Power washing/painting house questions

[Coconut]

Hi, We have recently bought a 15 year old house in NE PA that has never been painted since it was new. In places, the paint has flaked off and in other places it is fine. We also have much dirt in certain areas. We live in a VERY heavily wooded area and trees grow fairly close to the house. My question is, will a 1750 psi power washer do the job? Or will I need something more heavy duty/higher psi? I can have free access to a

1750 psi washer which is why I ask.

Next, when I paint, should I prime the ENTIRE house or just the spots that I take down to bare wood? What primer and/or paint is recommended for the NE climate with its cold winters and hot summers?

Many thanks for all your help! Chris

[Joseph Meehan]

Personally I am not a fan of power washers on wood you are going to paint. The old scrap and sand, I believe, does a much better job. For some things there is no fast right way.

[RB]

1750 psi may actually be a bit high. The problem with pressure washing wood is that the material between the growth rings tends to erode faster when pressure washed than at the ring boundaries. If the force is to great you will no longer have a smooth surface, rather you'll have a rough surface.

Pressure washing, starting with a low pressure and increasing the pressure as you get comfortable with the results, followed by scraping of the difficult areas will yield the best results.

You'll get a cleaner surface if you precede any pressure washing by spraying with a TSP and water solution and letting it sit for 30 to 45 minutes.

On bare wood in New England that has been allowed to dry apply an oil based primer first and then latex or acrylic finish coats. If the previous finish is in tact priming is not necessary. My preference for exterior paint is Benjamin Moore.

RB

Coc> Hi,

[davefr]

Don't use a power washer if the house is wood. Use a chemical cleaner and scrape/sand flaking areas.

I'd prime any bare area with a long oil primer. You might want to consider SW Duration since it's self priming.