Our Top Five Tips for Painting in Hot Weather

Much like painting in extreme cold, wind or rain, there are a number of factors to consider when painting in the summer heat.

Water is one of the key ingredients in paint. As you apply paint to a surface, the water naturally evaporates resulting in the formation of a paint film on your surface. Painting in hot weather will cause water to evaporate at a much quicker rate, leading to rapid drying times and incomplete film formation. This can result in paint not only appearing patchy in areas where it has dried too quickly, but can also reduce the durability and adhesion of the paint film.

Bearing this in mind, we have put together our top tips for painting in the summer heat. Follow these tips below to avoid any issues when painting in hot weather:

Begin your painting project in the early morning, before the sun has reached its highest point or alternatively, late afternoon, when the sun has settled in the sky.

If undertaking an exterior painting project in hot weather, try planning out your project to ensure that you will be painting in shaded areas as the sun changes position in the sky throughout the day.

3. Add an appropriate amount of water to your paint.
All Colourtrend paints are water-based and can be thinned down with up to 10% water. For exterior projects, we recommend adding 10% water to your paint to help delay the drying time and allow the paint film to form correctly.
Similarly, for interior projects, we suggest adding 5-10% water to your paint to reduce the drying time and allow the paint film to fully form.

4. Make note of the air humidity when painting.
If you are undertaking an interior project in an extremely humid room (>80% relative humidity), water will be slow to evaporate from the coating due to the high level of moisture in the air. This will result in a prolonged drying time and can lead to ‘surfactant leaching’. Surfactants are another important ingredient in water-based paints. Surfactant leaching can occur in poor drying conditions and can result in your paint appearing streaky or patchy. To avoid this, we suggest opening all windows and doors to create an airflow in the room that will help the paint to dry.

5. Clean your brushes and rollers as soon as you are finished painting.
Paint will adhere to your brushes and rollers much quicker in the heat. Wash your brushes and rollers as soon as you are finished painting to keep your equipment clean.

As always, we are here to help with any further questions you may have. Do not hesitate to reach out to us via our live chat, email at hello@colourtrend.ie and social channels @colourtrendpaints for further information on how to approach your painting project in hot weather.