Best Way To Prep Wood Siding For Paint

Install the siding with the rough side out if the siding has both a smooth and rough side.

Best way to prep wood siding for paint.

Using slow steady strokes is the best way to apply paint with both a sprayer as well as a brush. Sunlight degrades the unfinished wood surface thus it will never hold paint as well as fresh wood. You save time and money. Unfinished siding exposed to several weeks of sunlight before painting needs to be sanded.

In the long run good paint preparation techniques add years to an exterior paint job including cleaning scraping filling caulking and priming. Old wood may have areas where the paint has peeled off the surface. Work a paint scraper from every direction keeping the blade flat against the wood so you don t create gouge marks. Properly preparing your wood siding before painting will ensure that the resulting finish will last for several years without peeling or being damaged.

Rough wood surfaces hold paint and stain better than flat wood surfaces. Before sanding scrape loose and flaking paint from the siding. 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. To prevent the loose paint from causing new paint to flake you should use a hook scraper putty knife or sanding tool.

Proper prep before painting will make the job last longer. Clean the entire surface with soap and water or a pressure washer to remove any dirt and grime that s built up over time. Prepare the surface with old buildings such as my 130 year old barn water blasting the loose paint is not a recommended practice. Wood that is gray or weathered will not hold paint.

Sand down to fresh wood. 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.