I am looking for a good replacement for the wood 1x window/door trim, soffits, facia, etc. on old houses. Just want it to match the old smooth, painted trim as close as possible. Is prime trim any good?
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The lumber yards around here have 7/8" pine barnboard....rough one side 11-1/4" wide....gotta pick the good ones cause theres lots of knots....bin the knots a few times and whack it with a good oil base and your good to go...
noha, I'm with you. I occassionally pick up a truckload of that stuff, and get a lot of high-quality boards out of it (like 6-inch wide boards ripped from the 11.25-inch stock) ... vertical, tight-grained lumber that is very stable and takes paint well. Compared to buying clear lumber by the board, it ends up less expensive and usually higher quality. Of course, it takes time to sort, plan, rip, etc.
For some uses, I accept some knots ... usually sealing them with expoxy (West System). The epoxy has to be sanded, though, to accept paint. BIN sealer is easier.
Try Azek. Its synthetic and is supposed to last for a long time. It comes white, but can be painted any color.
MES
I just checked their website and it looks interesting. Unfortunately, the nearest dealer is 250 miles away in another state. Have you used it? I am a little leery of using plastic trim on hundred year old houses, seems sort of inconsistent or something.
I understand your concern when it comes to a restoration. I that case by 1X and preprime all sides before installation. In a followup post Miratec was mentioned. I haven't used it, but those who have love its durability.
MES
just finished a job (new const) and we used Miratec for the fascia, freize board,& for window/door trim. It's alot like masonite or some type of fiberboard with one smooth side and one grain side. It's easy to work with but I can't attest to how well it will hold up.
One inch actual, or 3/4? We used PrimeTrim to replace our fascia a little over 10 years ago and I'm still reasonably pleased with it. Painted the heck out of it, of course (another coat of primer, backprimed, two coats of latex), but it's still looking good and it stays nice and flat with no splitting or warping. (It replaced 7/8 cedar that was warping within a year of installation.)
The only thing I can think of that you might object to is the fact that it's a bit more flexible than wood and so will show a ripple if not put on a flat surface.
I faced the same problem two years ago on my own house and I also used Miratec, used the smooth side myself , but the textured is nice if that is what you want. Two years of Minn winters and looks as good as the day I put it up. One piece of advice , it is hard on blades so don.t be surprised if you need a sharpening afterward . Also because it is so hard, nailing is tough at least by hand so air is the way to go , good luck and let me know. Mike
fools..
we've been using GP PrimeTrim for about 10 years..... intend to keep right on using it especially for painted work... loves paint ... very stable.. low cost... rot resistent ( more than redwood or cedar )... long lengths.... lots of sizes... and two thicknesses
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore