Barn: Painting

We broadcasted our barn paint and woodwork project the summer of 2009. The work included:
==> Steam Paint Removal: equipment, tools, methods and techniques
==> Lead Safe Operations: personal gear, ground containment, lead residue collection and disposal
==> Woodwork Repairs: clapboard splits, clapboard replacement, filling nail holes
==> Painting: pre-treatments, oil-base primer, acrylic topcoats

Real-time live broadcasts over the internet, "Real time" means that it is not edited for your entertainment pleasure. It shows exactly what it is like to work for hours upon hours, but it is the real work of this world with real benefits.

Watch right here, if it's not live you can view the most recent replay by clicking the big white > arrow, or clicking on "Archive" and selecting past replays in the list beneath. Click on the gray down-arrow to see more episodes. Broadcast doesn't come up or stalls out? Refresh your browser window. You can click on the gray 'slider bar' just beneath the image to jump to another section of the replay.

We are usually too busy to reply in real time to the chat feature in the player above, but you can post questions and comments on our work below, and we'll catch up with you later.

--John
www.HistoricHomeWorks.com

Comment by Randall Marder on June 19, 2009 at 9:21am: Hi, from my 37 years of experience doing historical restoration, I would only use this technique if you are repainting. If you are going to leave the wood natural or stain, this technique will damage the natural patina and wood. Water in any form is a no no.

Comment by John Leeke on June 19, 2009 at 10:56am: Hi Randall

You are right. We usually use this method of paint removal where the wood will be painted. The 'patina' of the wood surface under the old paint is not important, it is usually just plain wood that has always had paint on it, or it is weathered to various degrees of surface deterioration.

>>this technique will damage the...wood. Water in any form is a no no.

It is important understand how wood and water relate when using this method. Water in itself does not damage the wood. Mother Nature has conveniently made wood so that it can absorb water and then release the water without damage to the wood. This is what wood does in the trees and this is what wood does in buildings.

During steam paint removal the moisture content of an outer layer of wood (about 1/16" to 1/8" deep) rises from about 15% moisture content before steaming, to about 20%. The wood deeper in stays at about 15%. About an hour after paint removal the outer layer of wood is down to about 17% moisture content and after 4 to 24 hours is back to 15%. The drying times are shorter with a breeze, lower relative humidity or sun shining on the wood.

Any method of paint removal has the potential to damage the wood, and in practice on building-sized projects there IS damage with any method. The question is, "what amount of damage is acceptable." By understanding and managing the water we end up with little or no damage to the wood. We carefully consider any slight damage to the wood and whether or not is is acceptable during a preliminary testing phase for each project. Is loss due to damage worth the gain of the advantages for any method. With steam the advantages are:

++ no environmental damage as with chemical removal
++ easier to control lead-health risk for workers, occupants and the environment as with mechanical methods, sanding, shaving, grinding, dry scraping
++ will not catch the building on fire as does happen dry high-heat methods
++ water costs much less than chemicals

So, rather than draw a hard line and say, "no water", or "no chemicals," we consider several methods of paint removal and use the one that best fits the requirements of the project. One job was at a hospital and steam paint removal was selected for three reasons: no lead dust, no chemical fumes, and it was quite!

--John
www.HistoricHomeWorks.com

Comment by Randall Marder on June 19, 2009 at 11:24am: I must agree saying no water is a hard line. My concern and I know yours is how can we save historical structures and what techniques can we shared with the "do it your self home owners". I am sure you have seen home owners with the best intentions, trying to save money, damaging historic elements. At the same time I sure you have seen great work by home owners. I would rather take a hard line to protect a historic element than not to. My technique, on how to remove paint, is using soy base (oil base) strippers. That is my technique, not saying it is the only technique, there are others. I established my technique when I was given the opportunity to work at the Gamble House Museum in Pasadena, no water was my hard line. Please understand I just saying my experiences.
With great respect
Randall Marder
R.M. Design & Construction

Comment by Randall Marder on June 19, 2009 at 11:29am: Ops I meant to say. " I am just sharing my experience". Is there a way to make corrections or edit responses?

Comment by John Leeke on June 19, 2009 at 12:11pm: Randall, I'm sure we're on the same wavelength here. The key is for us professionals, and for homeowner as well, to think about what we do. There is no right or wrong way, but every way has a result that is somewhere between good and bad. All this work, and much of life is a balancing act.

Less is More. Sometimes the paint does not even need to be removed !

There is no editing for these responses, however, you can copy your past message, delete it by clicking on the 'x' in the upper right of the response, then start a new response, paste in your message, edit and post.

-J

Comment by Randall Marder on June 19, 2009 at 12:30pm: John, agreed. Good cheer and continue success in our daily balancing act.
Pleasure to meet you
R

Comment by Randall Marder on June 20, 2009 at 11:55am: Hi John,
I been waiting your broadcast. Work looks great, detailed and beautiful work..
Congrats
Randall