Exterior fascia and facer boards

[Jeff]

I'm having some work done here that'll require replacing some of the above (title).

The gutter guys primed their fascia board with Zinnser Spray on INTERIOR primer. Why that for exterior apps? Is it ok? Their boss man had them pressured to do the job in one day (because he dropped his ball in the shop), but that couldn't happen with priming and 2x oil based paint on top of that. I've since put 2 coats of oil based paint on it (Olympic FastHide Ultra, interior/exterior semi-gloss) because that's what they left with me. Due for installation tomorrow morning. :icon_scra

I've done the remaining boards myself. Benjamin Moore "Super Spec" exterior latex primer; 1 coat today. Olympic oil based paint goes on tomorrow with 2 coats planned.

Any thoughts and/or advice out there? :help:

 

[Gotcha6]

:thumbs_up:thumbs_up
Light sanding between coats.

 

[Don Alexander]

why pay them and have to paint it yourself?

as for the paint job interior primer and paint are NOT ok for use outside ESPECIALLY not on fascia where it will get plenty of exposure to the elements

i would be likely to give somebody a serious ear full followed by kicking em the heck off my property its contractors like that that make it very difficult for everyone else

hope you don't have problems and end up replacing this again in a couple of years

 

[dave "dhi"]

Dont use pine boards....no matter what, they will rot in due time. for a few more $, buy miritec boards which are pre primed and wont rot! i never put cheap soft pine boards/full of knots on any of my work. sounds like im to late tho....:gar-Cr sanding not needed for fascia boards unless after prime coat. .:icon_scra

 

[Jeff]

Thanks for the heads up.

Only one board was primed with interior primer. Then 2 coats of oil based paint. The other boards were primed with exterior latex primer and then 2 coats of oil based paint.

I wish that I'd have known about MiraTEC. It sounds like a good $ spend over the long haul. It's available at Talbert's Lumber in Roxboro so only about 13 miles for me. :thumbs_up

 

[DonDeJ]

You didn't say what they used for fascia boards. That might make a difference. I'm no painting specialist, but I was always told (on raw wood anyway) to prime with oil, top coat with latex. I think Don Alexander is right, you shouldn't get a half-a**ed job because the contractor screwed up. No wonder contractors rank right up there with used car salesmen in the court of public opinion.

 

[Jeff]

You didn't say what they used for fascia boards. That might make a difference. I'm no painting specialist, but I was always told (on raw wood anyway) to prime with oil, top coat with latex. I think Don Alexander is right, you shouldn't get a half-a**ed job because the contractor screwed up. No wonder contractors rank right up there with used car salesmen in the court of public opinion.

The wood is SYP, C and better grade. It's knot free and slightly more expensive than SPF which'll have more tiny knots.

Latex or oil primers seem to be a matter of choice. It seems to me that latex primers have gained more acceptance recently, but the topcoats, 2x recommended, can be either oil based alkyd or latex. I haven't found a "best practice" out there. :dontknow:

http://www.paintpro.net/Articles/PP804/PP804-Primers.cfm

 

[mkepke]

Not quite sure what you're asking, but I'd prime all sides of the fascia using a good quality *exterior* primer (I have to assume it's called *interior* primer for a reason).

Any exposed cut ends get treated with paint-on copper treatment, then primed.

My preference is to use pressure treated lumber, or better, pvc. I have only very limited experience with the composites, so will not comment on those.

-Mark

 

[Joe Scharle]

Too late now, but in the future I recommend 'genuine plastic'......accept no substitutions! :gar-Bi

 

[kooshball]

May be too late but it is always a good idea to back prime all boards. Water bs oil is of no consequence if you are using quality paint for most wood coatings

 

[Gofor]

Personally, I think you are in good shape. Latex primer was the way to go. It breathes, which will allow the moisture to change with the humidity. Oil based primer would have sealed the one face of the wood. In high humidity conditions, the moisture absorbed from the back side will migrate through the wood and lift off the oil based primer. If using oil based, all sides of the board need to be sealed.

I learned this during 20+ years in Florida living in a wood sided house. After paying professionals to apply "premium" oil based primer and latex topcoat, and having to repaint every 3 years due to peeling paint, I finally just grabbed my 6" disk sander and took it all down to bare wood (took me over 6 months with my work schedule). I primed with latex primer and top-coated with Lowe's paint. 5 years later when I sold the house, I did paint the paneling to brighten it up, but did not have to touch the fascia or trim. No peeled paint or rotted wood anywhere, despite Hurricane Ivan. I lived 100 yards from a major bay off the Gulf.

SYP is a fine wood to use. Although it is more prone to some warping during humidity changes, it will hold up much better than "white wood" spruce.

2 key points to keeping the fascia rot-free:

1. Caulk ALL seams. Acrylic latex caulk that is paintable, with at least one coat of paint will last for years.

2. Ensure your metal drip edge from the roof is not touching the fascia. Preferably you will have a 1/2 to 3/4" spacer between the drip edge and fascia. If not, bend out the drip leg so that air can get behind it to dry it out. If/when the roof is re-shingled, have them move the drip leg out. If the drip leg touches, water will wick up behind it and stay there, starting mold and then wood rot. Yes, it may give a habitat for a few spiders or wasps, but they will not damage the wood like the water will and are handled easily with a wasp spray can.

JMTCW from experience

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