Exterior paint costs in Tampa

Hyde Park's design guidelines have something to say about paint, and most of it is good advice for any old wood house in Tampa. They say wood should be painted or stained, never left to weather, and that light colors absorb less heat. The district has houses going back to 1889, and the guidelines note that chalky light tones, deep rich colors and pastels all have a history there. The Architectural Review Commission's staff can suggest colors, and the guidelines steer away from white or very bright colors as the main body color.

Summer is the hard season for the job itself. The National Weather Service office for the bay area says 55 to 70 percent of a year's rain usually falls from June through September, when surface dew points climb into the 70s. Paint makers want the wall at least 5°F warmer than the dew point. On a muggy morning, that can mean waiting for the dew to burn off the siding before anyone opens a can, then racing the afternoon storm.

Cold almost never gets in the way. Tampa International sees a freezing night less than once a year on average.

If you own an older wood house, ask how much bare wood your painter expects to find once the loose paint comes off. Bare wood needs primer before color, and that prep can take more time than the painting.