Q&A Priming Bare Wood Siding | |
PROBLEM: I'm scraping the old paint off my house, down to bare wood. Do you recommend using a primer on it? SOLUTION: Yes, you need to prime the bare wood. The whole point of using primer is to provide a secure base for the finish coating. Different surfaces require different primers. For example, if you tear off siding material and expose very old wood siding, it will need extra priming. First, apply a coat or two of a 2-to-1 mixture of boiled linseed oil and turpentine. Next put on a coat of alkyd (oil) primer, then the finish coat(s). On wood not so old and dry, but that shows no paint residue in its pores, use just the alkyd primer. If the wood's pores are filled with paint, a good quality latex primer is sufficient, especially if you are using a latex finish coat. No matter what the paint type, it's always best to use primer and finish paint from the same manufacturer. When painting over a difficult surface like chalking paint or plywood siding, a paint additive like "E-B" from the Flood Co. will help increase the paint's bonding capacity. If there are only a few spots to be primed, and you're unsure of the wood's condition, use a water-based primer/sealer/stain killer like Bulls-Eye 1-2-3. If your house has trim or other sections made of wood or masonry, prime them as needed with a material designed specifically for those surfaces. The key to a durable paint job is selecting the proper materials and then applying them correctly. Spend a little time checking the surfaces before you head for the paint store and you'll have a much better chance of success. Reprinted with permission from the Housing Resource Center. Copyright HouseNet, Inc. |