Painting Your Playhouse
Once a playhouse has been erected, as with all wooden garden buildings, it is imperative to treat the building or to paint it to make it ready for whatever the weather will throw at it. Without treating the building in a EN71 compliant high quality wood preserver or paint the wood of the wooden playhouse will still be exposed to the elements and it will become damaged.
Which Paint Should You Use?
Firstly you should work out whether the wooden playhouse is going to be used inside or outside. This will affect the type of paint you will be required to use. However all paints should be EN71 compliant to keep them safe for use on a playhouse. If your playhouse is for external use then the paint must be waterproof and be able to take varying temperature and direct sunlight.
Priming the Wooden Playhouse
A quality primer is necessary for a kids playhouse that is either to place inside or outside. The primer will make the final paint work last longer and make the top coats adhere to the wood evenly. Using a latex primer will help protect the childrens playhouse more, but make sure it is one that specifically chosen for your designated colour.
Latex Paint, Water or Oil Based?
Latex paint is easy to use and cleans up well with water, however it is more expensive. The latex paint dries quicker and a second coat can be applied to the playhouse in only a couple of hours where as an oil based paint may take up to a day to dry the first coat. Water based paints are the safest to use with children in mind however they may need to be reapplied more frequently.
Quality Paint is Essential
Cutting corners when painting the playhouse will only result in your having to do more maintenance work later on, on the playhouse. Cheaper paints will cover less efficiently and will break up quicker. The old adage says: ‘Buy cheap, buy twice’ and this is true when painting a wooden building that will be getting continual use and sustain a lot of wear and tear.
Expansion of Boards
When your playhouse has been up for a while and has seen a few seasons pass by you may find that the boards of the panels have moved slightly exposing areas that have not been painted. Make sure to paint these areas as soon as you notice them as they may be letting water in to the building, which will, over time damage the building.
Tips:
- If you are not sure which paint is best for your purposes visit your local DIY store.
- Ask an experts advice as often they have handy tips and excellent knowledge.
- Make sure to fill all of the gaps, nooks and crannies with paint.
- Get your child or whoever the playhouse is intended for to help choose the colour.
- Make painting the kids playhouse a family project and keep it fun.
- Reapply the paint on an annual basis.
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