How To Paint Exterior Woodwork and Metal
Preparing the woodwork
Now’s the time repair any soft or rotten woodwork before repainting. Use a mallet and chisel, or a saw for the larger areas, to remove wood. Then patch these sections with new wood. This new wood should be coated with clear wood preservative and allow to dry. It’s normally stronger to screw the new wood in place rather than use nails.
Fill any smaller holes or cracks with exterior grade wood-filler and to seal the gaps around the joints of the new and old timber. Then sand smooth. Remember that wood filler often shrinks when it dries, so it’s wise to leave some of the filler protruding above the surface prior to sanding.
Sanding
Flaking paint can be removed using a scraper and abrasive paper. Then sand the woodwork to flatten any paint blisters, drip marks etc. Non-clogging abrasive paper makes for a quicker job. Then wash the painted or bare wood surfaces with warm soapy water to remove any dirt or grease. For large areas of sanding in preparation for painting, a random orbital sander can be used to speed up process
Sealing
Prior to painting check the wood for Knots. Any knots can show through the finished paintwork and destroy its appearance. Brush with Knotting Compound, which is a clear varnish and used to paint over the knotted areas and seal them for the paint application. All the remaining bare wood should be sealed with an exterior primer or exterior wood-stain.
Painting
Apply at least one undercoat to the entire surface and allow to dry (cure) completely. When applying your topcoat remember that two thin coats (first being allowed to dry before second coat application) are better than one thick coat. It’ll normally ‘cure’ faster and look better too.
Painting metal
Use a wire brush to remove any loose rust and flaking paint. Abrasive paper can then be used to smooth out rough areas. Metal surfaces should be smooth to the touch and needs a primer to 'key' the surface. This will allow the topcoat to be applied evenly and smoothly. All newly exposed metal requires a coat quick-drying metal primer.
The older painted metal should be washed with warm soapy water and left to dry completely. You can then brush on the gloss or satin-finish metal paint. Like painting masonry or concrete, remember that two thin coats on metalwork (first being allowed to dry before second coat application) are better than one thick coat. It’ll normally ‘cure’ faster and look better too.
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