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exterior paint problems

user-6899644 | Posted in General Discussion on June 6, 2003 07:41am

The exterior paint on my house is peeling off in sheets in certain places. This has happened twice before. There doesn’t seem to be any obvious moisture problem. Walls are 2×6, insulated with foil-backed insulation without any further plastic vapor barrier. The clapboards are backed with 15 lb felt, the sheathing is CDX plywood. It was built in 1980. The clapboards, which are cedar, were installed and left for more than a year before they were painted. Could this be the problem?

I need suggestions for possible solutions that don’t include ripping the clapboards off the house. What about:

1. interior vapor barrier paint, if interior moisture turns out to be the problem. Any way to find this out for sure?

2. what is the best primer for repainting this time, given the previous problems? The finish coat will be Benjamin Moore Houseguard white.

And a related question: I am installing a 2×10 cedar as a cap to a small brick kneewall. The people want this unpainted. Can it be left so, and then painted later? If so, with what prep.? It’s this job that has given me the idea that leaving my own clapboards unprotected may have led to my own painting problems.

Thanks for any suggestions..

Reply

Replies

  1. skids | Jun 06, 2003 10:42pm | #1

    "neverpeel" i am not a painter but have a buddy who is and he swears by it. sposedly don't even have to get rid of all the peeling paint this stuff just glues it all in place. my dad's house was repainted 3 yrs ago an still looks great

  2. Piffin | Jun 07, 2003 03:19am | #2

    Maybe you could describe where these "certain area" of your house are that keep shedding paint.

    If on the sunniest sides of the house, it is different than if on the shady northern side under a valley.

    So where is it peeling and what are the conditions?

    .

    Excellence is its own reward!

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