Here, Paint & Interiors Expert, Lucy Steele, from V&CO Paint discusses why you shouldn’t paint in the heat and reveals the perfect temperature for decorating.
Outdoor painting
When painting exteriors, and the temperature is 32 degrees or above outside, then it’s advised to wait until the weather is much cooler outside before you begin. Ideally, when painting exteriors, you want the temperature to be no more than 21 degrees to avoid the risk of the paint drying too quickly and therefore not settling properly.
Uneven finish
When painting in a heatwave, you’ll most likely find the paint will dry much quicker than when the weather is cooler. Whilst this might seem like a good thing, it most definitely isn't. When the paint dries too quickly, it can cause many problems, such as uneven finishes, cracks, fading and can cause the paint to peel off.
Overheating paint
If you’ve not left paint in a cool storage space, then there is a high chance that the paint will overheat in these temperatures. Applying paint that has overheated will create bumps and blisters on the surface of the wall, causing an uneven finish, meaning you’ll have to start all over again.
Set temperature
The general rule is to not start painting if the surrounding temperature exceeds 32 degrees Celsius. If you’re unsure of whether or not you can paint, a simple rule would be if the surface you wish to paint is warm to the touch, then it is too warm to paint. To avoid the risk of your paint drying too quickly and causing any damage, we’d always recommend you refrain from painting if you know there is going to be a heatwave.