Recommend Paint for Log Cabin?

Beanstalk

Hi folks,

Finalising a purchase on a house that comes with a log cabin out the back. Its currently sealed with some kind of breathable sealant but I think i'd like to paint it over with colour (grey).

Any recommendations on suitable paint? Should I use a primer also?

Thanks!

The Continental Op

Paint it at your peril, if its got something decent on in like Textrol then keep with it. Its easy to maintain and needs minimal preparation for a recoat.

dok_golf

Sadolin Superdec. Superb stuff

Stigura

Beanstalk; Get us a photo of this cabin, please!

bobbyy gee

make sure cabin is legal or you might have to knock it down

when grey fades and peels it will look bad

Beanstalk

yeah its already got Textrol on it and the owner has kindly left enough for one final coat which i might put on for now. it is lovely but i just think i'd like to paint it down the line.

The Continental Op

Beanstalk wrote: »

yeah its already got Textrol on it and the owner has kindly left enough for one final coat which i might put on for now. it is lovely but i just think i'd like to paint it down the line.

Once its been done with Textrol it uses a lot less on subsequent coats, provided you don't leave it too long (every 3 years?). The other thing that I find Textrol does is soak right into any wood that is starting to go soft, harden and help preserve it.

I'd love to tell you that you can't paint over Textrol :pac: but I know its compatible with any oil based paints and I doubt it will upset any water based paints provided its weathered a bit.

Anyway doing one coat might convert you

Beanstalk

Thanks everyone, here's a pic of the cabin.



The owner has really looked after it with the Textrol too. I need to seal the roof again with something though. there's no leaks its due one. any thoughts? Its a felt roof.

Lumen

It's getting late in the year to apply Textrol (or pretty much anything).

https://www.owatrol.ie/product/textrol/

Textrol may only be applied to bare wood surfaces or a weathered wood that was previously finished with Textrol. All other oils or sealers must be completely and thoroughly removed with a wood oil remover such as Owatrol’s Aquanett and then the surface must be cleaned and neutralised with Net-Trol before applying Textrol. If necessary sand the surface after cleaning and stripping (80 grit paper). After cleaning, allow the wood to dry for 2-3 days before finishing.
...
Apply between 5°C and 35°C.
...
Do not apply if cold and/or wet weather is expected within 24-48 hours.

Good luck finding that run of fine weather at the moment. I've found that even when there's sunny symbols on the weather forecast going out a full week, we're still getting rain at night and the weather is very changeable.

Maybe leave it until next year.

edit: misread instructions, see below

Beanstalk

yeah might have to wait now until the Spring alright

cheif kaiser

It would be an absolute shame to paint that IMHO.

Would you no consider giving it a coat of Sikkens, it would bring out the grain in the wood and show it off?

The Continental Op

Lumen wrote: »

It's getting late in the year to apply Textrol (or pretty much anything).

https://www.owatrol.ie/product/textrol/



Good luck finding that run of fine weather at the moment. I've found that even when there's sunny symbols on the weather forecast going out a full week, we're still getting rain at night and the weather is very changeable.

Maybe leave it until next year.

You've not used it then? That shed hardly needs doing and all it needs is a wipe over with a damp cloth to clean it. The Textrol finish hasn't weathered so it will use very little Textrol which will dry in less than an hour on a Sunny day. The problem will be getting the excess Textrol off rather than getting it on. Ideally you don't want any left on the surface you want it to all soak in which it hardly does if you use it regularly. Textrol isn't like a paint its more like a preservative because it soaks right into the wood and then hardens. Thats were it gains an advantage over paint and varnish because there is no surface coat to peel off or need sanding/removing when you recoat it.

Now if you really want to keep it looking good like the picture the way to do it is to do a yearly wipe over with Textrol but most people don't have the time for that and leave it longer. I do every our extension every 2 years because of its exposure to the elements. If the wood does fade between coats then Netrol is the stuff you use to revive it.

To keep that shed looking perfect all it needs is a light scrubbing with a soft brush and Netrol then a hose it off. It can be left as long as necessary until we get a good dry day then a light coat of Textrol. The long drying time after washing is only when the wood is absorbing water and needs to dry out. I suspect water will run straight off that shed.

Short term paint will look better for longer between repainting but will take a lot more preparation each time and not protect the wood quite as well. Where the paint covers the shed it will be fine but the movement of the wood will open up the gaps in the timber which won't have any paint on them. Textrol tends to soak into the gaps. I tend to paint the gaps first then use any excess to paint the boards.

But at the end of the day its all down to how people want the thing to look. I like the wood.

Lumen

The Continental Op wrote: »

You've not used it then?

I haven't done a reapplication, no.

Apologies to the OP, I misread the instructions which in fairness are slightly ambiguous.

"Textrol may only be applied to bare wood surfaces or a weathered wood surface that was previously finished with Textrol. All previous coating must be completely and thoroughly removed..."

I guess it means "all other previous coatings must be completely and thoroughly removed".

Thanks for the correction.