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Table of Life Expectancy of Exterior Wood Finishes, Paints, Stains InspectAPedia®  -     Life expectancy chart for exterior paints & stains Paint & stain preparation advice Which wood species & grains hold paint best? Comparing latex vs. oil-based paints (alkyds) Using solid color stains on wood exteriors

Here we provide a table of the typical life expectancy of paints and stains on various types of exterior wood surfaces. This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Also see PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION for details of paint failure cause, diagnosis, cure and prevention. Our page top photo of a painted sign (The Big Tomato luncheonette in Poughkeepsie, NY) shows variation in two paints differing by color and chemistry, applied at the same time to the same surface.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, Steve Bliss, Wiley & Sons, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Table of Life of Exterior Wood Finishes (Paints & Stains) on Various Types of Wood Surfaces

The table provided below is courtesy of Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction by Steven Bliss, and supports our detailed article on the diagnosis and correction of building paint failures at PAINT & STAIN GUIDE, EXTERIOR.

The USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has done extensive research on how to keep paints and stains on wood sidings and trim. In general, they recommend paint for the longest lasting finish and best protection of the underlying wood, followed by solid or semi-transparent stains. Clear finishes need the most frequent recoating and offer the least protection from water damage and UV radiation.

How long a finish will last depends on many variables, including the quality of the finish, type and texture of wood, application conditions, and exposure. South- and west-facing walls get the most sun and are, therefore, often the first to need recoating.

-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

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• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia^® Website
• Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
• Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

PAINT & STAIN GUIDE, EXTERIOR
  Moisture Impact on Paint
  Exterior Surface Paints
  Solid-Color Stains
  Application of Paints & Stains
  Discoloration Problems
  Extractive Bleeding
  Mildewed Exteriors?
  Semitransparent Penetrating Stains
  Clear & Lightly Tinted Finishes
  Bleaching Oils
  Unfinished Siding & Trim
  Product Suppliers
  PAINT & STAIN LIFE CHART
PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION
PAINT FAILURE CHECKLIST
  EXTERIOR CLUES
  INTERIOR CLUES
  SITE HISTORY
  PAINT FAILURE INDICATORS
COMMON PAINTING MISTAKES
  BAD SURFACE PREP
  PAINTING SHORTCUT ERRORS
  PAINT OVER MOISTURE
  INCOMPATIBLE PAINTS
  PAINT in SUN or WIND
  PAINT on STUCCCO, FAILURES
PAINT FAILURE DICTIONARY
PAINT FAILURE ANALYSIS LAB PHOTOS
Paint Failure Case Photographs-SITE
Paint Failure Case Photographs-LAB
PAINT LAB SAMPLE PREPARATION
PAINT REFERENCES

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Wiley.com and also at Amazon.com. See our book review of this publication.
• Paint Failure Diagnostic Procedures - see PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION
• Paint faiures on stucco walls - see PAINT on STUCCCO, FAILURES

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