DON: I got a house that’s about, oh, probably 30 or 40 years old and I got Masonite siding on it. And it’s flaking at the bottom and there’s a couple chips needing – a woodpecker drilled a couple holes in it. I was just wondering how you smooth it out and repaint it.
TOM: So, that type of siding is what we call “composite siding” and it does require frequent painting, more so than other types of siding. It’s slightly less durable than other types of siding. And the problem is that it delaminates, too. So if you say it’s flaking, you mean that the layers are actually coming apart?
DON: No, just the paint just peeling off a little bit.
TOM: Oh, just the paint. OK. So what you’re going to need to is get as much of that loose stuff off as possible and then you’re going to apply a primer coat. And make sure it’s a good-quality, oil-based primer from a major manufacturer.
And the reason you’ll do that is because that’s going to give you the best adhesion. The primer will really, really stick well to the surface after the loose paint is left. And then after it dries well, then you could put your topcoat over that. But by using an oil-based primer, you’ll find that you have better adhesion of the subsequent layers of paint. Does that make sense?
DON: Yes, it does. What kind of paint would I use? Would only oil-based paint or …?
TOM: Yeah. I would use an oil solvent-based primer. A Benjamin Moore would be a very good brand or a Sherwin-Williams.
DON: OK.
TOM: And then I would use their matching exterior paint.
DON: OK. Well, now exterior is what I’m painting.
TOM: Right, no I understand that. But you’re going to use the exterior primer and then the exterior paint. But just use the oil-based primer.
DON: Oh, OK.
TOM: Because you have the option to use like an alkyd-based primer, which is like a latex base. I think that in your situation, that’s not going to stick as well. So I want you to use the primer that gives you the maximum adhesion and that’s going to be an oil-based primer.
DON: Well, I certainly appreciate it.
TOM: Well, good luck. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
DON: OK. I like listening to you all. Thank you.
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