Homes that are built by the ocean are gorgeous and desirable. However, they quickly become less attractive and desirable if the paint peels. Unfortunately, homes near the sea take quite the punch and are most susceptible to peeling and mildew. You need to know which pain to use on a beach hut to avoid this.
When it comes to coastal homes, experts recommend using latex acrylic paint. While oil paints were commonly used in the past, they do not stand the test of time and latex paints. Ideally, the paint you use should also have a mildewcide additive to prevent mildew from growing on the paint.
Choosing which paint to use is critical to ensure your beach hut keeps looking fresh and new. You should buy high-quality paint and steer clear of contractor-grade or economy-grade paint as it will not last as long. Aside from the paint you use, applying the paint is also important. We will discuss properly applying paint on a coastal home and touching up the paint.
Why Is Special Paint Necessary For A Beach Hut?
Going to the beach is lovely. You feel refreshed and tired, in a good way, after a day at the beach. However, what you also feel is sticky. Sand, salt, and wind all contribute to that sticky feeling we get at the beach.
Coincidentally, these things also stick to a house at the beach. Beach houses are usually covered in a layer of salt from the ocean. Beach huts are also exposed to more sun damage, and the scarcity of trees only adds to the sun exposure.
Furthermore, many beach huts have gardens with irrigation and plants that grow close to the home. This contributes to mildew increasing on a house. All these factors are the reasons why it is essential to use high-quality latex acrylic paint with a mildew additive.
Although this paint can be used on any house in any location, it is manufactured explicitly for coastal houses. As a result, it lasts longer against the sun and salt exposure than other types of paint would.
How To Apply Paint To A Beach Hut
Once you have decided on the best paint to use for your beach hut and hopefully purchased a beautiful color, you can start to prepare your house for painting. There are a couple of things you must do before painting your home. Although these steps take some time, skipping them will make your paint peel and fade faster.
Step 1: Wash The House
It is essential to wash your entire house before painting it to remove any salt and mildew that may grow on the house. To wash your home, mix trisodium phosphate with bleach and water. Use this mixture to wash all the surfaces you wish to paint.
If you don’t wash your house before painting it, the salt layer will cause the paint to adhere less effectively to the wood and will cause it to fade and peel.
Step 2: Apply A Primer
Before painting your house, you should apply a primer to the surface. The primer will seal the wood and prevent it from sustaining water damage. It will also help the paint to adhere better to the wood. Experts recommend that you apply the primer as soon as possible after washing the surfaces.
Apply two layers of primer, giving sufficient time for drying between the coats. Should there be strong wind or heavy rain between coats, you should wash down the house before applying the next primer layer to remove any salt that may have settled on the house.
While applying the primer, also remember to apply primer to the backs of any trimmings to protect them from damage. If you have pine trimmings, you should also seal any knots, defects, and end grains. This will help to ensure that the sap does not bleed from the wood and ruin the paint.
Step 3: Sand Down The Wood
After applying your two coats of primer, you should sand down the wood. Do so between each coat of paint as well to ensure the paint adheres correctly. This will also help the paint to last longer.
Step 4: Time To Paint The Beach Hut
Finally, you can paint the beach hut! You must apply a minimum of two layers of paint to your beach hut to ensure the paint lasts longer and doesn’t peel. Depending on the color you are using and the harshness of the area, you may need to apply a third coat. Remember to sand the wood between coats and wash the house if there have been strong winds between coats.
While all these steps add to the time and costs of painting a beach hut, they will add to the lifetime of the work, and you won’t have to repaint it for a much longer time. Of course, touch-ups are necessary from time to time, and the house will need to be repainted in the future. However, by initially taking the correct steps to paint a beach hut, you won’t need to spend as much money doing these things later.
When Should You Repaint A Beach Hut?
Unfortunately, regardless of the effort you spend painting your house correctly, you will eventually need to repaint the house. Luckily, by following the correct steps when painting your beach hut, you will only have to repaint it about every ten years.
Touch-ups might be necessary in between repainting, and it is vital to check your beach hut regularly for any damage, such as peeling or mildew. If there is any damage, sand down and repaint that area. If the original paint is done correctly, you should be able to go about ten years before needing to repaint your house.
You may need to touch up your house between three and five years after the original paint. Make sure you monitor the condition of your home regularly, however. This way, you can touch up any peeling or mildew before it becomes a bigger problem.
Conclusion
It is best to use high-quality latex acrylic paint for a beach hut. Acrylic paint lasts longer than oil-based paints, and fewer touch-ups will be necessary. Be sure to buy a paint that also has a mildewcide additive to keep mildew from growing on your beach hut.
It is vital to follow the correct preparation steps before painting your beach hut to ensure the paint lasts longer before it needs to be repainted. Although these steps will lengthen the process and increase the cost, they will save you time and money in the future.
References
- https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/home-diy/painting/how-often-repaint-exterior.htm
- https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/exteriors/painting-the-coastal-home_o
