Short answer: interior painting works year-round. Exterior painting depends on the product's temperature range: Sherwin-Williams lists Duration Exterior down to 35°F, and Benjamin Moore lists Aura Exterior at 35 to 100°F. On a Colorado winter day, the overnight low matters as much as the afternoon high.
Inside: any month works
Your furnace sets the interior climate, not the season. Winter interior jobs often move faster because painters have more open dates. A few things make it easier:
- Low-odor or zero-VOC products, since windows stay shut.
- A plan for pets and kids: which rooms are off-limits each day.
- Holiday timing. Decide whether you want rooms done before guests arrive or after they leave.
Outside: the paint label decides
Every exterior coating lists an application temperature range. Two widely used premium lines:
| Product | Manufacturer's application range |
|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams Duration Exterior | Down to 35°F |
| Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior | 35°F to 100°F |
The minimum is not just the temperature when the brush touches the siding. Paint needs time to dry before it gets cold again, and shaded walls stay colder than sunny ones. A painter who checks the overnight forecast and the shady side of your house before scheduling is a painter who reads labels.
A sensible winter plan
- Paint interiors now.
- Get your exterior walked and quoted over the winter, while painters have time to look closely.
- Pick exterior colors with real samples on the house. See testing colors at altitude.
- Lock a spring start window. Our spring exterior planner walks through it.
25% off the labor on all painting projects booked by December 31, 2026. Paint and materials not included. Book winter interior dates now.
Voice answer: is it too cold to paint outside today?
Check the product label's minimum temperature, then check that the air and the wall stay above it long enough for the paint to dry, including the overnight low.