Painting in the winter can be hazardous. Between ice, snow, and cold temperatures affecting the paint and the exterior surfaces you’re working on, it’s best, especially in Colorado, where the weather can turn snowy and cold at any time, to take it inside.

Painting your interior is no problem in the winter. You control the temperature and the space, allowing you to work at your own pace and allowing the paint to dry properly while giving some life to your interior décor. Many interior painters actually prefer to work in the winter, because it’s typically less humid, letting paint spread better and dry faster.

Here are a few tips for painting your home interior this winter:

Try Eco-Friendly Paints

Eco-friendly paints are becoming more popular for a variety of reasons. One, they’re easier to dispose of and don’t carry as many toxins and possibly harmful chemicals as other paints commonly used for exterior and interior paint jobs.

These eco-friendly paints are especially desirable in the winter because they don’t fill enclosed spaces with fumes and smells. Don’t get me wrong, the paint will still smell, but it won’t cause you to pass out in enclosed spaces while you paint indoors.

Take Care of Ventilation First

Before you open even your eco-friendly paints inside, make sure your space is properly ventilated. Depending on the size of your job, you may need to do more than open a window. Make sure your fans are working and blowing the paint fumes outside. Window fans are best for this, but in general, the stiffer the breeze inside, the faster your paint will dry and the fewer fumes you’ll inhale.

Pay Attention to Wall Temperature

Generally, all your walls inside are about the same temperature as your house, but in some cases, as in, when you’re painting your attic, the cold from the exterior wall can leak into the interior and cause problems. If you don’t have insulation for the wall you’re painting, you might want to wait until the weather warms a bit before you start. If your walls are cold, it will make it more difficult to spread.

Tape and Cover Everything

Whether you’re painting your interior in the winter or the summer, pay close attention to protecting your interior spaces with drop cloths, tape, and plastic. Don’t be stingy with these materials, because you might be living with a splotch or drip on your floor for a long time if you don’t protect yourself.

Get to Work

There’s really nothing to painting inside in the winter. Probably the most important thing to take care of is the interior temperature. When you open your windows to ventilate in extremely cold weather, even blasting your heat to offset the temperature shift won’t necessarily help you. Obviously, the quicker you get the job done, the faster you’ll stop trying to warm the entire neighborhood with your furnace when you open your windows.