FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Primer on the back of cedar siding?

KentMich | Posted in General Discussion on October 20, 2008 07:26am

The paint on our 1794 house with cedar clapboards is blistering on the southern side of the house. Our contractor suggested this is caused because whoever put the siding up neglected to prime the back side of the clapboards, and moisture from the inside is seeping through the cedar. The house is in New England and insulated with blown-in cellulose with no vapor barrier.

Do I need to remove the siding and prime the backs? He says that if I don’t it will just blister again. Would this save me from repainting as often, or is it just something I would do if replacing the siding anyway?

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. User avater
    enduringcharm | Oct 20, 2008 09:41pm | #1

    K:

    I can't say that your problem is due to lack of backpriming without knowing more information, but your contractor is certainly correct that it CAN be a problem.  I backprime everything, and I prime the cuts too.

    Old houses like yours can also be problematic after being insulated, especially with the blown-in cellulose.  For a couple of hundred years the relatively open flow of air was able to keep moisture down and to equalize moisture on either side of the clapboards.  After insulating, the moisture tends to stay put and cause grief.  When there is no sheathing other than the clapboards, the insulation just sits right against the siding, keeping it cool and moist on one side.  The other side is hot and dry from the baking sun.  Not good for paint.

    Other issues causing paint peeling can be related to showers, clothes dryers, or leaks which deposit excess moisture in the wrong areas.  Sometimes wood has a waxy surface, bad primer, or burnishing from the planer that causes poor adhesion.

    If this is a recurring problem, it might be worth removing the siding and seeing what's what.  Sometimes the removal of the blown-in insulation helps, and it is replaced with polyurethane foam insulation, either inside the wall or on the surface.  Also, the addition of sheathing and felt paper can help.

    If you'd rather avoid that idea, there is one last old-school effort you could try.  The old timers would remove the old paint down to the bare wood, treat it with boiled linseed oil and let it dry for several days.  Then follow with a coat of oil based primer, and two latex top coats.  I wouldn't hold out much hope for this method, though.

    John Painter 

  2. user-204835 | Oct 20, 2008 10:59pm | #2

    I've found it's better to just replace the old siding if it's in bad shape with pre-primed cedar siding, and go one step further and back prime the siding with a quality primer like KILZ. I've done several old homes this way, and the paint jobs are still looking fine. One house was done 10 years ago,and the paint job still looks great. It's all about the prep work that makes things work right.

    PM/Email me and I'll give you a pointer to my firm's web site, that has an example of a re-siding job on an old house.

  3. jc21 | Oct 20, 2008 11:29pm | #3

    Could be a number of things. Backpriming is recommended whether you're using solid color stain, bleaching oil or stain. http://www.wrcla.org/cedarspecs/installing/primebeforeinstalling.asp If the clapboards are original to the house or very old it could a matter of too much paint and time to strip it to bare wood- the final finish is no better than what's underneath it. If the clapboards are fairly new they should have been backprimed. Curious if there's Tyvek behind the clapboards and what type of paints were used for primer and topcoat.

    "The inherent vice of capitalism is the uneven division of blessings while the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal division of misery"
    Sir Winston Churchill
  4. TommH | Oct 21, 2008 05:19pm | #4

    A few years ago I remember seeing small thin plastic  or aluminum wedges which were designed to slip between the courses of claps. The purpose was to create a small amount of air space between the claps to promote even drying on both sides and thus prevent peeling. Don't know if they work, but it seems logical. Google "siding wedges"


    Edited 10/21/2008 10:26 am ET by TommH



    Edited 10/21/2008 10:27 am ET by TommH

  5. TommH | Oct 22, 2008 12:21am | #5

    Another thing to look at, given the age of your home, is whether or not there is excessive moisture entering the walls from the basement. Dirt or brick floor? I know there was a FHB article a feww years ago about paint problems which addressed that issue.

  6. ajs | Oct 22, 2008 05:21am | #6

    A few years ago I had a paint problem which I ascribed to excess moisture. Some of my experience may be applicable to your situation.

    House is an 1840 colonial farmhouse in southern NH with white clapboards ( mostly originals, so no back priming) and plaster on lath on the inside. Heat is with forced hot air with a furnace humidifier. A few years ago when the house was uninsulated, I unwisely adjusted the humidistat so that the furnace humidifier ran most of the time that the furnace was on. I later discovered that there was an air leak in the foundation on the northwest side near a cold air return duct that had partially come loose. This caused the furnace to run more that it otherwise would, which generated high levels of humidity in the house and then into the walls, particularly on the down wind ( southeast) side. I noticed a lot of moisture condensing on both the house windows and the storm windows, particularly in the bedroom on the southeast side. The next spring I noticed some mildew on one of the bedroom baseboards and on a bedroom closet wall, as well as an exterior paint adhesion problem in a fairly recent paint job.

    I think that my paint problems would have been worse if the house paint color had not been white. From what I've read, darker paints experience significantly higher solar heat absorption, and thus higher surface temperatures. This leads to higher temperature swings which worsen whatever paint problems are present.

  7. barmil | Oct 22, 2008 05:41am | #7

    Consider the vapor barrier. My mother's old farm house had the typical bathroom built into was originally a storage area at the back of the kitchen. No, they didn't originally envision a bathroom off the kitchen, who would, but it was the obvious upgrade from the outdoor toilet. Well, with the toilet and bathtub there, the outside paint continued to blister. No vapor barrier was the cause.

    1. user-204835 | Oct 22, 2008 04:09pm | #8

      I've seen many a house where by looking at the sections of peeling paint on the outside, the location of the bathroom is found. One of my neighbors has this problem and goes the "paint this side of the house every year" scenario. I mentioned the lack of a vapor barrier issue and got the response from his house painter "Painters know paint, carpenters know carpentry period, end discussion..."

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Mortar for Old Masonry

Old masonry may look tough, but the wrong mortar can destroy it—here's how to choose the right mix for lasting repairs.

Featured Video

A Modern California Home Wrapped in Rockwool Insulation for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance

The designer and builder of the 2018 Fine Homebuilding House detail why they chose mineral-wool batts and high-density boards for all of their insulation needs.

Related Stories

  • Fire-Resistant Landscaping and Home Design Details
  • A New Approach to Foundations
  • A Closer Look at Smart Water-Leak Detection Systems
  • Guest Suite With a Garden House

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data