How to Refinish Wood Siding

Wood siding protects your home and affects its appearance.

The purpose of wood siding is to protect and insulate a home, but the appearance of your siding also affects the house's appearance. After prolonged exposure to sunlight, dirt and moisture, your wood siding look dull, weather worn and in need of refinishing. Refinishing your wood siding will improve its appearance and help it last longer. The best way to refinish your wood siding is to thoroughly clean it and then apply a fresh coat of paint.

Things You'll Need

• House paint
• Brush
• Trisodium phosphate
• Hard-bristled brush
• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Scrub the wood siding with a hard-bristled brush and a solution of trisodium phosphate. This will clean the wood and prepare it for refinishing. Make sure to scrape off any old paint that is peeling off.

2. Rinse the wood siding with a garden hose until the runoff water is clear. Allow the wood siding to completely dry. This should take at least 24 hours.

3. Paint the bottom edge of the wood siding with a brush and house paint.

4. Paint the wood siding with the brush and house paint, starting from the top and working down. While painting, start from the left side and paint towards you, stopping in front of where you are positioned.

5. Paint from the right side of the wood siding to the end of your previous stroke. Feather the brush by gently pushing the brush against the wood siding to blend your strokes. This will give your refinishing job an even look.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the weather before painting outside as humidity and wind can ruin a refinishing job

• Wear gloves and goggles when scrubbing and painting your wood siding.

References

• Home Depot: How To Paint Siding