How Calgary’s Weather Affects Exterior Paint — and How Professional Painters Overcome These Challenges
11 August 2025
Living in Calgary means embracing four true seasons — sometimes all in the same week! While our city’s beauty is unmatched, it also comes with tough weather challenges, especially for your home’s exterior. Between fierce hailstorms in the summer and long, icy winters, your paint job takes a serious beating. Without proper care, even the best-quality finishes can start peeling, cracking, or fading faster than expected.
How Calgary’s Weather Damages Exterior Paint
- Hailstorms: Calgary is known as Canada’s hail capital. Those icy pellets don’t just dent siding and vehicles—they also chip and crack painted surfaces, exposing the underlying material.
- Freeze-Thaw Cycles: Our winters are long, but what makes them especially tough is the constant freezing and melting. This cycle causes wood, stucco, and siding to expand and contract, which stresses the paint and leads to peeling.
- Moisture & Ice Buildup: Once paint cracks, moisture seeps in. Over time, this can cause rot in wood siding, rust on metal, and permanent stains that no amount of repainting can fully hide.
- UV Exposure: Don’t forget the sun! Even in winter, the high-elevation sun here in Calgary accelerates fading and breakdown of paint pigments.
Tips to Protect Your Exterior Paint Job
Invest in High-Quality Paint
Choose exterior paints designed to withstand Canada’s extreme conditions. Durable, flexible formulations hold up better against hail impact and temperature swings.
Schedule Regular Inspections
Doing a quick walk-around your home twice a year—once in the spring and again before winter—can help you spot early signs of trouble like peeling or hairline cracks. Catching small issues early saves more costly repairs down the road.
Repair Damage Promptly
If hail chips or cracks your paint, don’t wait until the next season to fix it. Addressing damage quickly prevents water from working its way underneath and worsening the problem.
Keep Gutters and Downspouts Clear
Proper drainage reduces ice buildup on walls and siding, helping your exterior finish last longer.
Consider Protective Coatings
For homes especially exposed to hail or harsh winds, specialised coatings or elastomeric paints can add an extra layer of resilience. At Dow Brothers, we use Benjamin Moore Aura Interior Paint.
When to Repaint in Calgary
On average, a good paint job in Calgary lasts 7–10 years depending on your siding material. However, hail-prone or sun-exposed sides of your home may need touch-ups sooner. Planning a fresh coat before winter helps seal and protect your home from moisture infiltration during the snow season.
Calgary’s weather may be tough, but with the right paints, timely maintenance, and professional care from our experts here at Dow Brothers Painting your exterior can stay beautiful and protected for years. If you’ve noticed chipping paint or hail damage after this summer’s storms, now is the perfect time for a consultation.
