Iceland’s painters are struggling through the wettest July ever recorded in Reykjavík. According to Kristján Aðalsteinsson, chairman of the Málarameistarafélagið (the Icelandic Master Painters’ Association), the relentless rain this month has brought outdoor painting work to a near-standstill, leaving tradespeople frustrated and backlogged.
Key takeaways
- July 2026 has been the rainiest July in recorded Reykjavík history, devastating outdoor painting schedules.
- Kristján Aðalsteinsson, chairman of the Master Painters’ Association, says members are in tears over lost work.
- Painters have pivoted to interior work — balconies, stairwells — but that flexibility has limits.
- A weather improvement expected from Thursday could make August the busiest painting month of the year.
Why Reykjavík painters are crying over this summer’s rain
“Painters are in tears, literally. This is just absolutely miserable,” Kristján told Morgunblaðið on July 22. His words carry real weight. Exterior house painting — applying primers, top coats, and trim paint to the corrugated iron and timber cladding typical of Reykjavík homes — simply cannot happen in the rain. Paint won’t cure, surfaces stay wet, and any work done risks peeling within a season.
Kristján is no stranger to bad summers. He recalled doing a television interview two years ago, during another notably wet July, where the sky was blue for the broadcast. The moment the cameras switched off, the rain came crashing back down. This summer, though, has broken records entirely.
Painters have tried to adapt. Teams have moved inside: painting balconies under cover, finishing interior stairwells, working through any sheltered space they can find on a building’s envelope. But there are only so many covered surfaces on a typical Reykjavík house, and that well runs dry quickly. For painters who rely almost exclusively on outdoor work through the short Icelandic summer — roughly May to September — every lost day is real money gone.
There is also a pressure valve building on the client side. Homeowners who booked painters for June or July have been waiting all summer. According to Kristján, as weeks pass without progress, patience thins. “The understanding of why we haven’t started painting the outside of their house — because they’ve been waiting all summer — starts to decrease,” he explained. Painters are fielding anxious calls they can’t fully answer.
What happens when the sun finally returns?
A forecast improvement from Thursday offers some relief. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands) is projecting a spell of brighter weather for the Reykjavík area, and Kristján says the backlog is significant. Every job delayed by rain still needs doing — and now there is a tight window.
But even a clear sky doesn’t instantly free everyone up. If a team started a large interior contract during the wet weeks, they can’t simply walk off that job the moment the sun appears. The client inside the house expects them to finish. So there is a real tension between honouring interior commitments and rushing to catch up on the outdoor queue.
The hope is that August becomes what this July clearly wasn’t: a productive, dry run of outdoor work that lets painters clear the backlog before autumn sets in. “Hopefully August will just be the big painting month,” Kristján said. “I’ll hold you to that,” he added with a laugh.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t painters work in the rain in Iceland?
Exterior paint needs dry surfaces and sufficient temperature to bond and cure correctly. Rain dilutes coatings, prevents adhesion, and causes premature peeling. In Reykjavík’s climate, painters typically have a narrow window of dry summer weather to complete all outdoor work.
How bad has the rain been in Reykjavík this July?
July 2026 has been recorded as the wettest July in Reykjavík’s meteorological history. The chairman of the Master Painters’ Association described it as having a serious impact on the entire trade, with outdoor work effectively stopped for much of the month.
When will Reykjavík painters be able to catch up on work?
A forecast improvement from Thursday, July 24, is expected to bring drier conditions to the capital area. Painters are hoping August will allow them to clear a significant backlog, though teams already committed to indoor jobs will have to manage competing demands on their schedules.
