Have you been planning to enhance the visuals of the exterior of your house by painting it after power washing? Power washers are amazing products that allow you to remove maximum dirt, debris, and mold from surfaces like cars and concrete. It is essential to perform this step before beginning with the paintbrushes as it lets the paint adhere to the surface smoothly and effectively. The opposite case involves the appearance of cracks or bleeding in paint which will waste your effort. Another important aspect that might make it challenging for you to paint is unfamiliarity with the recommended time between cleaning the house and applying pigment coats.
Choose a sunny day for power washing the house exterior and wait for some days for painting until the wood or bricks dry completely after power washing. Usually, this range is 4-5 days. The information about factors such as the water level in a porous material, atmospheric conditions, and kind of paint facilitates in determining this duration.
In this post, I have listed some key pointers that house owners should keep in mind while doing this activity. It is highly appreciable that you have decided to do it yourself after you have finally got the opportunity to successfully start it according to the allocated time. Moreover, I have also included some instructions for power washing that will hopefully help beginners.
Table of Contents
3 Factors Determining Time Between Power Washing And Painting:-
Atmospheric Conditions And Weather:
Have you noticed a prominent cloud cover today or read the forecast for showers? Unfortunately, today is not appropriate for the painting activity. It is a common understanding that rain can ruin the paint coatings, ruining your motivation too. Not only this, high degrees of humidity and cold weather are also not best suited for this task.
Both these situations prolong the duration between cleaning the outside of the house and painting it. The more moisture in the surrounding air, the longer the period required for the material’s surface to be available for painting. It will take ages for the wood or brick material to dry completely. Therefore, it is better to start this project when the sun is shining bright and there are low chances of precipitation.
Water Content In The Siding:
Most readers must have the idea that the surface a person prepares for painting, be it a wall, automobile, or glass, should be thoroughly clean and dry. The same is the case when you are going to apply coats on the boundaries of a house. Generally, the exterior is made from materials that are porous to some extent. It means that they allow the entry of moisture.
Being patient after using a powerwash and letting the moisture in the siding dry can guarantee desired outcomes. Therefore, I suggest that one should only start painting the house after 4-5 days have passed. This period can exceed 6-7 days as well depending upon the weather in your area.
On the other hand, if some moisture in the wood goes unnoticed and the surface is still wet, the paint will form bubbles, indicating that something went wrong. When the temperature of the siding increases, the stored water will gain energy and start evaporating. It will cause more defects.
Paint Kind:
Paints are mainly grouped into two categories: water or latex-based paints and oil-based or acrylic paints. The prior knowledge of the type of paint you have bought for your house is important as well. Most people are aware of these types but do not know the difference they make in selecting the time for painting after cleaning their house walls.
If you have latex paint and have washed the exterior on a warm day, you should start painting after 24 hours which gives the material enough time to dry. In hotter places, this time is significantly reduced to 5-6 hours.
Remember that these paints are only suitable for application on surfaces that are thoroughly dried and lose all moisture. So, you have to be extremely cautious in this case. If you have plenty of water-based paint, it usually does not take much time to dry and you can use it within 20 hours on a hot summer day.
Some Guidelines For Power Washing:-
There are some parts in the exterior of the house as well as in nearby areas that one should not wash since the excess pressure can damage them. Hence, you should cover them or not target them with a pipe. In case you are confused about some materials, I recommend contacting the experts who will answer your queries. Some of these materials or parts include windows or any glass item, electric devices, asphalt, sewage closures, and fragile products.
Frequently Asked Questions:-
How often should you have your house power washed?
It is better to power wash the exterior of a house one or two times in 12 months. Doing this activity is very helpful in removing all the dirt and agents that contribute to allergies as well as preventing the growth of fungus (mildew and mold). It also cleans the house walls thoroughly.
What should you not power wash?
When considering power washing the outer surfaces of the house, you should not let the water touch the asphalt material, windows, air-conditioning units, and wooden furniture in your backyard or an area near your home.
Is power washing necessary before painting?
Yes, it is essential to use high-pressure water flow targeted towards the house walls before applying coats of your favorite paint. It allows you to get rid of all the unnecessary material, cleans the surface deeply, and thus facilitates excellent curing and adherence of the paint.
Final Thoughts:-
Whether you are thinking of making the exterior of your house for yourself or about to rent this place, pressure washing and painting are necessary parts of the main project. In this blog post, I have discussed some major aspects that will guide you to determine the specific duration between washing and painting. Good luck with your project.