House painters or those knowledgeable..a question

**Newarcher** · 11-20-2006, 10:58 AM

I had a company scheduled to come out and paint the trim on my home today....okay, they were supposed to pressure wash today and paint tomorrow.

I called them and got the 'oh, I was fixing to call you' nonsense and then was told that it was too cold to pressure wash the house today.

I think that is pretty much BS but before I fire them, is there any way that could possibly be true?

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**buckee** · 11-20-2006, 11:55 AM

Personally, I wouldn't even paint exterior this time of the year for 3 reasons.
1 - It's too cold
2 - It's too damp
3 - if there is any exposed wood at all, there will be too much moisture in the wood to do a good paint job. Next summer, when it gets hot, that moisture will have to go somewhere, and it will just blow the paint off trying to get out.

Power-washing one day and painting the next is a no-no even in nice weather, unless the old surface is still in pretty good shape, with no exposed wood. It needs time to dry out.

**Newarcher** · 11-20-2006, 12:23 PM

Buckee,

Thanks, that's what I thought.

I have one place that is somewhat showing through and I can probably patch that.

I guess then that it would be better to wait until Spring to paint the trim? I don't suppose that the paint will weather that badly over the next three or four months, right?

Thanks,
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**buckee** · 11-20-2006, 12:36 PM

You're much better off to wait until spring. The paint won't stay on if you paint it now anyway.

Are you using paint or a solid stain?
Is it oil paint or latex on there now?

**Newarcher** · 11-20-2006, 12:50 PM

Buckee,

I am using paint....a latex paint.

I am certain it was probably latex on there but we bought the house last year so I can't be certain.

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**buckee** · 11-20-2006, 03:32 PM

When you do paint. Make sure those bare wood spots get primed then, if you're using paint.

Another, better way to go, is to get yourself some really good exterior solid stain like "Flood". It's an oil emulsion based latex and will last 3 times as long as regular stain or paint. It's expensive, but it saves you money in labour further down the road.

http://www.flood.com/Flood/Products/Exte...+Product+Pg.htm