Winter isn’t the best time of year to be tackling exterior paintwork. You don’t need us to tell you that the weather can play havoc with your exterior paint job schedule. Obviously if it’s too wet the job just isn’t going to happen. Doesn’t matter how good an exterior paint system you’re using – the paint won’t dry if it’s pouring with rain. 

But you also need it to be the right temperature to paint outside. Can you paint in cold weather? Yes. But you need the temperature to stay above 5°c. If not, your paint won’t dry. It means you may have to rethink what time you start and finish the job. Start early doors and it may still be too cold. Work too late into the afternoon and you’ll lose the sun. 

The good news is there are paints you can turn to for a helping hand. As a rule of thumb, some decorators save their water-based paints for spring and go oil-based in the winter. Try Armstead Pliolite Masonry paint and you won’t go far wrong. It’s a pro-quality, durable smooth masonry paint. Touch-dry in around an hour, it’ll also stand up to a shower, or dips in temperature, while you’re applying it. 

Dulux Trade Weathershield All Seasons Smooth Masonry is another good shout. Shower-resistant in 15 minutes, it gives up to 15 years’ protection, plus it handles well even when the going gets cold. 

Another good tip is to leave your Armstead Pliolite Masonry paint indoors the night before you use it. You’ve probably noticed in the past that cold oil-based paint goes thicker the colder it gets – which is no good when it comes to applying it. If you’ve got no choice, try brushes and rollers made from stiff polyester and nylon. They’ll do a pretty decent job of working with thick paint. But let’s be honest, painting in cold weather is tough enough without having to get your paint moving before you use it. So, if you can, remember not to leave it in your van overnight.

Again, it’s common sense, but there’s no point painting surfaces that are still damp, especially timber but stonework, too. Any surface that absorbs moisture needs to be properly dry before you paint it. Otherwise, your paint’s not going to stick. Our advice is to aim for the middle of the day to get your outside painting done. This should (fingers crossed) allow enough time for the outer walls of the building to heat up a bit in the morning sun.