Common Wood Repair Mistakes to Avoid Before Painting
Imperial Painting
Repairing damaged wood is essential in exterior painting projects. Learn more about the most common repair mistakes we’ve seen.
Repairing damaged wood is essential in exterior painting projects. Learn more about the most common repair mistakes we’ve seen.
Exterior painting isn’t an easy job. It’s time-consuming, labor-intensive, and easy to mess up. You have to clean the surface, prime it, know how many coats of paint are needed, ensure you’re choosing the right paint, and, more importantly, ensure any underlying damage is repaired.
When you paint over damage, you’re essentially sealing in problems that will continue to worsen over time until entire panels need replacing. But repairing wood also isn’t simple. Matching and sourcing materials, dealing with moisture-related complications, assessing structural damage, and planning the job can all be added challenges, which is why we always recommend booking a professional service.
Here are examples of what we’ve seen go wrong with wood repair projects.
Pests love wood. It’s a migraine-inducing fact for many homeowners. The most common type of damage we see in wood is burrow holes from insects like carpenter bees, which have to be filled in.
You can find two common products in stores that can do the job: wood filler and wood putty. The problem is that they’re not the same and shouldn’t be used for similar applications. Wood filler is designed for larger repairs and structural gaps; it should be applied to bare wood before priming and sanded smooth once dry. Putty is only used for touching up minor imperfections and is usually applied after priming and sometimes even after painting.
Pest damage = filler. Minor damage from nail holes or squirrel scratch marks = putty.
To further complicate things, there are water-based and solvent-based fillers. Never buy a water-based filler for exterior wood. These products are not designed for weather exposure.
While “more” is sometimes better, it’s certainly not the case with repairing holes. Most wood fillers shrink as they cure, so if you overapply, you’ll notice more shrinkage (cracks, depressions, etc.), leaving you with framing that looks significantly worse than it did before. Thick applications of filler also don’t bond well to the wood substrate, so it will also pop out over time.
All wood fillers have cure times, which are influenced by factors like relative humidity. If you’re impatient and don’t let the filler cure, you’ll notice cracks, depressions, or wrinkled areas. Even if the filler seems dry, it may still be curing underneath, so always, always, always follow the cure times listed on the product you use. Partially cured filler is pliable and won’t be as resistant against impacts from hail or fallen branches.
In worst-case scenarios (usually when wood/T1-11 siding is nearing the end of its lifespan), homeowners may notice spongy siding, gaps between panels, or visible sagging. These are all significant issues, many of which cannot be adequately dealt with until the rotted or significantly damaged boards are entirely replaced. Other severe damage (outside of T1-11 siding) includes foundation sill plate rot, floor joist deterioration, and damage to the ridge beam.
Rather than addressing the issue directly, some homeowners may choose to ignore it and paint over it. Doing this is like placing a Band-Aid over a gaping wound; it’s just not going to fix anything.
Ensure better results from the beginning by working with a professional like Imperial Painting. There are just too many things that can go wrong in the preparation process before painting exteriors. We have over 25 years of experience providing painting services to homeowners throughout Shelby Township, MI. Our capabilities include but aren’t limited to home exterior, commercial exterior, color matching, insurance repairs, and wood repair.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.
Macomb: (586) 412-9040
Oakland: (248) 275-5657