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Making Paint Last

Tips for preparing your siding and trim for a long-lasting paint job.

By David Radtke

From The Family Handyman

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Prepare the Surface

Applying the paint is easy. But creating a sound, dry surface for the new coat of paint is tough and time consuming. However, it’s the key to any successful paint job.

Paint just won’t stick to dirty or dusty surfaces. You’ll need to clean it even if there’s very little scraping to do, and the fastest way is with a pressure washer. You can rent a pressure washer from a rental store for about $60 a day and get a lot of loose paint and grime off your old painted surfaces fast.

These washers kick out a hard stream of water, so try it out on an inconspicuous spot on the house to get the hang of handling the wand. Be careful not to hit windows (they can break), and don’t work the spray upward under the laps of siding. Remember, this is for cleaning, not blasting all the old paint off. Of course, some of the old loose paint will fall off, but too much pressure will gouge the wood.

Don’t try to pressure-wash while standing on a ladder. The recoil can knock you off balance. And finally, keep in mind that you won’t be able to do any scraping and sanding for a couple of days until the surface dries thoroughly.

If the prospect of using a pressure washer is just too intimidating, you can get a stiff brush on a pole and a bucket with mild detergent and scrub the surfaces. Follow the scrub immediately with a rinse from your garden hose.

Caution. Houses built before 1978 may contain lead paint. Before disturbing any surface, get a lab analysis of paint chips from it. Contact your local public health department for information on how to collect samples and where to send them.

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1. Pressure washing removes loose paint and built-up grime and improves paint adhesion. Use the high pressure carefully, especially around windows. High-pressure water can break the glass. Avoid directing water up under the laps, and keep the nozzle at least 16 in. away from the wood.

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2. Some loose paint will flake off while you wash the surface. But don’t try to strip the paint—you’ll gouge the wood.

Old, flaking paint must be scraped from your wood surface or your new paint will eventually let go. Make sure the surfaces are dry. Then scrape in the direction of the grain to avoid tearing the wood fibers and creating an unstable surface for your primer. Obviously, a sharp scraper is the best. You can buy hardened steel scrapers, or for about twice the price, you can buy carbide scrapers. Good-quality scrapers all have replaceable blades. You can easily sharpen a steel scraper blade using a fine metal file. The carbide blades last up to 10 times longer but must be sharpened with special tools. Buy replacement blades to have on hand.

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3. Follow the grain of the wood with long strokes. If nails are sticking up, pound them in. If the nail won’t stay put, pull it and drive a new galvanized nail 1/2 in. away.

4. Pull down firmly with a sharp scraper to remove loose paint. Remember, you don’t need to remove all the paint, just the stuff that flakes away with the scraper. Keep your scrapers sharp with a fine file. Tip: Don’t scrape wet wood. You’ll tear away the fibers and dig deep gouges into the wood.

5. Get into tight areas with a small 1-in. scraper. Heavy buildup of paint in corners will eventually crack and let moisture in. Scrape and cut excess paint out of the corners with a sharp putty knife.

6. While you’re scraping, dig out any loose caulk around doors, windows and trim. Old, dried-out caulk loses its elasticity and will usually crack later. If your caulk is sound and adhering well, leave it in place.

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