Home Interior Painting: Can I Paint During the Wintertime?

Taking the plunge and deciding to paint your home’s interior can come suddenly to some. If the mood to freshen up your space strikes you in the wintertime, there are a few things you’ll need to consider. 

The Drawbacks

During the holiday season, most people find themselves short of cash. Between flu season and icy conditions racking up medical bills and purchasing the perfect gifts for your loved ones, you may find yourself out of money to purchase paint, drop cloths, brushes, and primer.

The time you have available may also be running low. From November to January is the time of year when most Americans are travelling. The heightened travel is typically due to family gatherings around this time, but it could also be a result of vacationers or college students returning home for winter break. If you have a family vacation planned during the winter, you’ll need to reconfigure when you’ll be able to paint. 

When painting indoors, it is vital to ensure you have adequate ventilation. This is usually achieved by DIYers by opening the windows of a home. Winter is the time of year where we are least likely to want our windows open. Frigid temperatures and precipitation are not something we typically welcome into our homes. 

The Upside

Winter is the time of year when most company’s PTO banks are set to restart. If your company has a “use it or lose it” policy, you may decide to take time off and have a staycation. This would be the perfect time to paint your interior. 

When you open up your windows to let the fresh air in and fumes out as you paint, you may notice your paint drying considerably faster than it has in previous seasons. Paint dries quicker in the wintertime because of the low humidity in the air. The heightened drying time will speed up your painting process and get you to a satisfactory result sooner. 

As the seasons change, so does the timeframe of available light. In the winter, the sun rises earlier in the day. This early start is perfect for a morning person eager to paint their home’s interior. 

If you’re not keen on completing a painting project by yourself, you may look into hiring a contractor or painting company to do it for you. The great news is that these companies’ business usually slows down in the wintertime. Most people want home projects completed in the spring and summer. With this reduction of business, you may find that the labor comes less expensive as well. 

During slow seasons, many manual labor companies reduce their rates to attract more business. You should take advantage of this trend by opting to hire painters or a contractor in the winter. 

Not only can you paint your interior in the winter, you should. Use the summer and fall to adequately plan for your painting endeavor. Make sure you have funds set aside for the supplies you will need or to hire someone else to complete the job for you. If you’re doing the job yourself, make sure you bundle up as you open your windows for ventilation. Happy painting!