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This spring I will paint the exterior of a 1924 Minneapolis bungalow. It has clapboard siding and probably has several coats of existing paint. I don’t know if the previous coats are latex or oil-based, but I would like to apply new latex paint. I will do all necessary prep work, but would like to avoid sanding down to bare wood. Q: Will latex paint adhere and setup well over a previous coat of surface-prepped oil-base paint?
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Dear S,
If you substate is sound, clean, dry, and rough, and you apply an acrylic paint in good weather, it will stick.
Happy '00, Fred
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yes, the new latex paint will adhere to the old oil base paint. it will also crack and peel if the old paint underneath it is not sound. a paint job is as good as the prep work.
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In addition to proper prep work, one important thing to keep in mind is the old paint that is still on the surface. Since you are in all actuality applying paint to the surface of the old paint, make absolutely sure that the old paint is stuck for good. If you can flake it off now, it will flake off after paint is applied too.
Pro painters use more than just a scraping tool to remove old paint. Old, flaking paint is a very bad surface for applying paint to. Pro painters use (in addition to scrapers) sanders, planers, power scrapers, and heat guns. The more old paint that can be removed, the better. I personally try to remove ALL old paint. I replace any boards that have holes or cracks, and I repair any areas that will allow water pentration into the wood. Water penetration into wood = flaking paint in the near future.
Too many times homeowners do improper prep work, even though they spend a lot of time and effort prepping the surface to be painted. There is way too much conflicting info about prep work, except for the basic phrase "proper prep work is critical". They find themselves trying to determnine best paint to use, best prep steps to use, and best application methods to use. These all can vary from job to job, and from region to region. In my area, a properly prepped house, painted with a premium quality paint will not need a new paint job for at least 10 years, and I have seen many go 15 years. If you find yourslef, or your friends having to repaint every 2 or 3 years, then you have done something terribly wrong. Most likely, it was in the prep stage.
Just a humble man's ramblings...
James DuHamel
*Just remember while you are doing all that sanding and scraping, you are dealing with lead paint. Take precautions. You may want to check with your city, but at the very least use a respirator and plastic groundcover. And keep the children away.@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
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This spring I will paint the exterior of a 1924 Minneapolis bungalow. It has clapboard siding and probably has several coats of existing paint. I don't know if the previous coats are latex or oil-based, but I would like to apply new latex paint. I will do all necessary prep work, but would like to avoid sanding down to bare wood. Q: Will latex paint adhere and setup well over a previous coat of surface-prepped oil-base paint?