighed up all the options.
First of all, let’s consider the drawbacks of choosing to paint during the winter months…
Potential problems with painting during winter
As we will go on to discuss, colder temperatures can be good for painting conditions as the paint dries more quickly, however the cold air coming in through your windows may not be ideal. When painting internally, it’s crucial that you keep the windows open for clean air ventilation, but the cold winter breeze may mean you have to turn up the heating to stay warm.
While a lack of humidity in the air helps dry wall paint, its important you still ensure that the house or room you’re painting remains over 60°C to guarantee proper adhering and drying of the paint.
Checking the wall surface temperature itself is also important, as the walls should be checked to see if it is warmer or colder than the room air itself. Most often, it’s the surface that will be coldest during the winter months.
Benefits of painting your interior walls in winter
Can I paint interior walls in winter? The simple answer to this question is yes. There may be some things to bear in mind when painting during this time of year, but it can actually be the best time to do it.
Although you may need to turn the heating up a little, it’s likely you will complete your paint job more quickly, as paint dries faster. The more humid the air is, the longer paint takes to dry, so crisp winter air will help the paint set, allowing you to get to start the second coat sooner.
Another bonus is that by getting your home renovations out of the way in the wintertime, the following summer you will have plenty of time to enjoy the sun. Equally, if you’ve completed all your interior painting by early winter, you’ll be able to enjoy a fresh atmosphere as you spend more time inside in the warm.
If you’ve made the decision that it’s a better idea to get a professional in to help you with your home renovations, its likely you’ll have an easier job finding someone to help in winter. With the majority of people hiring commercial painters during summer months, professional painters may have more availability in the winter, also potentially lowering the cost of quotes as they are looking for work.
Believe it or not, the cold conditions may also be a positive. British weather is renowned for being temperamental, especially in our summer season, whereas in the winter, the weather tends to be more consistent. These dull days might not seem like a good thing most of the time, but they are perfect for continuous decorating days when you need to assess the climate. If you manage to get a few days decorating done solidly, this will have an influence on the total duration of the process, from preparation, painting, drying and priming.
Preparing to paint your interior walls
After having weighed up all your options, should you decide that now is the time to decorate, it’s time to prepare. Make sure you have a couple of days free to get to work and that the weather appears to be as consistent as it can do!
- Remove any furniture/home furnishings from the room where possible.
- For any heavy furniture/non-movable objects, cover them with drop cloths or old bed sheets to protect them.
- Use cling film or sticky back plastic to protect countertops and floors.
- Use masking tape and masking paper to protect windows, doors, cabinets and skirting boards.
- Use a thin masking tape or painters’ tape for any trims, sockets, switches or niggling gaps.
Hopefully we have helped you assess whether you fancy yourself as a winter or summertime decorator and you feel more prepared regardless. Just remember, even though it may be more unusual for people to paint during winter, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a good idea. You can in fact paint your interior walls during winter.
If you’d like any assistance with commercial painting or decorating during the winter months, just give us a call.