Bright BrushIf you wait for a perfect Auckland week — dry, mild, no overnight dew — you can wait a long time. The useful question is which months give you more workable days, and how the weather actually treats the paint.
Auckland exteriors fail for two boring reasons: paint went onto damp timber, or a decent coat went on just before a dump of rain. Winter jobs still happen, but the windows are shorter. South and east walls stay wet longer. A late afternoon coat can look fine at knock-off and be ruined by dew.
Late spring through early autumn usually gives more consecutive dry days. Even then a humid northerly can slow drying, and a "fine" morning can still mean wet weatherboards until the sun has been on them for a while.
North-facing walls dry first. South-facing sides, walls under trees, and anything boxed in by a neighbour need more patience. A decent painter chases the sun around the house rather than forcing a coat onto cold, damp timber.
If the paint is already failing, waiting for "the right season" often costs more than painting in a slightly awkward month. Once water is getting behind the film, the timber keeps moving and next season's prep gets bigger.
Bright Brush is based in Mount Eden. If you are not sure whether your place can go this month, send photos. Daniel can usually tell from the condition and which way the house faces whether it is worth starting now or holding for a drier spell.