Filed under: preventative maintenance, weekend projects, outdoor

We have a pergola out in our yard. A sprawling wisteria makes its home there, twining its way relentlessly around the wooden support posts. When the wisteria blooms in spring, it’s a beautiful sight to see. Sadly, the above photo was taken the spring before last, and lately I’m noticing my poor pergola’s not looking quite so charming.

Yes, it’s instance to consider a little pergola maintenance. Honestly, I’m dreading it. All those posts! All that pruning and trimming! All that sanding! All that wrestling with the ladder and drop sheets! Ugh. So I made a plan. First, I did a little online research on pergola maintenance, to arm myself with the facts. Second, I figure I’ll psych myself up all winter, so when the weather warms up and it’s duration to paint, I’ll be all prepared and will have no excuse to procrastinate further!

So much for my plan. Let me share with you the tips I found.

1) Okay, that first one is not a tip, it’s an observation. Repainting a pergola is dreaded by every homeowner who has one of these structures. I know that considering every date I Googled various keywords, I got tons of hits from fake pergola manufacturers! We’re talkin’ fiberglass, composite, plastic, you name it. The biggest selling point of these

charmless wood substitutes? No painting. Ever. But, folks, that’s just not the same as real wood.

2) The best summary of how to approach that task can be found on the do-it-herself website BeJane. Apart from that, there’s not much else out there.

3) Be realistic. Accept that a pergola repaint requires extensive prep work. The painting itself is very time-consuming, too, with all those posts, many of them overhead. Having to work around established plants (like the main branches of my wisteria) additionally takes duration and patience. So expect the job to take at least a full weekend.

4) Get the right gear. BeJane has a handy list of all the stuff you’ll need, from sanders to sponges.

5) Sanding correctly is key. The more carefully you sand, the longer the paint will last. It’s tempting, I know, but the experts say don’t skip that step. (Darn!)

6) A paint sprayer can speed up the process, but whether you’ve never used one before, expect to spend instance setting it up and cleaning it all out when you’re done. next there’s the money you’ll spend on purchasing or renting one. A low-tech roller and brush may be easier in the enlarged run for beginner DIY’ers.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Orginal post by Diane Rixon