exterior trim prep for painting

[djay]

I'm about to begin the prep for painting the exterior trim (soffets, lookouts, facia etc). I'm on the central coast of California - mild and sunny almost all year... not much rain. Please check my steps and comment/correct and add at will!

1. Pressure wash the grunge off.
2. Prep cracks with spackle
3. Deep/wide cracks get caulking
4. Sand if required
5. Paint my arse off!

I am planning on using a semigloss latex (rolling and brushing because I don't have access to sprayer (exterior latex of course) and haven't decided on a brand. I want to use a good quality paint and am soliciting for quality brands that you've liked working with.

Thanks,

DJay

[Hopkins]

I'm not a huge fan of pressure washing, simply because it doesn't get ALL the grunge and peeling paint. You'll want to go over everything after washing and make sure everything is clean and any loose stuff is removed.

#3 will get you by for a while, longer if your temp range isn't very wide. I'd probably switch 2 and 3 -- caulking the small cracks is fine. And if there's any bare wood, you'll want to spot prime before getting into finish coat.

As for brands, a lot of them are regional so sometimes it's hard to recommend. I've used Porter, Sherwin-Williams Superpaint... had good results. There was a Benjamin-Moore line I used but I can't remember offhand which. You're better off going to a regular paint store.

[Hopkins]

I'm not a huge fan of pressure washing, simply because it doesn't get ALL the grunge and peeling paint. You'll want to go over everything after washing and make sure everything is clean and any loose stuff is removed.

#3 will get you by for a while, longer if your temp range isn't very wide. I'd probably switch 2 and 3 -- caulking the small cracks is fine. And if there's any bare wood, you'll want to spot prime before getting into finish coat.

As for brands, a lot of them are regional so sometimes it's hard to recommend. I've used Porter, Sherwin-Williams Superpaint... had good results. There was a Benjamin-Moore line I used but I can't remember offhand which. You're better off going to a regular paint store.

Semigloss?

[Joseph Meehan]

I agree. In addition I really don't like the addition of water, especially if you are going to use an oil based paint.

[barry]

What works for me:

1. Scrape off all loose/cracked/chipped areas thoroughly. As necessary, strip areas.
2. Fill cracks with caulk compatible with paint and exposure.
3. Sand everything smooth.
4. Prime all exposed areas; alkyd may work better here.
5. Paint, 2 light/moderate coats, at dry, moderately warm time of day (differs by side of house, even).

Emphasis on prep, for adhesion of paint.

HTH, John

[Ken]

What John said, plus what I do is add:

1a. Wash all surfaces by hand with a commercial cleaner and hose off with a garden hose (not pressure washer, pressure drives water into the wood and does more harm than good.)

1b. Allow to dry for several days to make darn sure the wood is completely dry.

Plus I modify step 5 to be first coat of paint just covers the primed areas, second coat covers everything. You don't need to add two new coats to areas where the paint is already adhered well. A thick coat of paint is actually bad because it will crack easier in the future and require scraping and repainting more frequently.

Ken

[djay]

Thanks to all!

It looks like I have a good week ahead of prep work before I crack open the paint!

Regarding the pressure washing, I have a California/Spanish style roof that I need to wash well before I begin painting. There is a lot of dirt and grime up there that will continue to wash down on the facias during Jan-Mar (typical rainy season here - no snow). I want to Pressure Wash that and then I will hand wash the wood.

Thanks again everyone!

Djay