If humans need to learn something, and they don’t seem to do it, even though they are taught about it time after time, is that they couldn’t compete with nature. Whether we are talking about earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, heavy rains, tsunamis, or blizzards, one thing is for sure: nature is much stronger than us, and of course very unpredictable. The same goes, although on a much lower scale when we are talking about house painting and the elements. What happens if it starts to pour when you are in the middle of the paint job? What paint is the best to use if you live in an area with heavy rainfall?
We get all the answers we need from a house painting expert working with Home & Business Services – HBSOnTime.com, a family-owned local business, operating since 2013 in the Greater Fredericksburg Area, VA. “When it comes to exterior painting, I strongly recommend water-based paints, including acrylic and latex paints, but not oil-based paints. Water-based paints don’t hold moisture, which means they aren’t prone to peeling, cracking, or becoming discolored in time, compared to oil-based paints”, the highly-trained professional advises.
When asked what house painting is the best for an area with heavy rainfall, which continues to look great for years, he promptly answered: “I would have to say latex paint with an acrylic binder. This combination is the best solution for long weather resistance. Furthermore, apart from being almost immune to rain damage, water-based paints have an important benefit: they expand and contract with the siding of the house, an aspect that greatly reduces the chances of cracking. This paint also dries quickly, taking about six hours to dry completely, compared to much longer, in the case of oil-based paints”.
Even though house painting isn’t recommended during the rain, sometimes you have little choice: what should you do if you started the job and a massive rain pour is coming your way? “As its name suggests, bad weather is… bad for fresh paint, even for the most resistant type. It can create streaks and reduce the life of the paint. However, if you already started to paint the exterior walls of your house and you notice a storm coming your way, you should hope that it dries by the time it starts raining. Acrylic paint needs around two hours to dry slightly. Most types of acrylic paint can endure a short shower without being completely washed off, but it’s a totally different thing when it comes to heavier rainfall. In this case, you should check the weather forecast before starting the job”, the Home & Business Services expert suggests.
Last but not least, the house painting professional also explains that the type of paint you choose influences the time you have to wait after raining before you can start painting. “As a general rule, acrylic paint can be applied if the exterior wall of your house feels dry when touching it. On the other hand, oil-based paints need to be applied once the wall has been dry for over a day”, he adds.
