Painting Rough Wood Siding

Unfinished siding exposed to several weeks of sunlight before painting needs to be sanded.

Painting rough wood siding.

The fastest way to complete the job is to use a brush to cut in or paint. It is not all about protection. Prime the siding with a heavy acrylic primer. Exterior grade acrylic latex paint is the most dependable finish in terms of protecting cedar.

It is possible though to find and apply an exterior primer and paint that can stand up to all the conditions that nature can dish out and stay on rough cut lumber which is constantly moving splitting and warping. A cold water pressure washer can be used for large areas of siding. Applying a fresh coat of paint every few years will keep your home looking beautiful. However painting newly installed rough cut lumber can present a challenge because of its jagged and splintered surfaces.

It will also begin removing grime that has accumulated in the rough surface of the wall. If the unfinished wood was exposed more than 3 to 4 weeks lightly sand the surface to remove the thin layer of degraded wood before applying paint. The water soap and scrubbing will remove a majority of any loose paint. Knowing how to properly prepare and paint your wood siding will make the process go smoothly.

Before weathered wood can be painted it will require extensive prep work to ensure that the paint stays on for more than just a couple of years. I ve used xim peel bond with great success. Power wash the siding. A brush is better at getting into corners but a roller is better at pushing paint into the rough surface of the wood.

Use a roller for large areas and a brush to get into grooves and tight spots. Adjust the pressure on the power washer to light and gently knock off any dirt or debris that may be attached to the surface of the wood siding. In many markets like new england for example painted siding is the preferred look. Sunlight degrades the unfinished wood surface thus it will never hold paint as well as fresh wood.

Use a stiff bristled brushed to scrub away anything that may resist coming off. Prepare the surface with old buildings such as my 130 year old barn water blasting the loose paint is not a recommended practice. The type of finish selected is driven by style preference. Be careful when pressure washing as wood can be removed or damaged.

Because of its finish painting t1 11 siding is rather tricky. Rollers can be used to paint large flat surfaces in much less time than it would take using a paintbrush.