Terry wrote in
:

On Wed, 12 Apr 2006 22:05:44 -0500, Al Bundy
wrote:

"Ken Moiarty" wrote

I'm having to replace the outside mouldings (and possibly frame) of
a doorway on my garage. This doorway is on a side that is very
often exposed to "horizontal rain" due to local blustery winds
during rainy (Vancouver) weather, and as a result the mouldings (and
possibly door frame) have become water logged and are rotting.
Therefore, after to do the repairs, I want to be sure the problem
doesn't recur by using a paint and/or sealer that will keep the wind
driven rain from breaking through and causing damage to the wood for
some time to come. Therefore... any recommendations anybody?

Aside from priming and painting the standard stuff, couple of things I
can think of "to be sure the problem doesn't recur":

Is there any of the "composite" molding available where you are. Never
rots. Doesn't split when nailed or screwed. Paintable. Here for
instance, brick molding comes in primed pine and the composite stuff.
Price for either is comparable.

I disagree wth this advice. Using a composit material in this
situation is likely to leave you with rotting wood behind the moulding
(in the frame), which is more difficult to deal with than rotting
molding.

Not sure if you have a table and chop saw or your abilities. Make some
out of PT. Make sure you let it dry (few weeks maybe). Then prime and
paint.

Disagree wth this, too. First, because you'll be making lots of cuts,
you'll be exposing the interior of the wood, where the PT checmicals
haven't reached. To maintain the PT, you should dip the cut ends. But
if you do that, paint won't hold to the wood. Paint doesn't bind very
well to PT wood anyway, leading to water getting behind the PT wood
and into the frame.

Second, pressure treated wood won't rot (right away), but it will
crack and split due to exposure (or just over time, because PT is
rarely well dried). Because PT wood tends to be low quailty wood to
begin with, it tends to split pretty easily. And then you'll again be
dealing with water problems in the frame.

I would recommend just doing a good job with traditional materials.

1. Backprime every piece of wood you use. In your situation, I would
prime the non-exposed frame pieces, as well. Prime all the cut
end-grains. Use a good quality oil-based primer.

2. Use a high quality oil-based paint.

3. While you're doing the repairs, consider how water can escape from
behind the moulding if it gets there. Allow for "drainage".

4. Check it a few times a year and repair any breaks in the paint film
or other problem you see.

Anther thought would be to consider using cedar. I don't have any real
experience with it -- I live in the US North East, and the only cedar
we see is in siding. But in Vancover you might be able to get other
sizes in cedar. But check with others here or at your local stores, as
I don't know enough about cedar to recommend it - just something to
look into.

Terry



You make some good points & possibilities Terry. Could contest some a
little but that's not getting anyone anywhere.

If done via painting, endpriming and back priming are a must like you
said. Painting with oil based is another. In cases where the endcuts are
very likely to get repeated water exposure, I've even coated the ends
with silicone. Not sure how effective it was but I don't think it hurt.