8 Projects Never To Do During the Rainy Season

A little rain doesn’t mean you have to abandon your DIY projects altogether. In fact, quite a few rainy day projects are begging to be completed, like starting seeds for the flower garden or decluttering a room. For the following projects, it’s best to wait for a day when precipitation isn’t an issue.

1. Painting

This probably comes as no surprise, but if it is, thank goodness you chanced upon us here before embarking upon that long-awaited paint project. Exterior painting done during the rainy months may not cure properly, resulting in bubbling and/or premature flaking.

While you can do it during those months, interior painting can still suffer from the increased humidity. And while interior acrylic paints don’t have heavy fumes like oil paints, if you’re sensitive to the fumes, it’s best to skip painting altogether until sunny weather predominates.

2. Pouring Concrete

If you’ve got a way to keep the area completely covered from the elements, you’re only pouring a small section, and you’re the daring type, by all means, give it a try. Ensure the area where you’re pouring is free from pools of water. Otherwise, the extra water can substantially weaken the concrete leading to failure in the pour's integrity. So yeah, it's probably best to skip it until the sun comes out.

Likewise, you should hold off on patching concrete until the weather is optimal.

3. Roof Installation

Adding wind and rain to an already hazardous job is just asking for trouble. Not to mention how the additional moisture can affect the quality of materials and the installation. Besides, putting in a roof during inclement weather can also void the product warranty depending on the manufacturer, so please, just don’t.

4. Mowing the Lawn

You’ve likely done it. So have we. Especially if you live in the Pacific Northwest or another area of the country where there are more rainy days than dry. You've gotta take advantage of the spare time you have, and with only so many hours during the day, if rain happens during your only day off, you just make it work, right? But did you ever notice how uneven the lawn looks afterward?

Wet grass blades tend to bend with the weight of the water, which you’ll notice once the grass dries and you see the patchwork job you just did. The wet clippings clump together, so instead of a nice even distribution of mulch, you’ll get bigger patches that fall out and kill portions of the lawn. And that soft soil is likely to be damaged from ruts created by the wheels and your own feet compacting it all down. So please resist the urge to mow even though it's starting to look like you've got a hobbit village in your lawn.

5. Landscaping

You know not to mow during the rain, so you probably know better than to get out the heavy equipment for any excavating projects during this time. Slipping and sliding in the mud is no fun—unless you’re three years old or in motocross. But beyond that, digging around in the dirt when it’s completely waterlogged breaks down the soil structure. And heavy equipment will compact the soil to something equivalent to hardpan, which is impossible to work with, especially if you’re planning a lush garden installation. If only you'd stayed inside, you wouldn't have to spend the extra money on soil amendments or raised container beds to make them suitable for planting.

6. Installing Masonry

Like pouring concrete, it’s possible to complete this project with the proper protections in place e.g. under a temporary cover to keep rain from mixing with the mortar. It may be more cost-effective to postpone the project for another day, especially given the problems that may occur. Too much moisture can keep the mortar from bonding, cause it to wash out of the joints, and even stain the structure's face. Or you can go ahead and work in the rain, ultimately spending more money to fix it what didn't work the first time—your choice.

7. Pruning Trees

There will be times when trimming and pruning a tree will have to happen in the rain, especially if it's been damaged during a storm. If it absolutely can’t wait for a better day, as in cases when it blocks an access area or poses a hazard, then it must be done. In other cases, it’s best to wait for a dry day since pruning cuts heal better and are more protected from fungal or bacterial infections when it's not subjected to all that moisture.

8. Outdoor Wiring

Really, just don’t. You may think you can keep yourself covered and protected and grounded, but what the hell. It’s raining. Go inside and make yourself some hot cocoa and binge watch one of your favorite tv shows until the rain stops and it’s safe to get some work done outside.

There’s so much to be done during the year, so why not finish other projects before starting any of these during the rainy season.