Painting Wood Shingle Siding

Cedar shingles contain extractives that bleed to the surface when the wood becomes wet and then darken as the wood dries.

Painting wood shingle siding.

If you are going to be staining or painting horizontal siding then pine is a good wood to consider as it is easy to finish and will look great. Some sections of old unpainted shingles and siding may look darker than others. Sand off any extreme protrusions from the shingles using a sanding block but do not sand the shingles to. You must be careful not to damage the wood while doing so as the water pressure is strong.

Divide the area by 400 to get the number of gallons per coat. Those extractives can even bleed through many types of paint. This discoloration is most likely caused by a combination of excessive tannins leeching from the wood and mildew growth. If you would like to paint shingle siding consider some critical points.

Painting cedar however calls for some preparation. You ll have to remove the mildew and prime the wood with a stain blocking primer. Unfinished siding exposed to several weeks of sunlight before painting needs to be sanded. Powerwash the siding to remove any excess dirt or paint with a low pressure pressure washer.

Whether it is composed of wood or asphalt your shingle siding is ill suited for adhesion. How to paint wood shingles step 1. Start at the top of the house and work your way down aiming the nozzle downward and keeping it moving constantly. To determine how much you ll need overall measure the space to be painted and calculate the area in square feet.

Before you paint condition the siding with a specific type of bonding primer or the final coating will ultimately flake and peel. The best way to prevent extractive bleed is to select a paint or stain that forms a seal over the cedar. Use an acrylic latex paint. Spread canvas drop cloths over any shrubbery pavement lawn furniture or decking.

For old paint in good condition or primed bare wood you ll need about one gallon of paint per each 400 square feet. 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. Sunlight degrades the unfinished wood surface thus it will never hold paint as well as fresh wood. Cedar siding shingles provide beauty for any home but they must be properly coated to ensure a long life.