Paint has a season, and it isn't all year
Interior painting can happen almost any week. Exterior work can't. The paint on a wall needs the right temperature to go on, a dry surface to grip and enough time without dew, frost or rain to cure. Richmond's NOAA figures show the limits from both sides, and they're the best starting point for planning when your house gets painted.
NOAA's Richmond figures
In an average year at Richmond/Byrd Field, NOAA counts about 880 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 2,161 hours above 67°F. Richmond International Airport's current NOAA climate normals average about 44.9 days a year with a high of 90°F or more, and about 73.5 days a year with a low temperature of 32°F or below.
Winter: the planning season
With about 73.5 days a year at or below freezing by those normals, the coldest part of the year suits planning more than painting. It's a good time to:
- get painters out to look at the house and write proposals;
- choose colors with sample boards on each side of the house;
- line up any carpentry for rotted trim, sills or porch parts;
- make sure the gutters are working, so water isn't feeding the next round of peeling.
Interior work fits here too. The interior painting page covers what to expect.
Spring: prep and the first coats
As nights warm past the label minimums, prep can start: washing, scraping, sanding, repairs and priming. Watch for cool mornings with heavy dew; a painter who starts on wet siding risks poor adhesion.
Summer: work with the clock
Those hot days and humid hours change the working day rather than end it. Paint on a wall in full sun can dry before it levels, and paint on a damp evening can stay tacky and streak. A well-run crew starts each side once the dew has gone, follows the shade around the house, and stops early enough for the film to set before evening. Ask the painter how they'll sequence the sides of your house and how long they'll wait between coats.
Fall: the closing window
Between the hot days and the freezing nights, exterior paint can go on with fewer limits. The catch is the calendar: as the first freezing lows approach, there's less room for a delay. A good proposal says what happens if the season closes before the last coat.
The Old and Historic Districts
Richmond's Commission of Architectural Review, set up by City Council in 1957, reviews all exterior changes to structures in the city's Old and Historic Districts and issues Certificates of Appropriateness.
If your house is in one of those districts, find out how the Commission treats the work you have in mind before the crew is booked. The point here is timing: review takes its own course, and it's easier to wait for it in winter than to stop a job halfway through spring.
The prep that lasts
Whatever the season, the work under the color decides how long it lasts:
- wash to remove dirt, chalk and mildew, then let the house dry fully;
- scrape loose paint to a firm edge and feather the edges;
- repair soft or split wood before priming;
- prime bare wood and repairs promptly;
- caulk joints that move, and leave drainage gaps open.
The exterior painting page describes each step, and the pricing guide shows how they affect a bid.