Seems it's not a new problem – from 2008

A few years ago paints in Australia were oil-based enamels or water-based acrylic and worked well. Then a couple of manufacturers introduced enamels that were suitable for water clean-up. They were horrendous. Did not cover well, streaky when brushed, fussy about which undercoat/primer they would work with, and the cleanup was worse with water than when using turps. Found some other brands that still do the standard water-based acrylic and that is pretty much all I will use these days. Tradition was that you used gloss enamel on interior trims (skirtings, architraves etc) but I have used gloss acrylics for these with no problems and they are easier to repair when damaged. The only enamels I use now are in spray cans for use on metal.

some years ago I painted a steel stationary engine trolley for my Blackstone,it was black Dulux ONCE paint, it had a brown tinge in strong sunlight. its called once because you use it once and never use it again,a long time I used Dulux trade on another trolley and iron wheels,this time it took about two weeks to dry and still did not really feel really dry. left it all winter to harden off and mounted the engine on the trolley in the spring. For trolley steel work I now use Screwfix aerosol black.Very difficult to obtain a good black enamel nowadays.

I'm fully converted to linseed oil paints for exterior joinery.

I was turned on to them by a friend of a friend who does restorative and architectural joinery work for the national trust and the likes.

Over several years I have slowly stripped and repainting all the woodwork on the house with "Kregzdeit" brand linseed oil paint and whilst it's odd stuff to work with, it goes on extremely well, smells lovely when you're working with it, and lasts phenomenally well even in harsh applications.

Properly applied it won't blister or crack and has sufficient flex to move with the wood as moisture content changes through the year. Over 4-5 years the exterior surface goes a bit powdery, but you can wipe it down and apply another coat of oil (from the same manufacturer) to bring it back to full gloss with a single coat.

Supposedly if that's kept up it will last around 20-25 years before repainting is needed… Certainly in the time I've been using it my father has had to fully prep and repaint the windows on my parents house twice whilst mine just soldier on.

What it isn't however is cheap… Big upfront cost at about £85 per 2.5l can for the initial paint, although the Oil for maintenance is cheaper than repainting with conventional gloss by a country mile.

It felt like a gamble going "buy once, cry once" on exterior paint, but does seem to be paying off, would recccomend.

Edited By Jelly on 06/06/2023 18:00:06

I appear to have mis-spelled it, the correct spelling is "KREIDEZEIT".

I have bought it from Mike Wye Associates up to now.

(You have to request a quote online, then they'll confirm their stock levels and email a pro-forma invoice over, which you can pay via the bank or by card over the phone… It's a bit faffy, but the product is worth it IMO)

A friend of mine was apprenticed as a painter and decorator and in those days they were taught to mix their own paints which included linseed oil and the required pigments. I find modern paints do not last, the slightest amount of weather outside and the paints start to fail, I rue the day that they banned lead based paints I always had good results with them and having grown up in an environment of lead based paints I seem to have survived unscathed, sure there are dangers with lead based products but you manage the risks, man has learnt to live with fire although I am sure some would ban it if they could. Dave W

Our older house was painted in Antifoul marine paint in 1971, we only painted it in 2013, because we had the windows and the sliding doors replaced with newer double glazing units. The paint was still good after all those years. Since it was repainted, we now get all the usual insects like prayingmantis nesting and spiders etc. The cost to buy the newer version of the antifoul paint was nearly 6k.

So in 40 years, it was actually a cost effective option, especially if you work where it's used and can buy a hose lot alot cheaper than paying full retail.

The repaint, was done in a water based elsatomeric membrane paint, it's now been 10 years since the work was done, and the paint is in excellent condition. So this is a very viable paint, and being that it has lasted 10 years now will be very happy recommend this type of paint.

Neil

Sadolin Superdec Opaque was always my "go to" paint for exterior woodwork doing exactly what it said on the tin about coverage and 5 year life and no rubbing down required on repainting. So i had no hesitation in buying a tin to paint my side gates. What a disappointment. Difficulty in covering blemishes and overall coverage poor ….3/4 of litre tin to do 2 gates. As my neighbour remarked, I might as well have been painting with water! I did note however that the product now emanates not from Sadolin but from Crown. So looking for a replacement product for the future. Sikkens (Sico) comes to mind unless anyone can enlighten me further.

Mick

Edited By mick H on 18/06/2023 10:02:12

I am not expressing an opinion!, but the danger of working and preparing old lead covered surfaces is a big issue, seem to have been glossed over. Sorry!

Loads of stuff out there on internet about the dangers, diy, trade body guidlines etc quite frightening.

A bit off topic, but I can remember my dad taking a sander to the 1950s nobbly ceiling, most of which contained asbestos, filled the house with dust mum was not pleased, You just don't know what damage was done?

Edited By Pete White on 18/06/2023 14:47:10

Bedec MSP (Multi Surface Paint) is what I used to paint our new hardwood windows around 4 years ago now, still look as good as they day they were painted. Painting external wood is an area of much debate and opinions, like everything elee I suppose. Bedec MSP is waterbased, flexible and breathable, dries very quickly (in comparison to oil based), hardly any odour and requires no primer for wood. They have a selection of colours but I had some mixed by the company themselves in Farrow and Ball colours. Would recommend to anyone with external joinery to paint. It differs from Bedec Barn paint, as mentioned above, in that MSP is for planed timber and Barn paint is for rough sawn, so they say anyway, I have no experience of Barn paint.

Edited By Craig Brown on 18/06/2023 19:05:26