Best Way To Prep Wood Siding For Paint

Before sanding scrape loose and flaking paint from the siding.

Best way to prep wood siding for paint.

Houses painted before 1978 may have paint that contains lead according to the centers for disease control cdc lead paint should be removed by contractors who are certified by the epa. Preparing exterior wood for painting isn t difficult but it does require some prep work to ensure that your new paint has a smooth stable surface to adhere to. Before weathered wood can be painted it will require extensive prep work to ensure that the paint stays on for more than just a couple of years. Sand rust from nail heads then set and caulk the nail holes.

Alkyd oil primers are recommended but one may choose a high quality latex primer as long as it contains stain blockers. In the long run good paint preparation techniques add years to an exterior paint job including cleaning scraping filling caulking and priming. Or you could wash it by hand with tsp or a similar product available at home centers and paint stores and rinse it. Feather sand the edges of sound well adhered paint down to bare wood.

Expect to pay the premium for good paint. Use a brush when painting old siding. Prepare the surface with old buildings such as my 130 year old barn water blasting the loose paint is not a recommended practice. Proper prep before painting will make the job last longer.

If the wood grain has lifted after wood cleaning or if the wood appears furred use 120 grit sandpaper to smooth the surface. Work a paint scraper from every direction keeping the blade flat against the wood so you don t create gouge marks. Clean the entire surface with soap and water or a pressure washer to remove any dirt and grime that s built up over time. You save time and money.

We decided to strip the paint to give us the best chance of producing the longest lasting paint job. Painting and stripping old wood siding overview. Check the label to be sure it s recommended for metal siding. Prepare before you paint then get the right paint.

Use a molding scraper to remove paint from convex shapes. Chemical strippers can be used to loosen paint from. Using a good quality exterior wood primer will give your siding a solid base over which to apply your exterior paint. Wood cleaner can damage bare wood.

Be sure to remove any caulk where the siding overlaps as old houses need to breathe. For best results fresh siding should be pre primed on all six sides with a stain blocking primer and top coated with 100 percent acrylic latex paint. Keep the sander moving at all times to avoid sanding a depression into the siding.