Expert: Tony Gallagher - 6/30/2009

Question
Hi Tony
My garage door and a section under the front window of my house consist of some type of wood panels-square panels on the two car garage door and horizontal under the window.
Years ago when I bought the house they looked great, a golden colour stain or paint with some type of clear coating.
Over the yeats the coating has weathered off, and most of the colour is gone, they are a dull grey.The wood is still good.
I have seen other homes the same age  with a similar decor and they have all weathered badly, leaving me to think that this particular trim is not appropriate for the climate conditions of western Canada.Besides, it seems like a lot of work to try to get it back to its original state-sanding, staining, coating.
Can you reccomend an easier way to renew it? Would I need to sand everything off? The door, with all its panels and corners would take days.
Could I attack it with a scraper and then apply some sort of stain or paint? I would like to use a gold colour, if available, which is quite eye catching. The trim of the house is brown stain but the house would look boring if I used that.
Thanks!

Answer
Barrymore,

I am afraid there is no miracle answer available and perhaps more preparation than you desire.


Firstly the biggest mistake made by most of us,is to think that stain on external timbers, is maintenance free.  Once a stain is exposed to ultra violet, wind and rain, the low volume build starts to reduce. From new it is a good idea to top up every two to three years.

Once the surface is in the condition you describe,  the no matter what you apply on top you have to ensure the surface is prepared well enough to provide subsequent key.

My preference for external timber is micro-porous wood stain and maintained as described.

However if you are determined to apply a paint finish then I would recommend a barrier primer.

My favourite primers are made by Zinsser (easily available on the Internet) They have several primer sealers that act like double sided tape adhering to the substrate and making a sound base for your preferred finish.  

Hope this helps.

Regards,


Tony.