Painting new exterior facings

[stewart231]

I'm replacing the facings on my flat roof garage and was going to paint the wood first before fitting them.

Question is should I paint all surfaces of the wood or is it best to leave the underside untreated to allow the wood to breathe/dry out.

Also whats the best primer/topcoat to use?

Thanks.

 

[oilman]

You need to paint all surfaces, so that the wood is sealed. If you look at my other posts, you will see I like linseed oil paint. The primer is a coat of raw linseed oil. You should let the wood dry to 12% before you paint with anything, or you will have problems you didn't need.

It's expensive to buy, but with a maintenance cycle of 7 years, it's worth the initial cost. It's EASY to put on, you just need to not be in a rush. You will need to do the painting in your garage and warm it up a bit this time of year as it's a bit cool round Aberdeen this time of year. It's really a summertime job.

I've just done the same for a similar job. I had to paint 50 sq ft, did 5 coats over a week, and used 1/2 litre, so it's not that bad. When you consider in 7 years it will only need a coat of oil it's even better, and it flexes as the wood moves so it doesn't crack. The paint doesn't contain solvents either, and easily washes off hands with soap and water. Great