Cleaning Exterior Wood For Painting

Clean the wood surface thoroughly.

Cleaning exterior wood for painting.

Wipe down the wood in smooth circular motions. If the paint color comes off on your hand the paint is chalking. Before painting new wood sand all surfaces and edges lightly to smooth the grain. Pour the cleaning solution into a spray bottle.

If you re using latex paint that will be water and clean rags. Before you reach for your paint always make sure you have something close at hand to clean up spills. According to experts the easiest method for cleaning exterior surfaces is pressure washing. Wipe the surface with the palm of your hand.

Scrub off the chalk with a strong solution of water and spic and span or tsp detergent or a nonphosphate tsp alternative. Give the surface a full day to dry before moving on. If you plan to paint or use a solid color stain set any nails that the carpenters missed below the surface and fill the nail holes with caulk. Use a new bottle or one that has been filled with only plain water to prevent the tsp and bleach from interacting with residue from any leftover.

Clean it by hand for a slow but deep clean job or clean it with a power washer for a faster but less thorough job. When you re satisfied with the wood s appearance rinse the exterior from top to bottom with a garden hose. Then remove the sanding dust and apply a suitable primer. If you plan to paint sand or power wash the wood to smooth siding that has been exposed to the weather for more than a few weeks.

A simple exterior paint prep step but one that can save you an immense amount of aggravation. If mildew is a common problem on your exterior wooden surfaces consider repainting with a paint designed to prevent mildew. Make sure to brush the wood clean working from the top down. Move the rag in small circular motions as you remove any obvious dust from the surface.

Flat surfaces such as moldings and soffits can be easily sanded with a belt sander. Take the damp cloth and rub it along the painted wood working to reach the edges and corners as well. There are two schools of thought about cleaning siding. Stain bonds well to unpainted weathered wood.

Caulk after you stain or prime. For larger structures a wire brush is an easy way to knock off the remaining pieces of paint and surface fibers while also roughing up the wood s surface for better paint adhesion. Use a long handled scrubber brush and a mild detergent to gently scrub away accumulated dirt grime mold and other residue.