Green Bay station figures
NOAA's engineering weather data for Green Bay lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 2.5 inches per hour and about 66 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. In an average year at Green Bay, NOAA counts about 165 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 701 hours above 67°F.
Those are station figures, quoted as NOAA publishes them. They aren't a forecast, and this page doesn't stretch them into a picture of the weather. In general terms, freeze-thaw cycles and intense rain test whatever gaps a paint job leaves, and humid hours slow the drying of water-based coatings. The rest of the page is about the products that have to cope with that.
What's on the proposal
An exterior proposal should name each product, not just say "exterior paint". Here's what the usual lines mean.
Primer
Primer does the gripping. On bare wood it seals the surface and gives the topcoat something to hold. Over chalky old paint, some primers are made to lock the chalk down. Over cedar or redwood, a stain-blocking primer keeps tannins from bleeding through as brown streaks. Ask which primer goes where, and whether it's spot-priming of bare areas or a full coat over everything.
Caulk
Not all caulk is alike. Exterior acrylic and siliconized sealants differ in how far they stretch and how long they stay flexible, and some must cure before paint goes over them. Joints that open and close with temperature need a sealant rated for that movement. Ask what's being used and where.
Body paint
Most siding gets an exterior acrylic latex. Lines differ in solids, which affects coverage and film thickness, and in their stated application temperature range. Some are sold as self-priming; that helps on sound, previously painted surfaces but doesn't replace primer on bare wood.
Trim paint
Trim is often a higher-sheen product than the body, so it sheds water and can be wiped down. Some trim paints are alkyd-modified for hardness and flow. Those can take longer to dry, which matters on cool or humid days.
Solid stain
On rough-sawn siding, cedar shingles or some log walls, a solid-color stain may stand in for paint. It shows texture more and builds a thinner film. Over an existing paint film, though, it behaves much like paint.
Reading the data sheet
Every product above has a data sheet, and the lines worth reading are:
- minimum air and surface temperature for application;
- how long before rain or dew can touch it;
- recoat time at a stated temperature and humidity;
- what it can go over, and what it can't.
Ask the painter to point you to those sheets. A painter who follows them on cold mornings and damp afternoons is protecting your finish. Our exterior painting page covers the weather side, and paint sheens and finishes explains sheen in detail.
Lead-safe work
EPA runs the RRP program in states it has not authorized, and lists Wisconsin among the states running their own EPA-authorized programs. If your siding or trim carries old paint that will be scraped or sanded, ask how chips and dust will be contained and collected, and where that appears in the proposal.
Questions about products
- Which primer, caulk, body paint and trim paint are you using, by name?
- Why that product for my siding?
- What are its temperature and recoat limits?
- How many coats on the body, and how many on trim?
- What happens if a day doesn't meet the label?