The job that weather controls.

Exterior painting follows the same principles as interior — prep, prime, paint — but weather, surface variety, and scale make it its own discipline.

When to paint — and when to stop

• Ideal temperature: 50°F–90°F. Below 50°F, paint won't cure. Above 90°F, dries too fast and causes lap marks.
• Never paint in direct sunlight — surface temperature is often 20–30° hotter than air
• Don't paint if rain is expected within 24 hours
• Humidity above 85% dramatically slows drying and can cause paint failure
• Paint on the shaded side of the building, following the shade as the day progresses

Exterior preparation — the full sequence

1. Inspect: Check for rot, damaged siding, failed caulk, and deteriorated paint
2. Clean: Pressure wash to remove dirt, mildew, and loose paint
3. Scrape: Remove all loose and flaking paint — if it's not bonded, new paint over it will fail
4. Sand: Feather edges where old paint meets bare wood
5. Caulk: Seal all gaps around windows, doors, trim joints, and siding seams
6. Prime: Prime all bare wood, repairs, and areas where old paint was removed

Exterior painting technique

• Work from top to bottom — fascia and soffits first, then siding, then trim
• On siding, paint the underside of the lap first, then the face
• Use a brush for all trim and detail work; roller or sprayer for large flat siding areas
• Maintain a wet edge — work in manageable vertical sections
• Back-brush sprayed surfaces — run a brush over freshly sprayed areas to work paint into the wood grain

Painting masonry (stucco, brick, concrete block)

• Use masonry-specific paint — standard latex will not bond properly
• Fill cracks with masonry patching compound before painting
• Remove efflorescence (white powder deposits) with masonry cleaner — paint will not bond over it
• Apply two coats — masonry is highly porous and absorbs the first coat
• Use a thick-nap roller (3/4"–1") to work paint into the texture

Watch — 1 painter, 6 days, 3,500 square feet