General:

When wood is moisture-laden or unseasoned, the applied paint film will inevitably break down through blistering, cracking, flaking or peeling. When timber arrives on the site in a satisfactory condition, it is often inadequately protected from the weather and rapidly absorbs moisture. It is therefore essential that dry, unprimed timber arriving on site is properly prepared and primed at the earliest opportunity.

All faces and edges must be primed, especially surfaces which will be inaccessible after fixing and will absorb moisture from adjacent brickwork or plaster if unprotected. Special attention should be given to end grain where two coats of primer are recommended.

Wood primers are best applied by brush to ensure that the paint is forced well into the pores of the wood. Joinery stacked on site, even when primed, must be covered to protect it from the weather as a single coat of primer cannot give adequate protection. The use of poor quality primers is false economy and likely to cause breakdown of the whole paint system.

On previously painted surfaces where flaking has occurred, the bare wood may have been exposed to the weather for many months. Unless these surfaces are allowed to dry, there is little chance of the repainting being successful.

Wood which has been exposed for a lengthy period without paint, often becomes denatured and fibirous and in this condition it affords a poor key for paint. In such cases the perished outer layer must be removed by scraping and sanding before applying the primer.

Preparation:

New:
Remove dust, dirt, grease, etc. Sandpaper smooth and dust off.

Previously oil, alkyd, P.V.A. or acrylic painted:
If the existing paint is in poor condition, remove by scraping, burning or with Dekro Super Paint Stripper. Wipe down with a suitable solvent, sand smooth and dust off. If the existing paint is in good condition, wash down with a sugar soap solution, a suitable detergent solution or solvent to remove dirt, grease, wax polish or other contaminants. Sand down glossy surfaces with a suitable abrasive. Rinse and allow to dry thoroughly.