Best Time of Year to Paint Your Home in Ontario
Many homeowners have the perception that painting can be done anytime, but truthfully the timing can play a big role in results of the project. Of course, interior versus exterior work also have differences in when they can be completed, but with Ontario’s ever-changing weather, painters have to look out for when the best time to schedule projects is. Weather conditions can affect how paint dries and adheres to surfaces – especially for exterior projects. Although, there are some conditions that can also change the way paint adheres and dries with interior work as well. Professional painters face extreme changes in demand for work throughout the year, often making it difficult to schedule last-minute projects. Learning when the best time of year to plan ahead and schedule projects helps homeowners get the best timing and availability.
When Should You Schedule Your Painting Project?
It’s very common for homeowners to want to postpone planning their summer projects until winter is over, but the best time to schedule is earlier than most homeowners expect. It can be hard to wrap your head around projects you want to complete in the spring or summer when we are still in the cold and wet winter months. Painters’ schedules seem to fill up quickly for those warmer months so booking weeks or even months in advance can help secure the most ideal timing for each homeowner.
Exterior projects such as fence and deck staining, siding repaints, and front doors or window frames need to be planning around weather windows – and sometimes get postponed due to unexpected weather. Interior painting is more flexible and can often be scheduled year-round.
Scheduling early allows time for all the little details that go into the project. Homeowners often forget about the time it takes for colour consultations, coordinating with other potential renovations, and the preparation that goes into each project. Timelines can vary depending on the project, but majority of the time, there is 1-3 days of preparation to be done before the actual painting begins.
Spring Painting: A Fresh Start After Winter
Spring is the most popular time for people to want to schedule painting projects. As the weather starts to warm up, people start to see the exterior damage from snow, ice, and moisture. There becomes a sudden urge to get projects complete before summer starts, but this creates an overwhelm in painters schedule, often causing them to have to push some projects back further in the season, and not always being able to secure the ideal time slot for each client.
Spring Painting is Ideal for:
Exterior touch-ups – the weather starts to become barrable to get smaller outside projects complete and refreshed before the blistering summer sun.
Deck and fence staining – ideally, homeowners will want their deck and fence staining complete before the summer sun starts to shine, allowing them to enjoy their backyards to the fullest.
Interior refresh project – you’ll be able to open the windows when your project is finished to avoid too much paint smell within your home and get the fresh spring air flowing through your home.
Spring painting comes along with one challenge – rain can cause delays in exterior projects. In April and early May, we see a lot of rainy days which can cause moisture in deck and fence boards and make it harder for the project to be done in one continuous cycle.
Spring is when painting companies start booking up quickly – but don’t settle for a sub-par company just to get your work done right away!
Summer Painting: Peak Season
As we enter summer, painters enter their busiest time of year for painting projects. The longer daylight hours and warm weather helps projects move faster. Because of the consistent warm temperatures, exterior painting projects cure faster and evenly. Because of the high demand, schedules are often competitive (hint, hint – you want to book ahead of time).
Summer Painting is Ideal for:
Full exterior repaints – projects will move a lot quicker in the warm weather, and there will be less delays due to rainy conditions.
Large interior renovations – completing renovations in the summer is ideal for homeowners who don’t want to feel like they are stuck in a mess for weeks as you can spend more time outside.
Multi-day projects – painters can come in directly after other contractors to complete your renos all in one go.
Summer painting can have a few setbacks and challenges to work around. This includes the extreme heat causing the paint to dry faster than it should, meaning there is not enough time for it to level out smoothly on the surface. If the project is in the direct sunlight, there may be times of day that painters are not able to work to their full ability.
Focus on the details and asking the right questions to each company to ensure they will complete the project with a flawless finish!
Fall Painting: An Underrated Opportunity
Homeowners often underestimate the excellence in completing painting projects in the fall. As the temperatures begin to drop, it can be a great time for exterior painting. Paint will dry evenly as it is still warm enough throughout the day, but not too cold in the evenings and overnight creating a more stable environment for exterior work. When scheduling projects in the fall, you don’t have to worry about it impacting enjoying the summer months.
Fall Painting is Ideal for:
Exterior painting - we see a drop in humidity also helping with the finish of the paint.
Deck and fence staining – the boards are more dried out after the summer sun and often need that layer of protection before entering the harsh winter months.
Open scheduling – painters begin to come down from their summer rush and have more availability to complete the projects homeowners have been staring at all summer.
Exterior painting usually continues until temperatures drop too low. Interior painting projects are ideal to get done in the fall before all the holiday chaos coming in the winter months. Homeowners start to see the small details when preparing for the holidays, but it is important to think ahead so you are not in a rush the week before hosting.
After a large interior repaint, the paint smell can linger, so completing painting projects in the fall allows you to open the windows (when the project is completed of course) and help freshen up the house before it being closed all winter.
Winter Painting: Ideal for Interior Projects
Although exterior painting is limited and mostly non-existent in the winter months, it’s a great time to complete interior projects. Benefits include painters having a more flexible schedule tailored to your needs, faster project turnaround, and preparing your home for spring or summer.
Winter Painting is Ideal for:
Kitchen and bathrooms – prepare yourself ahead of time to eat leftovers for a couple days while painters come in and give your areas a much-needed refresh after the holidays.
Bedrooms and living rooms – we notice the small things when we’re stuck inside all winter long and painting will help bring the brightness back to your dull winter days.
Trim and doors – the small details can make a big difference. These time-consuming details are best to be done in the winter when painters have the open scheduling to make your home look perfect.
Interior painting is more than just seeing those small details. It helps brighten things up as we approach the warmer months, it gives the convenience of more open scheduling, and it help prepare a home for selling in the spring market.
Factors that Influence the Best Time to Paint
Temperature and humidity levels effect how paint adheres and dries, overall effecting the timeline. Ask a professional what makes a difference in your project.
Surface condition and preparation needs can change the timeline for your painting project so ensure timing works best for both your schedule and the painter’s availability.
Interior vs. exterior projects have significantly different needs so planning ahead can help you secure the timeslot you had in mind and get the best results.
The size and scope of the project makes a difference in supplies, painters vs drywallers, preparation, and more. Overall, this could make the difference between a 3-day and a 10-day project.
Scheduling availability with professional painters can be frustrating when your project can’t be scheduled right away, and this is why planning ahead to ensure it is done not only the right time for you, but also the right time of year.
Conclusion
Overall, we want homeowners to be able to answer the question “is painting before selling worth the investment?” and yes, from a bigger perspective it is. Repainting is often a smart pre-sale investment to help boost the value of your home, and help buyers become interested in your property. Of course, your home is on the market to sell, right?
If you’re on a budget, there are high-impact areas you can focus on first to help give the overall feel of a fresh paint that you are aiming for without doing a full-interior paint. Having professional painters do the work ensures clean lines, proper prep, and a fast turnaround – no need to drag on the project longer than it’s needed!
Painters Near Me has local expert painters to help you make the best colour choices and determine what painting investment is right for each individual homeowner before selling their home. Offering free, no-obligation quotes to homeowners in Niagara, Oakville, and surrounding areas.