The good fight:
Paint and the battle against the elements
by Roger Faris

The decision to maintain the exterior of a house is a commitment to fight a series of battles in a war which is never won. Some homeowners would rather ignore the damage caused by nature's constant attack on their property. They take evasive action in the form of a vacation. A full retreat could mean taking refuge in a condo, or buying a new house each time the old one becomes too run down and leaky. These noncombatants have a point. The forces of nature can be intimidating. Sun, rain, wind and even chemical attack are continuously pitted against our fragile layers of defense.

Some of us are warriors. We risk our physical and financial health to repel the assaults against our homes. We patch, repair, re-roof, scrape, paint, and never surrender. We fight to prevent small problems from becoming large, and calculate that the eventual savings, improved value and aesthetic benefits are more than worth the costs. We fight because we know it's the right thing to do.

Once, in an old home in Ballard, I came across a small sign tacked to the wall. In four words it captured some sort of deeper truth: HOUSE DONE, MAN DIE. I haven't decided what it means, but I think about it whenever I do exterior maintenance. Maybe if the chores go on forever, then so will I.

In our climate, taking good care of a house requires keeping rain out of the structure. In another article I explored the details of evaluating, repairing, and replacing a roof (Seattle Press - Volume IX, Number 12 - "Shelter From the Rain"). Water control also involves constant cleaning and repair of gutter, downspout, and drainage systems. If these high priority chores are postponed we increase the probability of having to confront water stained ceilings and walls. Eventually we might face loose plaster, crumbled drywall, mildew, damaged floors, ruined books, insect infestation, rotted wood, flooded basement, or exterior paint failure.

Other exterior maintenance priorities include safety considerations. Porches, decks, stairs and handrails must all be in sound condition to reduce the risk of serious accidents. Other outdoor projects might involve masonry restoration or washing the dirt from plastic siding. Exterior house painting is one chore which brings some homeowners to despair and surrender. The following ideas are from the files of your allies in the struggle.

House painting begins with a careful evaluation. This helps to reveal the causes and extent of the failure of the previous coatings. While looking closely you may notice blistering of the paint near a bathroom and suspect that the room needs a better ventilation system. Flaking paint near the ends of rafters hints at a gutter that has been leaking. A ladder is needed for a close inspection. Poke at suspicious- looking wood parts with a screwdriver or other weapon. This is the only way to assess whether carpentry repairs are needed before the painting project can begin. Some deterioration is often found in window sills, sashes, fascia boards, soffits, and various exposed trim parts.

While you're looking closely at the house, notice how dirty the surfaces have become. Dust and air pollution accumulate under the eaves where there is some protection from the rain. This dirt, and any chalky paint, must be removed before a new coat of paint will bond. A high pressure washer may be used to clean the surfaces, but great care must be taken to avoid damaging the woodwork. A washer can also cause staining of interior ceilings and walls if the water enters through gaps around windows or under the eaves. For many of us, a scrub brush on a long pole is the safer method of washing. The brush is usually dipped in a bucket of warm water with T.S.P. or some other detergent. Thorough rinsing with the garden hose is a very important step.

With the carpentry repairs completed and the surfaces clean, the next step is removal of any loose paint. Painting professionals use a wide variety of tools and methods to accomplish this unpleasant work. The most basic of the hand tools are scrapers and stiff blade putty knives. If there is a lot of old loose paint to be removed, many painters use power sanders, heat plates, heat guns, propane torches, or chemical removers. Each of these methods has advantages in certain situations, and each has its share of problems.

Hand scraping of loose paint allows the chips of old lead based paint to be collected on drop cloths. Unfortunately, the work is slow and the sharp edge of the tool doesn't last. A file, small grinder, or a belt sander can be used to restore the edge. Some people sand around the edges of the scraped areas to produce a smoother and more even surface. I think that may be worthwhile for the front of the house. For the less visible areas I have a personal mantra: "It's not a yacht, it's not a yacht..."

Power sanding of old paint is a popular but troublesome method of preparing the surfaces. A major problem is control of the paint dust, which often contains a significant amount of toxic lead. Older houses usually have several layers of paint with this dangerous additive. A lead test kit can confirm this. The fine dust from sanding may contaminate the yard, garden, and the neighboring properties. The lead can be inhaled or ingested by the workers, children, pets, or anyone in the area. It is tracked into the house, and enters through cracks around windows and doors.

The use of heat to remove old paint can be effective, and paint chips can be fairly easily collected as the blistering paint is scraped and falls to a dropcloth. The drawbacks include the risk of inhaling lead vapor and other nasty fumes, and the possibility of starting a house fire. An approved respirator, goggles and strict fire prevention strategies are obviously needed for this method.

Chemical paint removers are a good choice in many instances. That big White House in Washington D.C. received this treatment a few years ago. Many layers of paint had lost elasticity and the ability to bond to older layers. Complete removal of the failed paint system was needed. Some chemical paint removal products are used in conjunction with a plastic and paper covering, giving the caustic solution more time to penetrate and soften the layers of paint. After a day or two the covering is peeled away along with the old paint. I saw this method being used in a particularly appropriate situation recently. The old house was coated with lead paint and a textured material containing asbestos. After the chemical treatment and a water rinse the old siding looked like clean, new wood. I was impressed by the absence of sanding scars. The contractor showed me a few small chemical burns on his arm, but I suppose that everything has a price.

Paint selection requires some research. Paint manufactures have been working hard on improving the performance of water based primers and house paint. These are less messy to work with than the oil based products. The water based paints are also more elastic and allow water vapor to escape from within the building. Some painting professionals prefer oil paints in some applications. My recommendation is to have a talk with an expert at a paint supply store, and then make an educated decision about the best product for each situation. I also believe that most people need some expert guidance in color selection. It is easy to be misled by a tiny color sample. Invest in test quarts of colors which you think might be right, and be willing to paint over a bad choice.

The final step is paint application, which can be the most satisfying part of the job. My favorite tools for this are a roller and brush. Use the roller to spread paint on a limited area, then immediately brush it out to achieve an even coating. This allows paint to be worked into cracks and onto the lower edge of siding boards or shingles.

A bucket of paint can be attached to the ladder with a hook. A metal grid which hangs in the bucket helps control the amount of paint on the roller cover. A good quality brush can also make the job easier. Through the entire process it is extremely important that the rules of ladder safety be strictly observed. I must admit to a one time lapse in this department. The result was a very painful broken ankle.

When you are fighting maintenance battles against forces as powerful as the our Northwest weather, it is good to know that there are others who are appreciative, and will offer encouragement. Twenty years ago I was involved with a group of young fellows who were cooperating on a particularly overwhelming restoration project. Retired cabinetmaker Herb Lund generously allowed us the use of his tools. I'll never forget his words: "I know all about your philosophy. It's phony, but I like it." His kind support helped us to carry the day.

Last update 6 Feb 1996 eb
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