I was wondering what you guys did for painting pressure treated posts, the kind that are always soaking wet when you purchase them. Back in October or so, I picked up some 6x6s, and let them air dry in my shop for a month. Sadly, they were still moist when I painted them, but I did one coat adhesion primer, one coat blocking primer (so the green wouldn't leech through), two coats finish latex. I saw the sign last week, and the paint is peeling off pretty badly and bubbling up. The customer is fine, but I'm not. So how do you guys deal with wet posts when you can't possibly stock every post made to man for them to be dry before you paint them?
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Painting Pressure treated posts, just had a failure
- Thread starter ChaseO
- Start date
Gino
Premium Subscriber
You have two choices. Either use solid colored stain or let the posts go through 4 seasons and paint it at a later date.
Basically, you sealed all the moisture in with all the stuff you did to it. Then, the moisture cannot pass through the paint, so it will start to check [peel] and sometimes twist the post trying to get out. With old latex, your post could still pass the moisture through, but not today's latex..... anyway, not most latex. Solid colored stain will allow the post [any treated lumber] to still breath, so moisture can pass without much problem.
Basically, you sealed all the moisture in with all the stuff you did to it. Then, the moisture cannot pass through the paint, so it will start to check [peel] and sometimes twist the post trying to get out. With old latex, your post could still pass the moisture through, but not today's latex..... anyway, not most latex. Solid colored stain will allow the post [any treated lumber] to still breath, so moisture can pass without much problem.
Dad said this was not a problem years ago. Thank you for posting.
I've used black stain on posts with pretty good success, but white... How many coats would you have to put on so the green wouldn't come back? Also, I should mention that I pick through the posts at my local lumber yard, and pick the driest, straightest possible, and usually don't have a problem, but sometimes I get stuck having the buy some wet ones.
Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?
New Member
Regardless of how others might approach this, we round off the corners of our posts with a 1/2" roundover bit in our router then paint with one coat of Zinsser Cover Stain oil based primer, then top coat with 2 coats of Rustoleum Professional oil based enamel. I know a lot of people swear by latex, but we have sign posts that have been outdoors for over 4 years that show no sign of paint deterioration whatsoever. They typically dry out for about one week before we apply the paint to them. We also only paint about 6" below the ground level to allow moisture to escape through the bottom of the posts.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
That's very interesting. How does the post in the ground prevent rains, melting snow and other wetness from seeping back in ?? I guess, my question would be, how does the post know which way the water is coming or going underground ?? Anything above grade would have the help of air flow and evaporation.
At a place I used to work [many many years ago] we used to tar the bottom 3 feet of the post, to prevent moisture from traveling back in, if it wasn't cemented in the ground. It also helps against bugs. Yes, termites and carpenter ants will still penetrate PT wood.
Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?
New Member
I guess I just figure it's better to leave the bottom of the posts unpainted, rather than paint them. The way I see it, if you paint the entire post, moisture will have a hard time escaping so it's better to let it breathe. Tar would be great, but the way I see it, wooden posts are more of a temporary sign application. If people want a post/sign that will last over 10 years I suggest aluminum and we do put a lot more aluminum in the ground than wood.
Zendavor Signs
Mmmmm....signs
Treated wood posts are a total crap shoot. I will not stake my reputation on them. We only use clean cut cedar posts for wood, or aluminum posts for long term use.
michael freeman
New Member
We paint them with a latex paint (2 coats) The green does bleed through but will go away after a few days out side.
Marlene
New Member
401Graphics
New Member
is this what you use? http://www.postcoats.com/
That looks pretty dang slick and easy to use. It poses questions though.
Do they have anything available for 4x6 and 6x6? It says it shrinks to a 2x4, how hard is that?
It also says 1 year warranty, but how long is it expected to last?
bigben
New Member
Yep, it's the same product.
bigben
New Member
The one I stock is for 4X4 and I never use it other than that size. I don't know if my supplier have other sizes. As for life expectancy, I have post out there for about 5 years now without any problems (and we get to real winter here).
I've went to home depot before and painted pressure treated posts with 3-4 coats before with a roller with no problems. I see the last set we painted about a year ago everyday and it always looks good as it did the day I did them.
Guess you should wait but I've never had any issues personally.
Guess you should wait but I've never had any issues personally.
visual800
Active Member
we use another supplier for treated lumber other than lowes and homedepot. Treated lumber should not be soaking wet and weight 400#. our other supplier stores all lumber outside under large shelters but is all dried out and works alot better! The problem with the big box stores is they junk is always inside and its crap, you never know what way its going to bend
on painting treated lumber we always prime with a ext flat latex and then topcoat with a satin or flat of their color choice, we have always had good luck with this method. Just simple old flat latex laying around the shop
but for nice installs we use pvc pipe, primed and painted
on painting treated lumber we always prime with a ext flat latex and then topcoat with a satin or flat of their color choice, we have always had good luck with this method. Just simple old flat latex laying around the shop
but for nice installs we use pvc pipe, primed and painted