as our house is facing west. The sunlight is strong and make the post worn out easily. I am going to make this post more shine. Do i need to sand it then repaint? Or i can repaint it on top of the current paint？how about stain?
Hi @cc1,
The existing coating looks quite worn and deteriorated. In this condition, it’s best not to simply paint or stain over the top, as the new coating won’t adhere properly or last very long. I’d recommend sanding it back to fresh timber first, starting with 80–120 grit sandpaper to remove the old finish, then finishing with 180–240 grit to smooth out any scratch marks and prepare the surface. An orbital sander will come in quite useful, as hand-sanding would be tedious. Make sure to remove all dust before applying your new coating.
If you’re after more shine, you could use an exterior stain and varnish combo, which adds colour and protection in one product, or if you are happy with the colour after sanding, then coat over it with a clear exterior varnish. Just ensure whatever product you choose is exterior grade with strong UV protection, as west-facing timber takes a lot of sun and will need proper protection to keep it looking good long term.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Good afternoon @cc1
My sisters place up Qeensland way has two large timber posts out the front, I was up there one time and it chanced being the "maintenance window" time lol So we sanded them back (They were a little dry and rough) and then oiled them. I prefer oil as I think it penetrates the timber more so, the only down side is you should oil every couple of years at least at first. You will welcome the newness of the look when you do the maintenance :)
Dave
@mitchellmc
Thanks
and
Do i need to fix these cracks before sanding the post? If use the high pressure water to remove the old paint, will it be possible?
Unfortunately, a pressure cleaner would not be able to remove the coating. You'll have to sand them, following the steps provided by Mitchell earlier.
The cracks are superficial in nature, so you don't really have to do anything to them, but after sanding, you can have a look at those cracks and assess whether you'd like to fill them or not. Sometimes sanding can reduce their visibility enough on its own, but if not, you'll need to use an exterior grade filler, such as this Polyfilla Exterior Timber Filler. Unfortunately, this is not a tinted filler, nor are their exterior grade tinted fillers available, so you would need to use a product that contains a stain in order to colour it to match the post.
Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Jacob
I am using 100pa work on this side for nearly half hrs, it is the result. Surface is smooth. However still have the color on it. Is it finish? Can i move the 240pa or i still need to use 100pa ?
Great job so far @cc1.
For the best consistency of your topcoat, it’s ideal to sand the timber back uniformly, aiming to remove any remaining stain so the surface is even. In terms of smoothness, your current sanding with 100 grit looks fine.
However, to prevent the topcoat from appearing blotchy, you’ll need to do a bit more sanding on the darker, still-colored areas.
That said, depending on the level of finish you’re aiming for, you could do a quick finishing sand with 240 grit over the whole surface and then apply your topcoat. This will smooth everything out and save time while still giving a decent result.
thanks @mitchellmc
however i have tried all i can to make it uniformly, i still cannot remove the dark color. If i use bleach, will it work? If it will, any product i can use?
Good Evening @cc1
I would not use bleach, it will damage the timber far more then benifiting lightening the colour.
How light are you wanting to go? Some timbers are darker and some are splotchy by the cvery nature of the timber.
I would go for a lower grit sandpaper to remove more of the timber before heading back to a finer sandpaper to get that smooth look.
thanks guys. It is my finished job. Looks great. 👍
:D @cc1
Winner! That post looks great :) Well worth the effort you put into it.
Nice work @cc1. The difference in your before and after photos is dramatic to say the least. It looks a million times better.
Congratulations on a job well done.
