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I’m having trouble keeping paint on the 60 yr. old clapboard house I bought a few years ago. Stuff jumps off in large chunks, leaving bare exposed wood. Does this indicate moist air is escaping from the house and working its way out, lifting the paint? If so, what would resolve it … removing, putting up a Tyvek and residing?
Any help would be appreciated.
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Replies
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More knowledgeable folk than I will be along, I am sure. But I'm guessing that, yes moisture is the problem, but look to the roof and eaves first. The whole wall can be shedding paint from water getting in at the top.
Rich Beckman
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I'd start with what Rich suggested, checking the roof area over the soffit, working your way down to the gutters (I've seen them back up into the soffit and into the walls). Put a garden hose into the gutters and check for leaks. Inside, unventilated areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms can cause problems. It is possible that it could be a paint problem such as oil/alkyd over latex or just a poor quality paint. Good luck!
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A common reason for paint sloughing off clapboard siding is interior moisture pushing through the wall. This can happen with an inadequately insulated house that suddenly gets itself sealed up with caulk, gaskets, and such. The moisture that used to escape through gaps in the house now moves through the wall. It's also likely that the clapboard wasn't back primed.
*John,Tyvek would not solve anything. You have to stop the moisture at its source. If it's roof leakage of course that needs fixed. If it's interior moisture working through the walls you need to cut down on the moisture generation at the source and make the escape route for whatever moisture cannot be mitigated a less damaging one.Are the trouble areas localized? Top of the house? Bottom of the house? Splashback areas? Near bathrooms or kitchens? Is the cellar or crawlspace floor dirt? Is the cellar otherwise damp? Is there a lot of paint build-up on the house already? Answers to these might help pinpoint the problem.Steve
*Where do you live?
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Thanks for the feedback so far.
To answer some of the questions you folks posed:
* The house is outside of boston.
* I just got the roof replaced, and am not sure that was a cause of the problem. In fact, the worst walls are the gable ends so not sure the roof would have come into play (and obviously there are no gutters).
* And yes, there is probably lots of paint built up given the house is 60 yrs old. Not sure if anyone ever bothered to take it back to bare wood before repainting.
* Basement is not dirt. And I don't think I have a big moisture problem inside the house. No mildew or excessive water build up on windows or anything like that. Are there other signs?
* Not sure about the laytex vs. oil question. If that was part of the problem, would the paint really flake all the way down to bare wood?
Thanks again for your thoughts.
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John,
Do you have a garage or porch with the same problem. If so, it's not caused by interior moisture, more likely water getting behind the siding from failed flashing or capillary action.
*OK:Since the paint is peeling on the gable ends and a new roof, I would not feel that there is a leak from the roof. I would therefore think the cause is the old claboards.I do about a 4-5 paint jobs a year. I would do the following:1. Spend about a month in prep work. Take the claboards down to as close to bare wood as possible. We use 5" grinders, heat guns, and sanders. I've seen the new Porter Cable Claboard Stripper, and you might want to look at that. This is essential.2. I would use the finest Oil Base Primer that money could buy. Two coats. Spackle and Bondo the holes. Finish with the finest latex top coat that money can buy. 2-4 coats, depending on the area, with the exposed areas to sun and prevailing wind getting the most paint.Most high quality paints have guaranties (some as high as 15 years), and I would document your prep work with photos to give the homeowner, along with a copy of the warranty.I think the problem is the wood and the paint, not moisture.
*Do the plastic patch test in a couple areas in your basement. Duct tape a 2' square of clear plastic to the floor (and/or walls) and wait 24 hours. If there's any condensation, you have probably found the source of moisture blowing the paint off the walls.Also, leaky forced air heating and cooling systems can contribute to this problem. Do you have a forced air system and are there ducts inthe exteriro walls? the attic?
*John,Is the failure high or low on the building? Or evenly distributed? Do the condensation test with the sheet of plastic that bill suggested.A coat of Latex paint over thick multiple coats of oil can cause catastrophic paint failure too.Steve
*John,I agree with Scooter. You said you bought the house a couple of years ago. There's your most likely answer. People slap the cheapest paint they can find on a house in order to sell it. And you can bet your brushes that they didn't do any prep. Same goes for roofing repairs etc.Maybe it wasn't even primed initially, or was primed with a cheap primer (bare wood is visible).The key to a good paint job is lots of prep (exactly as Scooter describes) and high quality paint (Please don't buy the Eddie Bauer, Joe Polo, Victoria's Secret or the Bob Dole paint).Don't forget to get a good respirator for the prep work,Dan
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Your problem sounds similar to my own. I think it has more to do with where you live than anything. Coastal areas give a beating to any good paint job. I have prepped and painted my house till I'm blue in the face, I use the best primers and the best paints, and I still end up painting the house like a bridge painter, start on one side and go around the house. When I am back to that side, it's ready to be redone....all I can suggest is, keep at it. Warrantees are non-existent by the way....they will never give you anything but paperwork.
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I'm having trouble keeping paint on the 60 yr. old clapboard house I bought a few years ago. Stuff jumps off in large chunks, leaving bare exposed wood. Does this indicate moist air is escaping from the house and working its way out, lifting the paint? If so, what would resolve it ... removing, putting up a Tyvek and residing?
Any help would be appreciated.
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