Painting Bargeboards etc.

[Keith Dunbar]

This is likely to be the first of many questions for the newsgroup. We have just moved into a new to us, but very old, house - 1650 or so.

There are quite a lot of (quite high) bargeboards need painting, as well as windows etc. My first query is about what brand paints to use? What lasts best and is easiest to use - assuming those two requisites are compatible. And how many coats, etc? My second query is a more general one - any general tips about doing this sort of job, given that we've never done anything like it before?

Many thanks in advance.

Keith

[jal]

I'll be interested to see what people say about paint, given that for the first time in a long career I used a Crown "Primer and undercoat" this last weekend (water soluble!), on one of my exterior windows. Thickest paint I've used I think -- a bit like splodging on cream ... but what I liked about it was that it's very easy to use, and covers oh-so-many horrible imperfections left by my slapdash preparation. I _hate_ painting woodwork, especially outside.

Generally: if I were faced with the job you have, I would seriously look into hiring a cherry-picker. It's probably very expensive, but it will undoubtedly save you huge amounts of time, physical effort, and the stress caused by working high.

2p j

[Stuart Noble]

The exterior woodwork is unlikely to be an ideal substrate for paint, and anything applied over it won't have anything substantial to bond to. An ordinary liquid gloss paint will last as well as anything else, so I wouldn't waste your money on miracle products. Ideally you should get back to bare wood, apply a wood hardener (fibreglass resin), and then re-paint. A lot of work, but IME it should last forever.

[Peter Ashby]

Having recently painted a lot of skirtings and door frames with a Dulux water based gloss that behaves like your crown and looks very good I have to concur. They seem to have got the hang of this low VOC regime. Though water soluble is a movable feast. This stuff ONLY comes off in water only just cool enough for the hands and very liberally dosed with detergent. However freshly applied, um mistakes, do wipe off with a damp cloth most gratifyingly.

Peter

[Peter Ashby]

Agreed, paint on paint is dodgy unless you have tried very hard to ensure the paint is both absolutely sound and sanded to provide a good key. Problem with this is you get left with a substrate that has patches where the loose stuff has come off etc and hard to fill and look good. Best is to remove the lot and start again, also lets you see any dodgy bits of wood that need treatment/replacing.

The only way you get a good finish is preparation, preparation, preparation.

Peter

[Peter Johnson]

Sadolin Superdec (available from Crown Decorator Centres) has a 10 year guarantee, prepare a good surface and apply two coats. 'Ordinary' exterior paint will last about five years.

[Stuart Noble]

These figures don't really mean much. The paint film may well last that long but whether it stays bonded to the substrate is another matter.

[Huge]

Not on the exposed, south-west facing back of my house, it doesn't. You're lucky if it stays on until the following year.

I'll try Superdec, though. I'm sick of the constant repainting.

[Bill]

The house is dated 1650 and you guys are recommending acrylic paints. Tut Tut.

Keith, stick to oil base. Clean back to bare timber if possible. As Stuart said, the top coat is not worth anything if it's sat on crap.

Use one coat of oil based undercoat and two coats full gloss enamel.

If the stuff already being used is well and truly fixed, go over it no probs. The oils based stuff will go over acrylic, but not visa versa, unless you have an oil based primer between them.

Regards Bill

[Keith Dunbar]

Many thanks everyone for a great deal of very helpful and useful information.

Keith

[Peter Johnson]

I know someone in East Anglia who had it last at least 10 years (it was 10 years old when I saw it and I don't know when it was re-done), mine's only been up three at the moment.