House Painting Question....

[Beltane]

We are working on painting our home and barn. My question is...what paint is best? We were looking at Sherwin Williams paint, but is it better to get the one that has a lifetime warranty on it? It says it doesn't need a primer, but the house and barn both have some pretty old clapboards that we would like to salvage. (Most folks say we will need a primer anyways). The next paint type down has a 25 year warranty, but recommends a primer. Any thoughts? I'd say there is a $15 to $20 difference per gallon of the two paints.

[clovis]

I am a huge fan of SW paints. In fact, I just got off the phone with them.

The top of the line SW is called Duration, and it is wonderful paint!!!

The next step down is called SuperPaint, also outstanding!!!!

No matter what you choose, all the loose paint MUST be scraped. You really need to sand any weathered wood back to bright wood as well. This weathered, grayed wood happens when loose paint peels or chips from the surface, and then faces the elements for a while. If you look at the surface of the grayed wood under a microscope, it has dead cells that cannot hold paint well.

In any case, the more prep work you do, the better the results.

One note: The new latex paints tend to seal the wood very well, and often you will have small areas that peal off after you paint. This is the old paint failing, sometimes by small amounts of moisture that gets trapped in. It is NOT the fault of the new paint.

I am happy to hear you are considering good quality paint for your home. It will pay off in spades down the road. Millions think that paint is created equal, and believe that the absolute trash that Wally world sells is the same as Duration.

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR WHEN IT COMES TO PAINT.

My dad and I painted his house with SW Super 12 years ago, and it still looks great!

I havent seen enough from the Duration to make a claim for it, but I am STRONGLY considering it for my own home.

Also, I get better deals when I shop around, even though I almost always pick SW. I call all the stores, tell them the amount I need and their comparable to Super. Then take this back to SW...99% of the time, they will match it. The last exterior Super cost me $22 a gallon. My experience is that they dont deal much on Duration, because it is in a class of its own.

I think your time is a factor here too. If you want to spend the summer scraping, priming and painting, then definately pick the Super. Make sure you have them tint the primer to the color of the house if you go this route...it will save tons of time.

If you just want to scrape and paint, pick the Duration. I dont see the Duration failing where it was not primed. SW is not going to make silly claims that it cant stand behind about the primer.

Clove

[clovis]

Another thought:

How many gallons will you need? I would think that the extra cash for the Duration would be worth it, if you didnt need to many gallons.

Also, buying in 5 gallon buckets is much cheaper than buying in singles.

Clove

[farminghandyman]

I sprayed over 130 gallons of the Sherwin Williams barn paint a year or so ago,

I thought it did a good job, it is a oil base paint, the oil base paint will not build up like the latex paints, and if you have old and bare wood, or cracks you want to fill with paint the oil will not do it very well, the latex will do a better job, and I think in the long run looks better.

But some how I like the way oil soaks in to the surface of the wood and has some depth in it penetration of the wood surface, and is not jsut a plastic coating on top of the surface,

and the warranty, (if the paint falls off) it will not be the paints fault, there will be a preparation or moisture problem or old paint under that damaged and failing,
Our SW dealer said they only had to make good only once on the life time warranty. and that was a newly introduced paint, years ago, (what I am saying is dont count on it for a repaint job).

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

I've used "Peel Stop" for a primer and two topcoats of Dutchboy high gloss exterior latex with excellent results.

RF

[farminghandyman]

dutch boy paints are owned by SW (at lest that is what my local dutch boy dealer says) and dutch boy is there independent dealer brand according to him.
Good paint.

[vallyfarm]

I've always been told that the key to ANY paint job, be it the house or an old Pinto car, is the primer. Good oil base will give better service than latex. If the wood is pretty clean you could use a good oil base solid stain. It won't last quite as long, but no prep work when it is time to re-do. Just wash down the wood and you are ready to go. I've gone to this way for the last decade or so, and nothing is showing wear yet. Mike

[Junkmanme]

MOST IMPORTANT:

1.scrape
2."feather"
3. clean
4. PRIMER
5. then paint.......

Last long time.

BUY "HIGH-PRICED PAINT" SHERWIN-WILLIAMS top-quality is very good.

DON"T buy "cheap" paint!

Most of a good paint job is labor.....WHY waste the LABOR by using "cheap paint?"

my very experienced opinion,
Bruce

[clovis]

I agree 110% with Junkmanme.

[Beltane]

Thanks everyone - I really appreciate it. I will make sure that we do a great prep job...and we won't go cheap on the paint!

[tyusclan]

I'd use a pressure washer first. Get as close as you can without gouging the wood, and you'll have very little scraping to do. Allow the wood to dry thoroughly before you prime and paint.

I also agree with the others. Use a primer, no matter what the paint says about not needing one, and use a high quality paint. Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore are both excellent paints. I'd go with Kilz2 and an exterior latex enamel.

[Judy in IN]

Well, I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but what do you recommend for stripping paint?

I have old, alligatored paint on the front entrance of this farmhouse. I thought I would have it sand blasted before painting, but the only guy with a sand blaster wouldn't touch it, even using corn cob instead of sand.

He told me I would have to chemiclly strip it. Any thoughts?

[clovis]

Stripping old paint can be done with a heat gun, a hand scraper or by chemical.

I would use a hand scraper and work hard at getting as much off as possible.

Please be careful with the old lead based paints!!!!!

Did you know that the average gallon of lead based paint contained 9 POUNDS of lead???

Be careful if you use the heat gun. It is fast, but if you heat the paint up too much...if it smokes or singes...you are putting the lead into the air, and then breathing it.

Also remember, the LB paint that you scrape off and falls into the soil around the house, will stay there for a long, long time. Lead dust and chips just doesn't go away, it will stay there for years and years!!!

If you have kids....lead is the hardest for them, especially those under 5.

Clove

[Maura]

I've also used real hot water to strip paint. It's a pain, but if you don't want to use chemicals it is doable.

[Jim S.]

Martin-Senour is a premium paint made by SW. It is all I use. GREAT stuff.

[bqz]

Check around and see if there are any M.A.B paint stores in your area.
I believe the best stuff on the market is their "four seasons" Paint.
Painted my place years ago and it's still well stuck, no peel anywhere.
O' yes and ask about their E&B it's a bonding agent added to the the paint makes it kinda like rubber paint ,gooood stuff.

[HillsideHouse]

I have to second SW Duration paint. We run a business out of the home so I tried it on the porch & steps. No primer needed. The steps aren't under gutters so they are exposed to all elements. The Duration has taken everything that we have put out..heavy traffic, moving heavy furniture in/out, scrubbing & power washing. You can't beat this stuff!!

Hillside.

[cfabe]

I painted my aluminum sided house with Sherwin Williams SuperPaint. It's only been a year but I was impressed with how well it went on and covered. If you're painting over paint that is chalky, they make an additive you are supposed to use to help the paint adhere. It's called emulsabond. What they reccomended for my house was no primer, two coats of super paint, use emulsabond in the first coat only.

[michelleIL]

I have an old trailer that will need paint real soon. What trype of paint should I use on it?
Michelle

[pamintexas]

We used Pratt and Lambert and were very pleased with how it applied and how well it is holding up. Five years and no peeling, no fading, etc. It's expensive but the quality justifies the cost. I would never paint without priming first. One coat of primer, two coats of paint.