Step By Step Instructions Of Painting Hardboard
Hardboard, which is a heavy type of fiberboard composed of mechanical pulp, makes your homes look smooth & elegant in the form of siding and more recently as artists' canvas. Hardboard comes in various finishes, thicknesses, as well as types, which in turn will help mimic coarse chipboard, plywood, or real wood. Preparation for painting is entirely dependent on the usage of the hardboard. Hardboard siding usually comes pre-primed in order to protect it during shipment. Cut edges, factory primed, as well as nonprimed boards, need priming before painting.
Things You Will Need
- Measuring Tape & Circular Saw
- Hardboard Cutting Blade
- Soft-Bristle Scrub Brush
- Acrylic Primer & Paint Tray
- Paintbrushes, Clean Rag & Gesso
- Trisodium Phosphate(TSP)
- Exterior Latex House Paint
- Medium-Grit Sandpaper
Step 1: Measure & Cut The Board To The Size Needed
Calculate or compute and mark the board to the size needed. Fit a circular saw having a hardboard cutting blade before cutting the board to the size needed. Soak a soft-bristle scrub brush in water before tapping off the excess. Scrub the board delicately and gingerly in order to get rid of all the dirt, dust, and debris. Allow the board to dry wholly.
Step 2: Apply The Primer Onto The Top & Sides Of The Board
Stir your primer in order to remix the settled ingredients before pouring the primer into the well of a paint tray. Soak your brush into the tray before rolling off the excess on the sloped portion of the tray. Apply the primer onto the top as well as the sides of the board, using a brush. Leave the board to dry for at least 4 hours before applying a second coat. Allow the primer to dry overnight. Turn the board over and start priming the back side of the board. Dry for at least 4 hours before brushing on a second coat. Allow the board to dry overnight.
Step 3: Wash The Siding Trisodium-phosphate (TSP) Solution
Wash the siding using a trisodium-phosphate (TSP) solution and a soft-bristle scrub brush instead of water when it comes to already installed siding. Rinse the boards thoroughly, before leaving the siding to dry completely. Stir the latex house paint as long as the settled ingredients mix back in before pouring the paint into the well of a paint tray.
Step 4: Paint The Side Edges & The Facing Side Of The Hardboard
Apply the paint exactly the same way as you did the primer. Paint the side edges as well as the facing side. The facing side is the front side that shows once installed. Leave the paint to dry for at least 4 hours. Apply a second coat of paint onto the hardboard exactly the way you applied the first coat. Smooth out any brush strokes and be extra careful when dealing with grooves and cut edges in order to make sure that paint gets into the grooves and leaves no surface uncovered. Pick out brush hairs with the help of a toothpick. Leave the paint to dry for at least 24 hours before installing the boards.
Step 5: Sanding The Hardboard
Sand the smooth side of the hardboard panel smoothly using medium-grit sandpaper. Wipe the dust away with the help of a clean rag. Brush on gesso horizontally as long as you cover the board. Use long, even brush strokes, and make sure not to spread the gesso too thin around the edges. Allow the board to dry & you can speed up the drying process using a hair dryer. Finally, sand the surface smoothly again using the medium-grit sandpaper. Apply a second coat of gesso paint using vertical strokes. Allow the board to dry fully before painting.