Painting, decorating and home improvement tips blog
How to paint cladding
Posted by Adrian
March 24th, 2014
How to paint cladding
Cladding is mainly used on the exterior of houses, although it can be found on the inside a house also, such as wood panelling in a bathroom. Cladding can be fixed horizontally or vertically and comes in a variety of wood types, such as pine, Cedar, and Larch.
Depending on the type of wood and the finish you require will depend on how you prepare the wood for the final protective coat, but painting, varnishing, staining etc should all be painted in the following way for best results.
Painting wooden cladding
As with any painting job, preparation is key. You should sand any previously painted surfaces and use an appropriate undercoat if required before topcoating. If the wood is new you should prepare and prime the new wood before undercoating and topcoating.
If however you are staining or varnishing a primer isn’t required, but the preparation is, for example sanding previously painted surfaces.
However you are protecting your cladding and here is a tip best to achieve the best results, you should ensure the adjoining edge is painted, or the underside for example on shiplap, once this is done fill in the board itself. Always use long strokes and don’t stop half way along a board if possible, go to a joint, stop (to move ladder for example) and then start from the joint again. If you stop half way along a board then move and start again the finish coat may of dried in and you may see a join in the final finish.
What can I paint wooden cladding in
Wooden cladding can be painted in a variety of paints and finishes, it all depends on where the cladding is and the environment it is in, for example if the cladding is on the exterior of a house you need to use an exterior paint, such as a varnish, stain, gloss or satin. Always check on the paint can to ensure the paint you wish to use suits the environment the wooden cladding is in.
Tags: Cladding, Feather Edge, Paint, Painting, Shiplap, Square Edge, Staining, Tongue and Groove, Varnish, Wood
Posted in Decorating Tips | 6 Comments »
I have dark wood stained exterior cladding and garage door. I want to paint or stain it in a French grey/green Matt cover.
Should I paint it and then coat it in a Matt cover or is there a good Matt wood paint that will last in that colour?
Thank you.
@Philipa
Some paints may not stick to stain so be careful. best go around DIY stores and find the colour you are after and then contact the manufacturer to see if it is OK to go over previously stained wood.
What paint is best for outside feather edge cladding, the timber has been treated at timber yard but apart from that natural. I want to paint it in an off white colour.
@Lynn
Hard to say depending on the timber yard has used. I like Sadolin superdec satin. Good coverage and lasts well, but I am not endorsing this product.
Hi, I have just bought a house that has brown wooden cladding outside my house that is 50 years old and not been treated since to my best guess. I am unsure on the wood type, any clue as to how I can find out?
What power tool do you recommend to sand it down for simplicity and if painting would you always try to do the entire job in one go? Im new to this so want the dummies guide to this stuff.
Thank you very much!
@Sam
You can get some idea of what wood it is by looking at it, does it have knots or not. If it has lots it is likely to be softwood, such as pine. If not maybe a hardwood. Also what colour, grey could be ceder, what is the grain like. If you know these things try google to narrow it down.
I would use a sander for large areas and either a small saner for detailed area’s or by hand.
I would tend to one side of the house at a time, prepare and paint to get it weather proof.