By Eric Morud

If it is recommended that you wait to paint your house up to two days after power washing your siding, how is it that if it rains in the morning you could easily be painting your home the same afternoon?

That is because unlike power washing, rain doesn't typically soak into the siding of a home allowing for painting shortly after it stops raining.

Another factor is that eaves and soffits help keep rain from even hitting the house, keeping the siding dry and ready for paint.

Having the home's siding clean, dry and dull before painting is a key to success, which makes questions of when to do an exterior paint job after power washing and rain important.

A rule of thumb used by many painters is what's called the "sidewalk test," which is noting that if the sidewalk is dry after a rain then so is the siding and you can begin painting.

While that test tells you when you can paint, what happens if a sudden rain begins shortly after you have painted your house?

Well, most of the time -- in fact, nearly all the time, according to TruNorth Painting owner Eric Morud -- there is no problem if it rains after you paint siding.

That is because of several reasons:

  • Eaves and soffits block much of the rain before it his newly painted siding.
  • Today's paint dries far more quickly than paints of a decade or so ago, limiting the opportunity for rain to ruin your exterior paint job.
  • Detecting if rain has ruined your painting is easily done as the streaking and unevenness that results is apparent.

If you have any questions about painting following rain or a power washing call TruNorth Painting at 952-831-1433.

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