Owner had started the job in October, pressure-washed, primed, then November turned cold and wet. Six panels sat primed but unfinished for a month. We came in on the first dry Saturday in December (10°C, sunny, dry overnight) and finished the topcoat.
What we did
Four hours, single painter:
- Inspected the primer coat, held up well, no flaking even after a month outside
- Light scuff-sand to remove surface dust
- Two coats of solid-colour acrylic exterior, brushed (sprayed coats don't bond well in cold weather)
- Hand-cut around the gate hardware (no masking, faster and cleaner if you have a steady hand)
Why we showed up at all in December
Most fence-painting crews shut down November 1. We work later if (a) you've already done the prep, (b) the day forecast is dry above 8°C, and (c) overnight stays above freezing. Topcoat over existing primer is the lowest-risk task in cold weather, it bonds to the primer, not the wood.
If you're in a similar bind (started the job, ran out of weather), call us before mid-December, we'll tell you honestly if the weather window is realistic.
