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Painting Redwood?

| Posted in General Discussion on June 20, 2001 03:33am

*
I was hoping to use in a new patio cover some old redwood boards recycled from a patio at a demo site. The boards were previously stained and have darkened considerably with age.

Question 1, can redwood be primed and painted? I’ve heard the oils in redwood may cause problems for paint. I would stain them, but our home owners assoc. says all decks and patios must be white, and I just don’t think that I can get these old boards to the point I can stain them white. Any suggestions? Should I just scrap the boards?

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  1. Lisa_Long | Jun 14, 2001 03:24am | #1

    *
    Hi Mark,

    I've used recycled redwood from a deck to build a porch and it worked fine. I primed and then painted, and didn't have any bleeding problems. The oil (or resin or whatever it is) does leak through paint on new redwood; maybe it's dried up by the time the lumber has been recycled? You might try a sample board - it will only take a day or two to know if you have a problem. I appreciate that you are willing to expend the extra effort it takes to use recycled lumber. Good job, and good luck!

    1. Terry_Holloway | Jun 15, 2001 01:40pm | #2

      *Try "Kilz" as a primer. Go online to the Redwood Association.

      1. Jeff_Clarke_ | Jun 15, 2001 02:43pm | #3

        *Mark - Just another POV - don't paint a deck - you'll be repainting frequently.Jeff

        1. Scooter_ | Jun 15, 2001 04:53pm | #4

          *Redwood is probably the best wood to use for exterior painted trim. I have seen 150 year old boards in perfect condition, exposed day in day out to rain and sun. The stuff just refuses to rot. It also paints very well. Clean the wood with scrapers or sanders, use a quality oil based primer, and 2 coats of finish latex paint. No worries!

          1. Qtrmeg_ | Jun 17, 2001 03:19am | #5

            *Terry, Kilz latex? In any case the only primer I would use on redwood is an alkyd primer sealer, alkyd Kilz is for interior use only and latex Kilz won't perform over the long run. There are other miracle acrylic primers that are supposed to do-all, but I have had them fail and my bottom line says stick with the tried and true. Be aware that if the fibers of the wood have been weathered you will have a poor base on which to prime. I suppose you would have to at least sand the boards before priming, from what you said.

          2. tony_soprano | Jun 18, 2001 05:23am | #6

            *Qtrmeg,What brand of primer do you like to use? Would you also recommend it for pine and cedar clapboards?Tony

          3. Qtrmeg_ | Jun 20, 2001 03:33pm | #7

            *Tony, I think the best primer for redwood is California Troubleshooter, California is the company name. Cabot's Problem Solver is another decent product, but I don't really care for it. I use Benjamin Moore Freshstart for most exterior wood. The have a fast dry version that is better for sealing cedar or redwood.

  2. Mark_Pedro | Jun 20, 2001 03:33pm | #8

    *
    I was hoping to use in a new patio cover some old redwood boards recycled from a patio at a demo site. The boards were previously stained and have darkened considerably with age.

    Question 1, can redwood be primed and painted? I've heard the oils in redwood may cause problems for paint. I would stain them, but our home owners assoc. says all decks and patios must be white, and I just don't think that I can get these old boards to the point I can stain them white. Any suggestions? Should I just scrap the boards?

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