Flipping - winter exterior work?

Question

I'm so not patient! I had some issues with burst pipes and delays getting the water on in a house I'm flipping and winter came early here. So the only work I really need to do is power washing and painting/staining the exterior. The weather now is on that not super horrible but not warm enough to do the work and it's really making me feel the itch to get this stuff done!

So now I'm wondering if anyone here is smarter than me and has figured out a work around for this? What are the lowest temps you've successfully power washed and painted/stained?

For now I'm guessing that I'm just stuck waiting, but patience really isn't my strong spot, so if anyone has any tips, please let me know!

Kyle Hartzell · Answer

@Melissa Kirchhoff I have not done winter painting but I am a Superintendent for a General Contractor and we deal with temperature sensitive material on a daily basis through the winter so I thought I could maybe help in some way. Most materials will have a low temperature requirement but the thing to keep an eye on is that sometimes it is not only the ambient temperature but also the temperature of the surface that you are putting it on. Plus, different materials have different cure times and with low temperatures the cure time usually is longer. So, if the temperature cannot be sustained for the full cure time you can run into trouble with the look of the finished product. Example: paint has minimum of 40 degrees, you have 8 hours of 40 degrees during the day so you paint it but at night it drops below that 40 degrees it may affect the material.

Again I have not done this with paint but here are some of the ways I have gotten around the temperature requirements with different products:

1. I have used a different product that has a lower temperature requirement but that product will most likely be more expensive.

2. temporary enclose and heat the surface to the minimum temperature, install product, keep heating till its cured, then remove the temporary enclosure. This option can be a lot of extra money but I didn't know what your financing situation is and if it was cost you a ton of extra money to wait and you didn't want to provide credit to not paint the house then it might be worth it, just have to run the numbers.

I'm sure there are some other options around your situation, but these are just the ones I have used in the past for temperature sensitive products in winter. I hope I helped in someway, good luck!

Melissa Kirchhoff · Answer

@Susan M. Mendrysa - SW Resilience is what I bought! That's amazing to know. And yes, it makes sense with the brick, that's why I am also waiting on doing some finishing work on the basement cinder type blocks, I can tell they are really cold, but the siding is like a wood shingle so it's actually not as cold to the touch. Thank you, you made my day and now at least I feel like maybe I can get it done earlier spring if not sooner considering the warmer winter we've been having.

@Kyle Hartzell - Thank you, yes, that makes sense, and since we have such short days (that can be really sunny and warm) and drops more at night, I know that will be a challenge. But the days are getting longer now so I was hoping if I hit a decent stretch I could be getting something accomplished.

1. Yes, as above the paint I bought apparently is that, I will look into it more though. I can't imagine painting a whole house and having it peeling in a month or years time.

2. I can't imagine how to do that but that is a great idea for the basement work I've been putting off for the same reasons! Thank you!

@Teri S. - Yes, I was hoping to power wash then wait a while before painting to make sure it all dries out. Also, we've been getting like frosty dewy stuff in the morning but that's a good idea. I always think of painting everything one long day but that may be a better idea, bits at a time since midday we've been getting more sun and drying everything up. Then it would probably still have plenty of time before night to cure.

Thanks everyone, I knew you all were smart and could help me out on this!

Teri Feeney Styers · Answer

@Melissa Kirchhoff it used to be 45 degrees but I think they have created product that can be used in even colder temps. If you power wash you may have to wait a long time for the water to evaporate out of the wood. You should go to your local Sherwin Williams paint store and talk to the experts... I once painted a house in tiny segments over a winter. One sunny afternoon at a time. But we have a lot of sun in Colorado...

Susan M. Mendrysa · Answer

@Melissa Kirchhoff SW Resilience is good for exterior down to 35F. We had a stretch of balmy 40F days in early December in Indiana and managed to get an entire house exterior painted. We only could not get some brick stained as the SW manager said for that we really needed a stretch of days above 50F so the internal temperature of the brick was adequate.

Peter Tverdov · Answer

I'm in the same position on a fix and hold so I can be more patient but I'm waiting until spring because I don't want it screwed up. Maybe offer a credit to the new owners to paint the house when it gets warmer out? It would give them the option of picking the color too.

Wayne Brooks · Answer

Well, don’t do it wrong....you’ll have to fix and do it over.  Being in FL, I’m ignorant on cold weather painting.  Talk to your local paint stores, painters, HD, Lowe’s, etc.  If there is a way or proper paint, they will know.

I would guess it woudn’t hurt sale so much as buyers likely aren’t plentiful until it warms up some anyway.

Melissa Kirchhoff · Answer

@Wayne Brooks - Thanks for the input and be happy you don't have to deal with this weather! Yes, I've spoken to some paint professionals about it. With both things I hear conflicting things so I'm curious to hear for people who have done it. Ultimately I do want it done right though, but if I can do it right and early, that would be great too!

@Peter T. - Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I thought of doing that credit for the central air but with the exterior work, first, the house looks really terrible, no curb appeal at all. Second, I already picked out and bought the paint. So I feel like it is advantageous for me to do the work because I think it will sell for immensely more (and pass gov inspections, which was my main goal with flipping this) if the work is done. But looks like I just might have to learn some patience instead, huh?

Flipping - winter exterior work?

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