What You Must Know When Repainting Wood Surfaces

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                                                       By Jim Hingst 


If you are repainting a wood
surface, your first chore is to prep the surface. New paint will not stick to
dirt or peeling paint. On large surfaces the quickest way to clean the old wood
painted surface is to pressure wash it. You will need to use a washer that can
generate at least 2500 psi to remove the remove dirt, mold and loose paint. Exercise care when pressure washing. Holding the nozzle too close can  damage the wood. 



If
you clean the surface of the wood with detergent or bleach, be sure to rinse it to wash off the residue. 
After washing, wait
a day for the wood to dry. 



The next step is to apply two coats of primer with a
product such as XIM Peel Bond
® or Zinsser® Peel Stop®. Both are Rust-Oleum® products. 


XIM Peel Bond Primer/Sealer

Penetrates into wood for excellent anchorage.

Seals a wide range of construction
surfaces.

Bonds paint to the substrate remaining flexible over the life of the paint.


Helps reduce cracking and peeling.

On a large flat surface a fast way to apply the
primer is with an airless sprayer or roller. On rough or irregular surfaces you may need
to paint the primer with a brush to ensure complete coverage. On really rough
surfaces, you may need a thick coating.

Test, Don’t Guess


After priming, apply two
finish coats of a compatible paint recommended by the manufacturer. To ensure
compatibility between primer and paint it is always best to “Test, Don’t Guess”.
Apply a small spot of primer and paint to the substrate and test for good
adhesion. After the paint has dried for at least a day, try to scrape it off with your thumb nail. If you are repainting a surface, XIM Peel Bond may not adhere to an
oil-based paint.  

For priming materials other
than wood and plywood, XIM Peel Bond is often a good choice for porous surfaces
such as stucco, brick, concrete, hardboard (Masonite), as well as for aluminum
and galvanized metal. Zinsser Peel Stop is often used on surfaces which exhibit cracking or chalking.



Rust-Oleum Zinsser Peel Stop





● Coats right over worn surfaces and peeling paint.
● Water-base, low-VOC primer-sealer.
● For interior and exterior applications.
● Provides outstanding flexibility.
● Dries fast.
● Hides peeling, weathered surfaces.

● Creates a smooth, white finish for your top coat.


About XIM UMA Primer Sealer

XIM  UMA Bonder and Primer/Sealer

● Excellent adhesion to non-porous “Hard-to-Paint”
surfaces
● Bonding primer for painting vinyl, aluminum, galvanized
metal.
● Resists wrinkling, blistering or cracking caused by
moisture.
● Cures in low temperatures and high humidity.
● Interior or exterior use.
● Low odor/low VOC.


● Accepts all top coats.



XIM
primers have been popular among experienced sign painters. In addition to
primers for porous surfaces, Rust-Oleum also manufactures XIM UMA primer sealer
for non-porous surfaces, which can be difficult to stick to. UMA is a perfect
sealer for bonding top coats to porcelain, ceramic, Formica, fiberglass, aluminum
and galvanized steel. Veteran sign painter, Joe Balabuszko, told me that in
years past the old sign painters would use XIM UMA to prime the porcelain signs
that they were repainting. 




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About Vinyl Sign Techniques by Jim Hingst

Here is a comprehensive guide to the vinyl sign and graphics business. Compiled from 54 Vinyl Graphics columns in Signs of the Times, edited, updated and condensed here into 39 chapters, Vinyl Sign Techniques is an essential resource. The book is divided into four sections: sales & marketing, materials, fabrication, and vinyl application & removal. Every important aspect to running an efficient and profitable vinyl sign business is covered in detail, often including valuable charts, tables and photos for reference.







About Jim Hingst: After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.

Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer.  Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.

Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 150 articles for  publications, such as  Signs Canada, SignCraft,  Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and  Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 450 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published.  Vinyl Sign Techniques is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon. 

Slides of Jim’s Artwork

© 2017 Jim Hingst

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