Efficient Way To Paint A Pergola

Greg Di

I am trying to come up with a more efficient way of painting wood pergolas. The issue we have is that it's just slow-going because all six sides of every piece of wood has to get painted, and because of the intersections of wood, you can't get into the corners with a roller, so we are constantly going from roller to brush to roller.

It's just really frustrating. My regular painting sub won't do it.

Spraying scares me because of the overspray issue. Maybe I need to rethink it. I don't know.

What say you painters?

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WisePainter

Nasty work, there is no easy answer.

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My advice: Hire a real painter to do it.

JumboJack

Call me crazy but when I build a patio cover that is getting painted,I prime and paint before building.All the lumber gets covered with paint so that helps with duarability.I just have to go and paint the ends that have been cut and a little touch up here and there..Works for me.

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in texas with framing and cornish people will do it for 3.00 a foot. What do yall think about that? Just laber

Greg Di

I hear you. That makes sense, but it tends to bog down the construction a bit.

We do prime everything prior to construction and that is a killer too.

The other issue is laying everything out to paint it. Lots of time there just isn't room on site to do it.

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WisePainter

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My advice: Hire a real painter to do it.

JumboJack

Yes it does slow things down.I am pretty small so I do the painting alone.That way I don't have anyone standing around...Heck most of the time I build it alone too...

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in texas with framing and cornish people will do it for 3.00 a foot. What do yall think about that? Just laber

Mr. Mike

Prime and paint, then put it together and put one more coat on it to be complete.

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Mike Finley

Consider not including painting as part of the project?

Many customers seem to be fine with this. They seem to have a mental understanding that there can be a difference between somebody that builds the project and then having to have it painted separately.

You probably like the idea of the control of the entire project, but there is also the consideration of is it really even making sense to be involved with painting when you could be building something else and make more money in the long run?

WisePainter

1) I don't care if it is after midnight, you aren't allowed in here bathroom guy!!!!
EVAR!!


2) He has no choice but to paint it, his painter (the smart one) refuses to paint the thing.

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My advice: Hire a real painter to do it.

nEighter

Think about it. How long does it take to put up "painters plastic".. hooking it to the gutter, running along 20' of either side, coming down the side of the house protecting it? Get a sprayer going on it and a mini roller. Use a smaller tip and turn the pump pressure down so there isn't a HUGE cloud of paint aloof. < OR an HVLP w/ mini roller. You are talking what 2 or 3 hours per coat on the outside? This is how I would approach it at least.

Buildadeck

Try ************, I let my clients provide the paint code from Sherwin Williams and receive all of my components painted and ready to install. I stopped using wood to build pergolas after my third wood pergola came crashing down, granted it took quite awhile but I use fiberglass from these guys now and sleep a little better, 7 successfull installs and counting.

Sir Mixalot

Edit: Didn't realize this thread was a year and a half old. Doh!
Greg, I would spray it forsure. Like nEighter said, small tip with low pressure.
Here's a gazebo repaint we did recently.
Had to protect the wood ceiling, shingles, and deck.

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BuiltByMAC

Hmmmm, not sure the wood's the problem. There's no freakin' weight on a pergola, other than the pergola itself, why on earth would 3 of them come crashing down? nvm, I think I know...

(and stop pushing your website)

Mac

Remodelor

Good God... They have these things called screws and bolts, and -this is wild, I know- some carpenters even notch their boards so that the structure interlocks for better stability and appearance. Also, they use fasteners even when they do this, because they're not idiots.

Still Standing:

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dprimc

I think he should be allowed to promote the fact that three of his pergolas came crashing down. I think he should make it a banner at the top of his site!!!!

It is pretty encouraging that the most recent seven are still standing. Perhaps we need an update. Its been a few days. Oh....uhhh....six of them are still standing. Congrats!!!!

dprimc

I almost always just contract for the building and let the customer handle hiring out the finish. For a while I hated leaving money on the table, but I got over it. It always seemed more of a PITA than it was worth when I got involved.


I have set up a spray booth and sprayed all material before install. Wasn't bad if you have the space to do it, but it wasn't really a money maker for me and I really hate painting.

briancreary

I would just get over my fear of the sprayer. It's the fastest best way once properly prepared. Oh, remember to get paid accordingly.