Paint over exterior roofline varnish

[mcdermottc]

My roofline fascia boards are currently varnished but look dated and flaking in a few areas. What undercoat and topcoat is recommended? The wife would like the topcoat to be two tones of brown/chocolate colour so I was thinking I cannot use an off the shelf colour and may need to get a specific colour mixed so I can easily touch up later

Was thinking of:

- Remove flaking varnish and rub down with sandpaper (grit number?)
- Undercoat twice with Leyland Trade Acrylic primer undercoat (light sanding in between)
- Topcoat twice (sanding in between) with ?

Also,
- I have done a test section with a cheap B&Q waterbased primer using a roller and it looks awful. Very patchy and uneven finish from roller. Will the Leyland be rollable?
- How long after rain is it recommended to wait before painting - i realise I have waited until the weather has turned to start outdoor painting so not ideal

 

[DiyNutJob]

Hand sanding with 40 grit or you will be there all day. Go for 10 year oil primer and oil top coat if you want long life and less maintenance. But if the wood gets wet, it will result in paint failure no mater what you use. So sealing against water is as important as painting.

One advantage of DIY is time doesn't cost you money. So, you can wait as long as you need to paint after rain. I would let it dry a whole day, but it doesn't mean I am right.

 

[mcdermottc]

thanks @DiyNutJob

"sealing against water is as important as painting." do you mean making sure any cracks etc are sealed to prevent water penetration?

 

[DiyNutJob]

Yes, the water mustn't get to the wood or the paint fails. So, all the gaps, holes, and edges have to be protected.