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Discussion Forum

Paint for cement siding

KenJ | Posted in General Discussion on July 25, 2007 08:46am

What brand of paint have you had the best luck with to paint Weatherboard cement siding?  I know all the manufacturers info says 100% acrylic.  No oil.

I will be painting after installation.

 

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  1. User avater
    Sphere | Jul 25, 2007 09:01pm | #1

    Around here, i like Porter "permanizer", expensive, but really good stuff.

     

  2. MikeK | Jul 25, 2007 09:35pm | #2

    I use Pratt & Lambert latex. Good coverage. It got got markes from Consumer Reports for holding up to weather.

  3. User avater
    DDay | Jul 26, 2007 12:08am | #3

    Everyone hear uses California Paints 2010 house and trim 100% acrylic latex. I don't know if they are available in chicago though. Ben Moore is also very good.

  4. RobWes | Jul 26, 2007 12:14am | #4

    Hardi uses Cabot C3. They provide a 25 year warranty PLUS a 15 year extension if you apply a field coat*.

    *Cabot The Finish w/ Teflon

    Taken from the color chart, solid colors.

    1. MikeSmith | Jul 28, 2007 07:31pm | #10

      Rob... I went to the Hardie site to look for their finish  ( Cabot C3 )

      couldn't find it ...

       do you have a link ?

      we're doing a Hardie factory finish job in about two - three weeksMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

      1. DustinT | Jul 28, 2007 08:12pm | #11

        Mike, have you used the factory finish hardi before?  It is pretty cool, the color matched caulk is awesome. 

        You probably don't have any doofuses on your crew-but if you do-don't let them do the caulking.  It is made by OSI, and just about the stickiest stuff ever.  Has a slightly different sheen than the siding, a bit flatter if I remember.

        Dustin

        http://www.jameshardiecolorplus.com/pdf/JHCP_Consumer_Brochure.pdf

        Couldn't find any info about the cabot finish

        1. MikeSmith | Jul 28, 2007 11:58pm | #14

          dustin... yes , twice.. first time we did a field applied 2d coat and we used DynaFlex 230.. that turned out great

           

          2d time we used the OSI matching caulk and we taped every seam so there would be no smudgies.. just neat finish... the trim was unpainted Azek

           this time thru, my inclination is to do the field applied 2d coat, especially since we are doing painted trimMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

      2. RobWes | Jul 28, 2007 10:45pm | #13

        Mike I just got back from Maine....My info comes from the color chart. It is my understanding that Hardie uses Cabot paint when you get your stock pre-painted.The worst thing I did was not get my stock pre-painted. I was told that it gets all scuffed up while you work with it. I did get it pre-primed. My builder was very careful and there is not a scatch to be seen anywhere on the siding.Look here http://www.cabotfactoryfinish.com and see what comes up

    2. MikeSmith | Aug 09, 2007 03:00pm | #15

      Rob..  I called my distributor  and when the Hardie Rep showed up , they got me on the phone

      what a bunch of crap.... ( the  guys on the phone were great... their message was not )

      first :

       in the "ColorPlus "  series... they are not using a Cabot product, they are using a ValSpar product

      2d :  they won't release the color codes, you have to match chips

      3d :  they won't extend the warranty if you overcoat, they will VOID it

      4th :  they still insist on NOT caulking the butt joints

      bottom line... i think they are way out to lunch on how to go about making their installed product look like a good traditional wood siding job

      here's what i'm intending to do:

      use painted coil stock flashings at my butt joints

      caulk all trim & butt joints with DynaFlex 230 ( which you can clean up with water )

      paint all my Miratech trim  ( BM Soft Gloss )

      overcoat & cut in my siding , either with a ValSpar product or a 100%acrylic  BM

       Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

      1. RobWes | Aug 09, 2007 03:59pm | #17

        Mike that's crazy. What a message to send to a buyer. I wonder why the change? Perhaps Hardie had a falling out with Cabot?FWIW my builder cut all the stock with a blade on his chop saw. I bought a pair of shears but they were mostly done. He used 30# felt at the joints and with such clean cuts you can't see in. I don't know how to post pics but I'd be happy to send some to you if you like. While this does look close to wood unless your really in the business, most would not know.Good luck.

        1. edwardh1 | Aug 09, 2007 04:11pm | #18

          FC will NOT look like wood- in a few years the wood will start splitting twisting poping oozing(is that a word?) , growing mold etc etc. The FC wil lstay about the same, based on 10 year looks around here

        2. nikkiwood | Aug 09, 2007 04:44pm | #19

          <<Mike that's crazy. What a message to send to a buyer. I wonder why the change? Perhaps Hardie had a falling out with Cabot?>>Valspar bought Cabot recently.********************************************************
          "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

          John Wooden 1910-

          1. RobWes | Aug 09, 2007 06:12pm | #20

            That explains the change of the paint company.Doesn't reason why they changed the warranty however.I quote..
            Cabot warrants for a period of 25 years, when 2 coats (15 years when one coat) of Cabot C3 Cabot Cement Coat are applied under the factory-controlled setting of a Cabot Authorized Factory Finisher to clean, dry (15% moisture content or less) pre-primed fiber cement materials, and each application is at least 6 mils wet (2 mils dry). This product will not crack, peal, blister, chalk as to discolor surfaces below,yellow with age, become damaged when dirt is washed off, erode and expose the substrate, allow efflorescent discolor when all sides are coated.PLUS 15 year extension available with field application of Cabot's The Finish with Teflon Surface Protector.On another page.. For complete warranty information, CAll Cabot today at (800) STAIN-60.

          2. todd | Aug 09, 2007 08:29pm | #21

            Speaking of val spar in a slightly off topic way...When I've had diy painting project I've used Benny Moore. Downside is that the store is 50 minutes away. Recently had 1,000 sq. ceiling to paint. Got lazy and picked up val spar more locally (in part to a recommendation here.) Put one coat flat off white over primer. Looked like hell. Okay...Started rolling a second coat and it still looked like hell. Threw out the balance of the valspar, went back a third time with BM (medium grade, just damn ceiling paint)and all is well again.Valspar - never again.

  5. MikeK | Jul 26, 2007 01:13am | #5

    Consumer Reports does accelerated weather testing of paints. They rated California Paints, Pratt & Lambert, and Glidden as the holding up the best to weather (In that order). Go with the most expensive line from these paint companies and you should have no problems.

    Sherwin Williams Duration is in the middle of the Consumer Reports test cycle. It is not rated as high as the paints above, which is interesting given it's $50 a gallon price. For some reason the Sherwin Williams paints are never rated very high in these tests.

    1. MtnBoy | Aug 09, 2007 03:08pm | #16

      I was surprised to hear that with the Consumer Reports ratings you have to consider that they are weighting price in their overall rating, so if the price is higher it pulls down the product's rating. I guess due to their emphasis on "value", meaning for the money.That explains a lot because the Sherwin Williams Duration on my place done seven years ago still looks like new and has never even been washed. Also, no mold or algae on the north side where I always had it before.

  6. WayneL5 | Jul 26, 2007 03:14am | #6

    Don't skip the primer.  Use 100% acrylic primer, not the less expensive latex.

    1. KenJ | Jul 26, 2007 03:44am | #7

      What if it's already primed from the factory?

      1. WayneL5 | Jul 27, 2007 12:28am | #8

        I can't offer an opinion on that.  I don't have any experience or research to base it on.  Sorry.

      2. woodturner9 | Aug 09, 2007 10:50pm | #22

        I used Hardiplank on my garage (another fiber cement siding product)

        I used Zinser cover-stain - an oil based primer recommended by Hardi - over the "preprimed" Hardiplank.  I have since heard that oil based products are no longer recommended for use on cement siding.  I have had no problems however - loks good and is holding up well.

        I would definitely prime, even though it is "factory primed".  I would use a latex or acrylic primer - I think Zinsser makes a product similar to the coverstain that is water based, and I  have had good results with their products

  7. jax88monk | Jul 27, 2007 10:15pm | #9

    As the others have said, use any premium brand and you should be fine. I used MAB Seashore on my weatherboard siding last year (two coats) and it goes on like a dream over the factory primer. I used a 4 inch roller to apply it and kept a 3 inch stiff brush in my back pocket to get the exposed underside of the lap and any excess that was pushed up underneath the lap after I rolled out a 6 foot section (the stuff dries very quickly) There was no need to back-brush with the rough-sawn texture, not sure about the smooth stuff. The one thing I was very suprised with was how little paint I used in the end, I expected the surface to be much more porous. The guys at the store estimated 12 gallons, I used half of that.

  8. renosteinke | Jul 28, 2007 08:25pm | #12

    I cannot speak for that particular brand, but....

    My house has the older (1940) Asbestos-cement shingle siding. A few summers back, I began to give it it's very first coat of paint. Here was my experience:

    Paint sticks extremely well. I doubt there will ever be any peeling.

    Material soaked up paint like a sponge. Use of a primer, preferably before installation, is recommended.

    Because of how porous the material is, differences in paint coats will show up in certain lighting. I strongly advise spray application for this reason.

  9. a17195 | Aug 09, 2007 11:06pm | #23

    I built a rather large shed 5 years ago and painted the Hardi with Sherwin Duration.  The paint looks like it was put on yesterday.  A dream to use and a dream to look at down the road.

    I don't know what Consumer Reports has agains Sherwin.  CR rated Behr higher than The Sherwin, even higher than Pro Classic.  I've used both and, in my opinion, the Sherwin has it all over the Behr.  Oh well.  I would go with Sherwin again, no problem.

    1. MikeK | Aug 09, 2007 11:25pm | #24

      Problem with Duration is that you can not get it in all colors, not sure why.  This was what they told me at the sW store a few years back when I tried to get a terra cotta color.

      I'm pretty sure the CR ratings are based on field testing. They paint surfaces with different brands off paint and then put them side by side with maximum exposure to the sun and weather. Not sure how else the durability of paint could be tested?

      I used to work for a very large paint company that gave a 10 year guarantee on their paint jobs. They used nothing but Sherwin Williams paint. I was running the crew doing the guarantee work.  There was a lot of paint failure in areas that you would not normally expect. Of course it's difficult to determine whether the failure was due to the paint or the lack of proper prep work.

      I have generally found the paint from SW average and overpriced. The service at our local stores is horrible. They would not allow me to phone in an order the day before. I had to go into the store and wait behind 3 people and than wait for them to mix my paint.  Employees are generally unmotivated and slow moving. This was the service I got working for the largest painting company in the Chicago Metro Area, probably one of their biggest accounts. I can't imagine the service for a small contractor is any better.

      But if it works for you...

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