Although much of it has been replaced, there are still many homes that have wooden siding as a testament to an older look. Of course, this kind of siding needs a lot more maintenance than the newer vinyl siding does and one of the primary things that needs to be done to wooden siding over the years is painting. Remember that the same basic kinds if paint are used outside as well as inside—alkyds, latexes, epoxies and oils. Like interior paint, there is quite a variety to choose from.
Latex flat is the most popular choice for most of the exterior siding jobs that you will come across since it is thinned and cleaned with water and dries the fastest. It also allows water vapor to escape without expanding into a blister. Alkyd Flat covers all surfaces except unprimed metal. In this way, Alkyd Flat is considered one of the best choices for all types of wood sided homes and there is also a nice selection to choose from for a variety of different applications.
Some of the paints that were once popular for use on wooden siding have been outdated and are only used rarely. Most of the oil based paints fall into this category. They smell, dry slowly and require mineral spirits and/or turpentine to remove. Glossy trim contains more resin than flat trim, giving it a greater resistance to wear, washing and making them the best choice for windows and shutters as well as the siding. These paints have the added advantage of being available in glossy and other high quality finishes.
As well, Latex Gloss cleans with water and dries faster than several of the other varieties. It is also more weather resistant than some of the others. Of course before you even start to work, you’ll need to be able to diagnose a few different paint problems that can come up.
Whenever you see stains on the siding or other signs that the paint is fading, it’s time to start thinking about a new paint job. Any damage that you may find is rarely the result of the kind of paint that is used. More often that not, it is the result of moisture that’s been captured on the outside of the walls from under the paint. If you ignore underlying problems and simply put on the new layer of paint, the same stains and peeling are likely to occur. It is always ideal to get to the root cause of a problem and to fix any moisture related issues before you carry on.
home-inspection
