Back To The Family Handyman
From 
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThisAbout This Project
Q My basement and unfinished garage are too dark. To lighten and brighten everything, I’d like to spray-paint the exposed ceiling joints and subfloor ceiling of the basement and the exposed studs and sheathing in the garage. Does sealing them create potential problems?
Matt Woitowicz, Moorestown, NJ
A You shouldn’t have any problems in either situation. Your concern is a valid one, though. You don’t want moisture to become trapped in wood materials because it could cause warping or even rot. You have two factors in your favor. First, it’s not likely that the wood in your basement ceiling or garage walls will be exposed to significant amounts of moisture. The wood will absorb some moisture in your humid New Jersey summers and lose it again during the drier winters. But these seasonal swings occur gradually and allow the wood plenty of time to adjust even if painted.
And second, a sprayed coat of latex paint (assuming you’re using a water-based paint rather than an oil-based) really won’t “seal” the surface as much as you might think. Latex paints are highly permeable, that is, they allow water vapor to pass through. One coat will slow moisture movement, but it’ll still allow the wood to dry out.
Advertisement 
