Ask This Old House 1. Numerous horizontal and vertical fissures signal that oil-based paint is losing its grip and must be removed.
Weathered wood makes a poor base for new paint.
Because sunlight degrades the lining that holds wood cells together, surface fibers no longer bond to the wood underneath. Peeling will reappear. Old clapboards often came from trees that grew slowly and were rift-sawn to minimize warp. This Old House and the This Old House window and This Old House Online are trademarks of WGBH Educational Foundation. Neither WGBH Educational Foundation nor PBS endorses any product or service mentioned within This Old House Online or any web sites linked to or from This Old House Online.