Pressure Washing Clapboards prior To Painting: Good Idea ?

Hi,

Live in New England.

Haven't painted house in a (very) long time.

Some paint, here and there, on wood clapboards is peeling.

Question: should I have the house (the Painters all suggest doing so) pressure washed first ?

I don't know how well the majority of the paint is adhering. No way to really know, i guess.

But wouldn't pressure washing "peel" all of the marginal paint from the clapboards ? And likely a lot of the paint that is adhering fairly well too ?

How really "necessary" is pressure washing ?

Wouldn't the new paint just cover up any dirt on the existing clapboards ? Or, would there likely be bleed-thru of ?

Would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

Thnks, Bob

Reply to
Robert11
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On 3/17/2020 1:01 PM, Robert11 wrote: ...

Absolute.

So you're going to waste the paint to put it on the dirt as a substrate.

If it's been very long since it was painted and has therefore oxidized, not only should it be pressure washed but to have much hope of lasting, use triphosphate or the like. Weathered wood, even if clean, will not take paint.

There are some specialty products for the purpose but they ain't cheap.

Reply to
dpb

Well, your description of the washing taking off the marginal paint is one of the main reasons to do it. Good paint over old crap adhesion means the new paint has crap adhesion.

The key to a good paint job is the prep. Painting over dirt, loose paint, oxidized wood will cut the life of the new paint in half or less.

Your choice is the follow the recommendation all the painters have or to cheap out and do a half assed job that will look like crap in a few years.

Listen to the pros.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Pressure wash then let it dry thoroughly. Gets rid of the loose paint and the dirt that would prevent the new paint from sticking.

Do it once Do it right.

Reply to
Clare Snyder

+1

Make sure it dries out well before painting too. A few days minimum, more depending on weather.

It's wash, scrape if needed, fill cracks, caulk, prime bare spots, then paint. Most of the work, the important work, can be the prep work.

Reply to
trader_4

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