Do you need to prime the facade?

More Outdoors Questions and Answers

• Can you paint when it's sunny outside?

  Do not paint on a hot wall or in direct sunlight. The paint dries too quickly and does not have time to adhere properly. Then the paint does not protect as intended.

  This is especially important when you are using oil paint, which must penetrate the wood before it dries. You may also expose yourself to unnecessary solvent fumes. This is particularly true of old-fashioned linseed oil paint and sometimes linseed oil based alkyd paint.

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• Is it necessary to scrape the facade before painting?

  For paint to adhere properly, the substrate must be clean, dry and firm. Otherwise, you may end up painting a cap of paint over moisture and dirt, which will cause the paint to crack and flake quickly. Usually you just scrape off the bad-looking surfaces. If the previous layer of paint is good, it will serve as a base for new paint.

  However, there may be so many layers of paint that the whole thing risks losing its grip and coming loose. All that remains is to scrape off all the layers of paint. You can easily test if you need to scrape e.g. a wooden facade. Cut a sample of a 1 cm thick grid pattern where the facade looks tarnished. If the paint in the squares comes off, the fastener is bad. If you scrape so the wood shows, the wood must be impregnated with base oil. Also remember that the paint you scrape off may be toxic. Keep small children away and wear both safety glasses and respiratory protection. One tip is to cover the ground underneath with plastic so you don’t have to pick up paint chips in the flowerbed afterwards.

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• Can you oil the terrace when it's sunny outside?

  Avoid oiling the surfaces in strong sunlight. This allows the oil to dry before it has penetrated the wood. Also, don’t start oiling too late in the evening, as there is a risk that the dew will settle on the surface before it has time to dry.

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• How do you wash a wooden facade?

  To clean the facade from dirt, mould and peeling paint, you need to wash with a paint or mould remover. Then scrape off any loose paint with a paint scraper. Wood affected by rot should be replaced.

  Tips! Wash the facade every two years to reduce the risk of algae and mould growth.

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• Do you have to wash and sand the terrace before oiling?

  Yes. All surfaces to be oiled must first be cleaned with a wash brush and detergent. If the surfaces are affected by fungus, clean them with a special mould detergent. Rinse thoroughly with water and allow to dry before proceeding. Once the wood has dried, sand to remove any wood grain, dirt, sharp edges at the ends, knots and roughness around screws, for example.

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• What painting tools do I need to paint the facade?

  A façade painter needs at least two brushes. A wide bevel brush that takes up a lot of paint, so you don’t have to dip as much, and a radiator brush for all those hard-to-reach areas. For distemper/red paints, a good emulsion brush is suitable.

  Tip: Choose the width of the facade brush according to the width of the facade panel. If the panel is about 100 mm wide, choose a 100 mm outdoor brush that covers the entire width of the panel to make the job easier and faster. Also remember that you may need more brushes if there are more of you painting, so the work will go even faster.

  Also have an extension pole handy. You’ll reach further from both the ground and the ladder, and spare your back and arms.

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• Should I wipe off excess oil when oiling the terrace?

  Excess oil should be wiped off before it dries out and gets ugly. Put oil-soaked rags in a tin bucket as soon as you’re done with them – they can self-ignite! Then soak the rags in water or burn them as soon as possible.

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• How do you know it's time to repaint the windows?

  Check the windows every year. If you see cracks in the putty and paint at the bottom of the window frames, it’s a sign that it’s time to repaint. This is where the windows are most vulnerable. If the window is otherwise good, it may be enough to paint the bottom piece and about 20 cm up the sides. But remember that even if you’re only going to paint the base, it should be done thoroughly.

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• What kind of paint should be used for windows?

  Windows are less well insulated than other parts of the façade and are constantly exposed to moisture and condensation due to temperature differences between inside and outside. Therefore, it is important to paint the outside of the window with an outdoor paint and the inside with an indoor window paint. Always follow your paint dealer’s recommendations.

  It is important that the windows are properly primed on the outside as well, with penetrating primer oil under the paint. Let the primer oil “soak” for a maximum of 30 – 60 minutes before overpainting with primer.

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