exterior painting pealing after power washing T-111
Hello. A family member had their home power washed and then painted. This was done in 50-60 degree weather with anywhere from 0-1 and 2 days max to allow for drying in early october in the midwest prior to painting. It also rained at least some every day of the work (2 coats, prep and powerwash). The T1-111 siding is now pealing to the bare wood. However metal surfaces show no signs of pealing whatsoever. Given this situation does it seem like the issue would be the paint being defective or would the issue more likely be a potentially inadequate dry time after power washing…?
What should be the appropriate dry time and conditions weather wise after power washing T1-111 siding? Are these the symptoms you would look for with inadequate dry time or what would one examine?
Replies
Two problems:
2 days is not nearly long enough for T1-11 to dry out after having water driven into it with a pressure washer -- I'd allow a week at least.
No mention is made of primer being used. While there are paints which claim to need no primer, for the most part that's a bunch of hooey, when painting an exterior wood or wood-based surface.
October huh?
Weather in the Midwest's autumn can be notoriously hard to judge for projects like this, given the frequent high humidity along with nights that can drop into the low to mid-thirties.
I suspect the moisture content of that washed T-111 wasn't allowed for when contractors applied a paint (you didn't indicate what product was used) that's now failing.
How had the siding been finished prior to the wash? Had an oil stain been applied that weathered unevenly? A lot depends on what that siding had been finished with about what kind of product can be used with confidence when refinishing is begun.
Too, if an inappropriate product was chosen, it may be failing from moisture propagation thru the exterior walls from an inadequate vapor barrier. Look for a pattern where the peeling is happening: around windows & doors, higher up near interior ceilings, low on the outside from moisture coming thru rim joists from the basement or crawlspace.
If the new stuff's not something that 'breathes' any underlying moisture will cause the product to fail.
I doubt you get that much drying in a week in October in the Midwest because of the heavy dew you will get each night. I wouldn't even try to paint much before noon even without the issue of pressure washing the siding....maybe on the south and or east side a couple of hours before that
Using latex paint a day is probably enough. Oil would need at least a week