# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  Sealing the Top Edges of Pergola Timbers

## foccacia

Hi
Any good suggestions as to how I can seal the top edges of my pergola timber. The weathershield paint starts to chip off after about a year.
Cheers
Foccacia

----------


## Bloss

I assuem it's full sun & weather exposed. Even so it usually means the the preparation hasn't been thorough. You need to take it back to bare wood - by sanding, planing or some other mechanical means. Then be sure the timber is full dry and do three coats with the recommended period in between. Any re-coat has to be done before the paint starts to deteriorate so you have to check regularly - at least once year. In that sort of environment you might get 3-4 years, maybe 5. Never the 8-10 they claim. Also depends on the timber type too. I have also used Colorbond flat sheeting in the same colour and cut & pressed to the width of the pergola joists.

----------


## FrodoOne

> Hi
> Any good suggestions as to how I can seal the top edges of my pergola timber. The weathershield paint starts to chip off after about a year.
> Cheers
> Foccacia

  I don't usually look at this forum but I found it when looking at "New Posts". 
There has been quite a time between the first request and any answer! 
However, for what it is worth, exposed pergola timber will always rot and must be protected in some way from rain and sun. 
The best protection is "corrugated plastic sheeting" of some type (or colourbond strips - as suggested by *Bloss*) but, failing that, I would suggest coating at least the upper surfaces of the timbers concerned with an Epoxy Resin - such as "Bote Cote".  (As the name implies, this product is made to protect the hulls of wooden boats.) 
If the timber has many horizontal gaps, due to weathering to date, more than one coat of the Epoxy Resin may be necessary. 
Since this product is not UV resistant, it will then be necessary to  protect the surface of this coating with "Paint" of some sort.

----------


## phild01

If the timber is H3 then rot would not be too much of a worry. Paint chipping off after a year suggests poor preparation or the timber was originally left to open before it was painted.

----------


## r3nov8or

Are there sharp/right angle corner edges on the pergola timbers? If so, this will make it harder for paint to bond and chipping or "letting go" will start at the corners. Sharp corners should be sanded slightly round, or with a router rounded-over or bevelled just slightly - it doesn't take much to improve paint durability

----------

