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The climatic conditions of any given South African region vary dramatically from one to the next. We go from a Mediterranean climate in the country’s southwestern corner, to temperate conditions on the interior plateau, to subtropical in the northeast, or desert-like in the northwest. These varying conditions make a difference as to how the paintwork of a residential estate may endure.
While days are generally warm and sunny, and nights a tad cool, exact temperatures in any South African centre are generally affected by elevation, terrain, proximity to the sea, and how far south, or north the location is situated.
Further, the accepted rainy season takes place from November through to March, aside from in the Western Cape – that region’s rainfall generally occurs in winter between June and August. Rule of thumb is to paint during summer in the Cape and during winter in Gauteng. KwaZulu-Natal, with its afternoon thunderstorms can be unpredictable, but the summer humidity makes autumn and winter more temperate times to paint. It’s important to understand this when planning renovations and maintenance schedules.
Plascon imparts practical and sensible advice to those planning on painting exteriors, namely, that it’s best to hold out for that temperate weather – that sweet spot in between anything too extreme in terms of heat, cold, wind, rain and storms.
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While it may seem like stating the obvious, it is important to sidestep inclement days from a painting perspective. Wind speed presents a challenge if painting a high rise, similarly, it makes no sense to paint during periods of seasonal rain, unless you’re prepared for the breaks caused by wet weather.
The best modus operandi is for any exterior and/or weather-exposed painting project to be tackled in moderately warm winter. When it’s icy cold, your paint will have its work cut out attempting to adhere to a surface in the way that the technical folk intended; plus damp from rain and morning dew could cause an undesirable bubble effect.
There are coatings that can help mitigate against some of these factors. Plascon Professional Elastoshield, a flexible, durable and all-round weather-proofing water-based coating, is just one example of the direction in which the high-tech paint industry is moving.
Special features include interlocking microfibres to cover hairline cracks; a high-build film that protects and weather-proofs exterior walls; a highly elastic coat to withstand repeated weather-dependant contractions and expansions; better than average flexibility and elongation when temps are rather cool; and crack resistance at temperatures as low as -5°C.
This product, which is not designed for application over a damp area, is otherwise an all-rounder for suitably primed new and previously painted plaster, concrete, exposed plastered walls, window sills, small ledges and the tops of plaster mouldings; plus exposed weather-facing or fair-faced brick walls.
From the Premium Range, select either Plascon Micatex with Weathertough™, for its in-built crack filler and the way in which its formulation offers sturdy protection across the majority of weather conditions; or Plascon Wall & All, which resists dirt and provides the type of exceptional durability that will help save homeowners the costs of any near-future repaints.
These, and other new and improved products in the Plascon Professional and Premium ranges are specially designed to leave your clients with the kind of quality results you can collectively be proud of.
And, while a superior paint product will do the necessary over and above what’s generally expected, planning any painting project with the weather in mind remains a sensible approach.
So, before you begin, ask yourself – and your maintenance team – these important questions:
- Are we experiencing abnormally high temperatures and/or levels of humidity? Rather postpone.
- Is the weather pleasingly mild? Go for it, aside from when those mid-level temperatures overflow into rain, cold and stormy weather.
