Filling Clapboard?

JNLP

If you have old wood siding that has seen way better days, but can't strip it, what would you use to fill it? Want to scrape, skim, sand, prime, then paint. Have used MH in the past, but found it to be kind've a pain to work with. Open for other exterior products to try out on this.

JMGP

If you are thinking of "skiming" the whole house or even a handfull of clapboards...over multiple layers of old paint??... you are asking for trouble...

There would be bonding, and flexibilty issues...

Exteriors are not designed to be "skimmed" over... especially clapbords...

Old houses are what they are... if they have to many coats of paint on them... it calls for removal of the old paint... there is a such thing as a limit to how many coats a house can handle...

If the home owners are looking for a "smooth" surface.. its either a strip or a replace clapboards...

I dont beleive there is anything on the market that you could use on an Exterior to "skim" over multiple layers of old (scabby) paint and there not be a problem...

Of course there are "small" areas and times where you can skim over something...Like a dent on the trim or something...or a door etc... Im not saying there is not ANY area...


There are options.... www.silentpaintremover.com

JNLP

Hehehe... Definitely not planning on skimming the whole place. Would like to smoothen all out that I can, but on those trouble areas that have indentions here & there, gator cracks, ect would like to be able to just fill them. So the old paint will still be what's getting painted, but will just have little spot patches here & there primed then painted.

Not sure if it'll cause problems or not to be honest. Have done this a few times with other companies in the past under their direction, which is why it popped in my head. Always came out great & still looks great to this day.

JNLP

How well does this work? Their videos don't sell me all that well as it apears to be very thin paint they're stripping. How does something like this work on wood that has 10 coats of paint on it? If it works well, about how long would it take to do say a 5 x 5 wall?

JMGP

I would just scrape the loose paint and Feather sand.... keeping in mind the "lead" factor...

I don't think its a problem "skimming" a spot here or there but not all of the clapboard...

I just had a vision in my head that you would be "skimming" over the alligator paint too... sounds more like "patching"??

Zar wood patch....

Benjamin Moore's Moorelastic "Vinyl 058" patch...

just off the top of my head... Im sure there are others...

JMGP

I have not used this product... I have just done a lot of research on different systems to remove paint...

I live in New England area too.. and have had my share of old home re-paints... I call them "Battle Ships"

I have found that there are not to many home owners that would pay the "true" cost of what it would take to paint there old house... they just settle for the scabby look... I still do extensive prep but... there is only so much you can do to these homes without stripping or replacing...

they also have the www.paintshaver.com but It seems the clapboards would have to be flat in order for it to work properly... a lot of older homes have a slight cup to the clapboards....

JNLP

Yeah, patching is a better word to use.