From: breland@cobweb.mcc.com (Mark Breland)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Exterior house paint survey...
Summary: Experiences, preferences, horror stories, paints from hell, etc.
Keywords: house paint, cracking, peeling, pigment, durability, scaffolds
Date: 6 Nov 92 15:44:31 GMT
Article-I.D.: mcc.1992Nov6.154431.15950
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house
Organization: MCC

During the course of my recent joyful experience of painting the outside of my
house, I wondered what others had encountered when dealing with cracking/peeling/
dirt/pet hair/30' ladder balancing acts/caulking/wind splatters and such.  My
home was built 5 years ago and painted (not so very well it seems) with an air
sprayer for the most part.  I kinda got forced into tackling this job after
putting in double french doors opening onto the back deck.  When I painted the
new exterior door trim...it did not match the rest of the house, even though
it was the same brand (Kelly-Moore) and tint.  Apparently, house paint pigments
definitely fade over time just like anything else when exposed to the elements
(duh).  There were no cracking/peeling problems except on some flat shutters
facing due north.  However, mildew was starting to rear its head in a few places,
but nothing a quick wipe down with diluted chlorine bleach couldn't take care of.

So I decided to do it the hard way and use brushes...period.  No rollers, power
painters, air guns...just...brushes.  It works, you can control exactly how
much paint you want to slop on, but the price you pay is that it takes a long
time to do.  Since I didn't have days to do this job, I found it quite manageable
to paint one section or side of the house at a time.  Most of the house is brick
so the job chiefly entailed trim, eaves, shutters, and doors.  Starting and
stopping at house corners eliminated lapping marks and other such nasties.

My lessons learned?  Tour the whole house, on a ladder, with your nose close up to
the trim, find the cracks and separated caulking (they WILL be there), scrape
cracking or peeling areas, remove any mildew, clean off chalk and dirt, then
re-caulk before you do anything else.  Choose a  paint type, preferably the same
as what is already on the house, and buy the best you can find (which won't
necessarily be the most expensive).  Talk to a *knowledgable* professional
to determine how much paint you need...I think I have enough paint to pass
down through the next five generations.

By this time, I was about ready to call it quits and call a contractor, but
it did become somewhat enjoyable...much like becoming one with my home. :)
I could go on and on and on about other really important considerations, but
I'm more interested in others' stories.  My most memorable experience came when
trying to paint the apex of the eave overhanging the front bedroom wing.  After
stretching to the teetering limits from the top of a 30' ladder (still
being 3 feet short), and then hanging upside down over the edge of the roof
(nearly fell into the flowerbed 40' below)...I finally succumbed to practicality
and duct taped a brush on the end of a 3' dowel to extend my reach from the
ladder.  Then there was the use of the Xmas light hanging brads to hang the
paint bucket from.....you get the idea.

So how long does your paint job last?  Ever built multi-tiered scaffolding on
an uneven slope?  Ever mixed paints before?  Ever drop a full, open bucket of
paint down the side of the house?  How long can you hang from the roof after
the ladder slips away?  Does painting in 20 MPH winds sound like a good idea
(it dries faster) or a bad idea (it splatters *everywhere*)?  Ever cleaned up
enamel with lots of warmy, soapy water?...petroleum-based enamel?


Mark A. Breland
breland@mcc.com  "...speaking only for myself, no others and vice versa etc..."