We bought a condo that was remediated after the leaky condo issues - when is it safe to paint the new exterior cladding?

After a leaky condo remediation, the timing of exterior painting depends on what cladding system was installed. If your building was re-clad with fibre cement panels like Hardie board, most manufacturers recommend waiting at least 90 days before painting to allow the material to fully cure and acclimate to Vancouver's humidity levels. For new stucco applied over a proper rainscreen system, you typically need to wait 28 to 30 days for the stucco to cure before applying paint. If the remediation was done during our wetter months from October through March, you may need to extend these timelines since moisture slows curing considerably. Many remediated buildings in the Lower Mainland now have rainscreen wall assemblies as required by the BC Building Code updates that came after the leaky condo crisis. These systems include a drainage cavity and ventilation gap behind the cladding, which actually helps the new exterior dry more effectively. When it is time to paint, use a breathable, high-quality acrylic latex exterior paint that allows moisture vapour to pass through rather than trapping it behind the coating. Trapping moisture was a contributing factor in the original leaky condo failures. Your strata council should have documentation from the remediation contractor specifying exactly what cladding was installed and any manufacturer recommendations for finishing. As a next step, review your remediation warranty documents and consult with a painter who has experience working on post-remediation buildings in Metro Vancouver to ensure the coating choice will not void any warranties.

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