Best Way Of Painting Masonite Siding
Masonite is a particular type or kind of hardboard siding composed of compressed wood fibers. Like all wood siding products, you need to paint Masonite at regular intervals in order to maintain its appearance. Due to the reason that hardboard siding has a tendency to absorb water fairly easily, it is important to select the right paint and techniques for the job in order to make sure your results will last for a longer period of time. Proper preparation as well as the removal of existing paint are also vital when it comes to a successful paint job.
Things You'll Need
- Drop Cloths Or Plastic
- Safety glasses & Dust Mask
- Ladder & Paint Scraper
- Disc Or Orbital Sander
- 60-Grit Or Finer Sanding Pads
- Vacuum & Paint Brushes And/Or Rollers
- Exterior Alkyd Primer
- Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint
Step 1: Remove Existing Paint
- First of all, place drop cloths or plastic sheeting over bushes as well as grass in order to safeguard these areas while you work, which in turn help collect paint chips as well as dust to make cleanup easier. Protect your eyes by wearing safety glasses and wear a dust mask while you work.
- Now, with the help of a paint scraper, carefully get rid of all the existing paint. Work gently in order to avoid damage to the Masonite. Use a ladder in order to reach higher sections of siding, however, be very careful in order to avoid falls.
- Sand the Masonite as soon as all the paint has been removed with the help of a hand-held disc or random orbital sander supplied with very fine sanding pads. Keep the sander moving the entire time in order to avoid gouges or scratches. Clean all sanding dust as well as paint chips with the help of a vacuum.
Step 2: Paint Masonite Siding
- Firstly, spread an exterior alkyd primer to the siding with the help of a paint roller. Pay particular attention to the edges as well as the bottom of each board, due to the fact that these areas have a tendency to absorb water. Use a brush when it comes to reaching small areas.
- Now, allow the primer to dry thoroughly & then apply your first coat of paint. Alkyd primers and paint have a fairly long drying time, therefore, it is important to check the paint can in order to get a general time frame.
- Next, put or spread a coat of acrylic latex paint over the primer. Use a clean roller in order to paint large areas, and a small brush in order to reach into tight spaces.
- Wait for the first coat to dry thoroughly before applying the second coat of paint by following the same techniques that you used while applying the first coat of paint.
Useful Tip
If you have a very big house, then you need to take into consideration applying paint as well as a primer with the help of a paint sprayer. For best results with Masonite, go over the paint using a roller in order to make sure it is spread across the entire surface as soon as spraying is complete. This technique is known as "back-rolling," and is very helpful when it comes to filling in uneven areas or roughly-textured surfaces.