wood siding reinforcement

[Justin Edmonds]

I'm about to start working on the old barns and sheds on the farm and have a few questions. The old wood board on the siding are quite weathered. I'm wondering if there is something I can do to help reinforce them. Is there a product that'll work well or something I can make? Then, what's a good paint to do a barn in? Finally, is there a primer our something for rusty tin to put on before I paint it?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Sounds like a fun project! I've painted them with linseed oil first, followed by an oil based paint. It certainly helped, but it still uses a lot of paint. Not sure what to do if you are using water based. More coats??? Rusty tin (sheet metal), as long as it's just light dry surface rust, will quit rusting and hold up pretty well if they are just painted.

[Justin Edmonds]

Boiled, polymerized, or raw linseed oil? I was thinking of boiled linseed oil that I would treat with air and thin with something like turpentine or mineral spirits to help it penetrate.

[Erik Loza]

Just a thought regarding the siding: if the wood is really in bad shape and actually needs reinforcement (as opposed to just being re-finished...), what about one of those new deck re-surfacing paints like "Restore"?....

272294

http://rustoleumrestore.com/vertical/

They just did the dock out at our local swimming lake with this stuff. The wood was in terrible shape before but now, it is really rejuvenated. It does not really "look like wood",. though, if that is a concern. Just a thought. Good luck,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Justin Edmonds]

I thought about that but am not sure about them. They're kinda new and unproven.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

We used boiled, no thinning, it penetrates dry wood very well. We also use it on wood decks on flatbed trailers btw. I'm not sure what the attributes of the others are, but one of them may work better or as well. Of course you know about the rags and BLO warnings.

[Justin Edmonds]

Ok, here's what I've thought about. I discovered Defy epoxy stain. It is waterbased with an epoxy resin. I emailed the company just now. I'm waiting to see if it can be painted over and if it will reinforce the siding at all. Now for the next big question. Who makes a great paint for a barn? I'm thinking Pittsburgh Paints, since their dealer is the closest. What's your thoughts?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Thats an interesting idea, it might work very well. Let us know! Whichever is most convenient is not a bad way to do it in my opinion. My Benjamin Moore dealer is close and available at wacky hours, so I tend to use them. I think all the paint is pretty close on quality now. Personally, I prefer oil based for the old wood projects, but its getting harder to find.

[Justin Edmonds]

They emailed back, on a Sunday, and said it wouldn't work. I may call them tomorrow or Minwax to see if they gave anything like that that could be painted over. I don't have a Benjamin Moore or a Sherwin Williams site within a30 minute drive. A major deterrent. I don't know of anyone that sells oil paint anymore. Sad.