[Greenbuilding] moisture and painting issues in Seattle

Sacie Lambertson sacie.lambertson at gmail.com
Sun Jul 6 11:34:30 CDT 2014


​All,  I would appreciate advice vis a vis the following:

An old 1904 house gutted and insulated not real well with fiberglass batts,
rewired, plumbed and painted by the previous owner.  The paint job, done
probably within the past 6-7 years over both old and new clapboard is
failing.

A number of painters have looked at it, each having their own theory and
practice.  Photos taken of the outside in the cold indicate likely,
moisture from the inside, usually where the studs and floor rims are.
(Paint failure no more here than elsewhere).

Paint company reps suggest climate does not allow thorough clapboard
drying. Sun on damp clapboard causes previous paint to blister pulling up
all layers of previous paint to expose raw clapboard.  Notable, up high
where overhang protects, the paint is in good shape.  Best practice would
be to first scrap/sand as necessary, allow air behind clapboard via
'widgets' placed every 12-18 inches followed by an application of oil OR
water-based primer and two coats of good paint.

Would appreciate comments/advice on all aspects, including the use of oil
OR latex primer and why and the idea of allowing air behind clapboard.

Curious too why paint reps, (two different known brands), sniff at Behr
paint the single most often recommended paint by Consumer Reports.  Assume
no discount from Home Depot to painters??

Thanks, Sacie
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