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sarahandbray_gw

Best paint for new cedar railing/porch posts/spindles

sarahandbray
10 years ago

We are having our new railing installed on our old farmhouse front porch.
(So far, LOVING the products at Mr.Spindle.com)
Clear, kiln-dried, finger-joint cedar porch posts, railing and spindle.
Looking for gloss white and shiny for this part of the project. Any ideas?
Usually use SW or BM. THANKS! (Probably using a paint sprayer for primer and paint when the parts get here)
Sarah

Comments (9)

  • millworkman
    10 years ago

    Either or should be good but I would try and use as close to an oil based primer you can get and topcoat with Acrylic Latex. Also my opinion would be to ditch the sprayer as you will get better paint coverage and thicker coverage with a brush.

  • rwiegand
    10 years ago

    BM Enamel underbody with Impervo Gloss metal and wood topcoat. (both oil based) I did my porch rails about 8 years ago and they still look like new, despite strong sun and weather exposure. Add some Penetrol to improve brushing characteristics if you like. (I too prefer a brush)

  • millworkman
    10 years ago

    Ah there you go rwiegand, Enamel, that was the word I was looking for!

  • sarahandbray
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks!! I was trying to save some time since I have 42 balusters, 3 porch posts, 4 newels, 28' of top and bottom rail to prime and paint two coats.
    That plus 18 other projects, 3 kids, 3 dogs and 2 full-time jobs = one tired mommy!! Might spray primer, first coat, and back brush 2nd coat.
    S

  • millworkman
    10 years ago

    Primer will cover better and form a better sealer brushed than sprayed in my opinion!

  • akamainegrower
    10 years ago

    There are few tasks more time consuming and tedious than scaping and repainting posts, railing, and especially spindles.Eventually you will have to do this no matter what kind or brand of paint. Far better, imho, to leave the natural cedar - properly treated/sealed, of course. It's also possible to paint the posts and railing while leaving the spindles as natural wood finish.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    10 years ago

    Problem with that idea is that never in that house's 130 year history were the spindles anything but a painted finish. And the same is true for every other Victorian house.
    That said, the primer is the most important coat, and it should be brushed into the wood. how you get it on the wood is your choice; you could paint-pump and brush in, or roll on and brush in. The spindles could also be dipped in thinned primer and hung to dry, catching the drips with a brush.
    With cedar, oil primer is de rigueur
    Casey

  • sarahandbray
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ok, Casey...can you help me figure out the thinned primer/dipping process? How do I thin it? How much? How do I hang them? I need logistical help to expedite this tedious process in any way possible. 42 spindles times 3 coats= 126 spindles!!!!!
    Sarah

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    10 years ago

    You'll need a dropcloth, some wire hangers untwisted, and a place to hang them, like joists in a basement or garage.
    You fasten a wire hook into the top with a screw. Dip into a receptacle filled with very thinned-down oil primer, and let them drip off, catching drips before the paint sets with a dry brush.
    This only works for the primer!
    If these were cedar, as I recall, you want to pre-prime any knots with the shellac-based spot primer so they do not bleed through.
    Casey