House Painters Richmond VA / Can You Paint Over Rotted Wood?
Can You Paint Over Rotted Wood?
You can, but the paint will fail. The U.S. Forest Products Laboratory advises that soft, spongy wood will never hold paint and should be replaced. Painting over it hides the damage for a season while the wood keeps breaking down underneath.
Signs of rot to check before painting
- Trim or sills that feel soft when pressed.
- Paint that bubbles or peels in the same spot every year.
- Dark, swollen board ends near gutters, sills and porch floors.
What to ask a painter
- Will you probe the trim, sills and siding for soft wood before quoting?
- Is rot repair priced in the estimate, or billed as found?
- Do you do the carpentry yourselves or bring in someone else?
Several Richmond painters list carpentry or wood repair on their own sites. See the six companies compared.
Questions people ask
Can you paint over rotted wood?
It can be painted, but the paint will fail and the rot will keep spreading. Replace soft wood first.
Where does wood rot first on a Richmond house?
Usually where water sits: sills, the bottom of trim and siding, porch floors and boards near gutters.
Sources
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory, M. Knaebe finishing factsheet (archived PDF).