How to Prepare Weatherboards for Painting

There are a few things you must check before painting your weatherboards:

• Are any repairs needed? Check for rotten weatherboards, doors and windows.
• Are the gutters sound? Check for any leaks.
• Are there any rusted nail heads? If so, sand them and then use metal primer
• Have you got bleeding knots in the weatherboards? If so, prime them.
• Do you have nails that need resetting? If so, use a nail punch to align them, sand, prime and fill them.
• Scrape off peeling paint with a scraper before sanding to a flat finish.

Another thing you must do when you learn how to prepare old weatherboards for painting is to take time to sand back weatherboards. This ensures better adhesion of the exterior paint to the weatherboard surface.

How to Prepare a Weatherboard House for Painting

Due to the possible presence of lead, if your weatherboard house hasn’t been painted in over 30 years, we advise you do several random adhesion tests that can detect lead paint. Your local Haymes Paint Shop will be able to give you further advice on this. Otherwise, follow these instructions for painting weatherboards:

Step 1: Clean the weatherboards: Use a broom to remove any cobwebs around the gutters or under the eaves.

Step 2: Rinse the weatherboards thoroughly with clean water and allow them to dry. If possible, use a high-pressure water hose.

Step 3: If there are any stubborn surface stains on the weatherboards, wearing rubber gloves, wash down the weatherboard surfaces with sugar soap. Apply the sugar soap and leave to dry for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

Step 4: Remove any flaking or loose paint with sandpaper and a scraper.

Step 5: Fill any gaps with exterior filler, allowing it to dry before sanding back. It’s important to check the ends of the weatherboards and use gap filler if holes are present.

Step 6: Use Haymes Paint Ultra Premium Solashield Exterior to spot prime any areas. This water-based colorant is UV resistant formula and is simple to apply.

How to Repaint a Weatherboard House?

For your exterior painting project to look professional, you must spend time preparing the weatherboard surface. If your weatherboard house hasn’t been painted in over 30 years, we recommend you do several random adhesion tests that detect lead paint. Your local Haymes Paint stockist will be able to give you advice. 

Step 1: Wearing rubber gloves, wash down the weatherboard surfaces with sugar soap. If the weatherboards have stubborn surface stains, use a scrubbing brush to apply the sugar soap and leave to dry for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Rinse the weatherboards thoroughly with clean water and allow them to dry.

Step 3: Remove any loose or flaking paint with a scraper or sandpaper.

Step 4: Fill any gaps with exterior filler, allowing it to dry before sanding back. It’s important to check the ends of the weatherboards and use gap filler if holes are present.

Step 5: Spot prime with Haymes Paint Ultra Premium Solashield Exterior. This UV resistant formula, water based colorant system is resistant to mould and simple to apply.

Essential Tips on How to Paint a Weatherboard House

Before you start your weatherboard painting project, it's important to work in shady conditions and to avoid painting in direct sunlight or on very hot days. Following this advice will ensure the paint application is easier and the finish is professional.

When you learn how to paint weatherboards it’s essential you start at the top and work your way down. Start by painting under the edge of the weatherboard before moving onto the face. Work the paint into the weatherboards in a horizontal action.

By working on only 1 or 2 boards at a time, you’ll be able to maintain a wet paint edge. This painting technique prevents overloading of paint and brush marks.

Not Ready to Paint a Weatherboard House Yourself?

Even if you know how to paint old weatherboards, you may not have the time or inclination over the weekend or after work to tackle this painting project. Having a professional painting crew undertake your exterior painting project ensures the weatherboard painting project will be done in less time.

Hiring a professional painter from the Haymes Paint preferred painters list ensures every aspect of the exterior painting project will be taken care of. From the detailed preparation work and top-notch painting application to the thorough clean up at the end of the project.