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A Guide on Painting Walls in Rainy Weather

A Guide on Painting Walls in Rainy Weather

It is always raining in the Emerald Isle! Based on the number of days in a year, the eastern part of Ireland experiences rain 40% of the time while the western side has 60% rainy weather.

Since rain is a regular occurrence all across the island, painting any part of the house can be extra difficult. Of course, there are ways to address these challenges like planning accordingly and hiring a professional painter.

But if you decide to do this project on your own, we’ve listed essential information about painting walls in rainy weather to help you accomplish this task.

The Challenges of Painting Walls in Rainy Weather

Moisture is one of the reasons why painting surfaces during rainy days is challenging. This is because water and moisture affect the outcome of the paint job.

If there is even a small amount of moisture on the walls prior to painting, it will affect how the paint adheres to the surface.

For example, if you’re using water-based paint, there will be streak marks on your wall. Meanwhile, if you’re using oil-based paint, moisture will cause a lot of bubble marks under the paint.

Another common effect of moisture on the walls would be the peeling and flaking of paint. The moisture on the walls under the paint will continue to push until it finally breaks the topcoat.

One of the most dangerous effects of moisture would be the build-up of moulds on your walls. Moulds are hazardous to your health, especially if you are allergic to them. Symptoms of mould exposure include nasal congestion, eye irritation, cough, throat irritation and skin irritation.

 Basically, painting on a moist surface using non-breathable paint like the oil-based ones can trap the moisture and increase the chances of mould growth. This can happen even just a few days after you’ve applied the paint.

Of course, the most obvious challenge of painting on moist and damp walls would be the extended drying time. What would normally take a few hours to dry up will take at least twice or thrice the time because of the moisture.

However, even with these challenges, it is still possible to paint interior walls in rainy weather. You just have to ensure that you take the right steps, so you can achieve a professional-looking and durable paint job.

How to Paint Walls in Rainy Weather

Like any other home improvement project, proper planning is key to successfully painting your walls during rainy days.

So, start with setting a good work schedule. When doing this, make sure that you take into consideration the fact that the drying time is a lot longer. This way, you can have a realistic timetable. Also, see to it that the painting starts early, so you can take advantage of the hotter parts of the day.

Aside from proper scheduling, choosing the right type of paint greatly matters. When painting during rainy weather, it’s recommended to use the breathable types of paint.

Breathable paints allow water to evaporate through the paint. So, any excess moisture that may be trapped under the paint can easily escape. Since the moisture is not trapped, the paint’s drying time is reduced as well.

Common types of breathable paint are acrylic and latex. You may ask your local providers for their recommendations on the best breathable paints you can use for your house.

In addition, if you are painting an unpainted wall, you should use a primer first. Just like with your topcoat, the primer needs to be the breathable type, too.

Lastly, see to it that you give the paint ample time to cure. To be safe, wait for around 48-72 hours to ensure that the wall is already dry. You may open your windows or use fans and blowers to increase air circulation and help make the drying time shorter.

Painting during a rainy day can be difficult even if you are working on your interior walls. So, make sure that you are equipped with the know-how before working on this DIY project. Alternatively, you can just let professional painters do the job to save time and get excellent output.

Thinking of painting your walls? We have expert painters who are experienced in doing interior painting projects in rainy weather. Call us now on 086 608 1817 / 085 139 0233 to request for a quote.

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