HPC of South Bend and St. Joseph County - Standards Update Draft

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 91 For More Information: Paint Maintenance of Paint Here are a few tips for maintaining your painted surfaces to help them last longer . • Remove deteriorated paint only to the next sound layer before applying a new paint layer . • Coat all surfaces of wood repairs, including those that will be concealed, with primer. This is called “back- priming” and helps combat deterioration and warping caused by moisture absorption over time . • Paint all wood porch elements . Painting protects porch elements from exposure and undue weathering . • Reapply an appropriate paint to previously painted metal features after cleaning to avoid accelerated corrosion of the metal . • Remove and then reinstall window and door hardware when painting . Repainting Since paint is designed to wear over time—it is important to regularly inspect the exterior and touch up worn areas as an on-going maintenance process . Here are some suggested steps to determine when a full repainting may be required . 1 . Determine if painting is necessary: Prior to beginning a painting project, determine whether complete repainting is required, or if cleaning and/or spot repainting is more appropriate . By painting more often than necessary, paint layers build up, increasing the potential for future paint failure . Wash with a mild detergent solution and natural bristle brush to freshen a surfaces appearance and verify whether repainting is required . 2 . Inspect Existing Paint for Cause of Failure: To ensure that new paint will last as long as possible, a property owner should inspect existing paint for signs of failure . Remove damaged paint down to sound paint surface or to bare wood, sand smooth and repaint . Some common paint failures include: • Wrinkling: Typically, the result of the topcoat drying before the underlying coat . • Peeling: Possible causes are painting under adverse conditions, inadequate surface preparation and/or moisture infiltration. • Blistering: After cutting into a blister, if wood is visible, the cause is likely moisture related; if paint is visible, the probable cause is that the area was painted in direct, hot sun . • Cracking or Crazing: Typically, the sign of a hard surface that does not expand and contract with the underlying material . • Alligatoring: Sever cracking and crazing . 3 . Repair Causes of Failure: Before repainting all causes of paint failure should be repaired . A substantial amount of paint failure is due to moisture infiltration at the horizontal surface such as windowsill and/or stoop, and migration from the interior of a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room through the exterior wall . Eliminate all sources of moisture and then repair all damaged wood or substrate material prior to repainting. Remediation of moisture can include repairing a gutter and/or downspout; reducing moisture migration through a wall by installing an interior dehumidifier; directing perimeter drainage away from the building foundation; and removing perimeter shrubs and other vegetation .DRAFT