# Forum Home Renovation Painting  Painting Instructions for VJs and Skirtings

## BrissyBrew

I have an old Queenslander with VJ (tongue and grove) ceilings and walls. Skirting boards are a mix of old oil based enamel paint and new bare board, I also have an extension built that has MDF panelling used and a few new finger jointed VJs as well.  Issues: Preparation, Priming, Gap Filling and Painting. *Preparation *  Step 1. Sugar soap evening Step 2. Sanding /Scrubbing I assume walls and skirting boards will need a light sand, although I have read that Zinsser Primer does not need a sanded surface preparation. I assume a light sand or scrub with steel wool on the skirting boards is still in order but let be honest I am not sanding inside the groves of the VJs. *Priming -* Zinsser make two primers I am considering using, B.I.N (metho based) and bulls eye 123 (water based).  I assume the water based primer would be more flexible, and a lot less cleanup etc. Anybody have feedback on these products? They appear highly recommended.   Can Zinsser be applied to MDF, the MDF is pre-primed but there are a few esposed edges that have been routered to give a curved edge on. *Gap filling VJs-* Selleys Weatherboard seems to be the only gap filler recommended by Selleys for tongue and grove boards and has 25% stretch compared to 10% of standard no more gaps. Although for skirting boards architraves etc I will be using standard no more gaps, due to be approximately 1/3 of the price of the weatherboard no more gaps. I assume gap filling should be done after the application of a primer. *Top Coats x 2* Finish Wall Paint - Dulux acrylic, easy and some flex to cope with the movement in the timber. *Skirting Boards, Trims and Doors* For skirting and doors - I have not decided if I am going to use dulux aqua enamel (water based) or enamel (oil based).  I only have a few features that will be white around windows all other skirting boards etc will not be white so I assume yellowing is not an issue.  I have used the aqua enamel before even with flowtrol it was still a bugger to apply and I really dread the idea of trying to paint more doors with it. I am leaning towards oil based paint for at least skirtings and doors.
If I am asking for touble anywhere with what I have planned or anybody has some recommendations it would be great to hear them.

----------


## Possum63

Hi there  :Smilie:  
We are at the same place you are..... we have just stripped lead paint from old VJ walls and about the re-paint. We haven't n more gaps yet... not looking forward to it all, 12ft ceilings, all the walls and ceilings are VJ. 
I would love to see some photos of your project.  
Let me know what you did etc... 
Possum

----------


## munro

For me, VJ is something my brother used to sail on Sydney Harbour (aka Vaucluse Junior). Can you please translate your meaning of "VJ"

----------


## ringtail

Bwahahahahahaha. Spot the non- Queenslander. Sorry Munro, couldnt help myself. VJ 's are a type of wall and or ceiling lining typical in old Queenslanders. The term VJ,( depending who you talk to ) refers to the " vertical join " in the boards ( in wall applications) OR the shape of the actual join formed by the tongue and groove, which is a V. But in reality VJ's are just tongue and groove timber boards

----------


## Possum63

couldn't have said it better Ringtail...  :2thumbsup:

----------


## BrissyBrew

Now we have given an ear bashing to people from down south about VJs any ideas about my paiting plans?

----------


## ringtail

G'day BrissyBrew, Ive used the BIN with great results, both as a primer on glossy things like aluminium etc.. and to cover dark paint / timber before repainting. I'd be gapping after priming, amazing what you can see after a coat of white. I think the aqua enamel is a cop out ( LOL). Real gloss all the way for doors, skirts and archs. I find the best way to gloss a door is to use a foam roller then tip it off with a good quality brush. Piece of cake, takes 5 mins per side ( on a redicote door) and gives a brilliant finish. Just make sure you add penetrol to the the glos to make it flow and sit down better.

----------


## BrissyBrew

I am a bit shy of using BIN on the walls and ceiling as I will be putting a water based coat over the top, hence why I am thinking of using Bulls Eye 123 instead. But I guess I could use BIN on doors and skirtings that I am going to use an oil based paint on. My doors alwas are not redicote doors and will rquire a bit more work to get the inlays right.

----------


## ringtail

Oops, sorry mate, I meant to say the Bullseye 1 2 3. Thats what I have used with great results.I just went downstairs to check the tin. It works great.

----------


## BrissyBrew

> Oops, sorry mate, I meant to say the Bullseye 1 2 3. Thats what I have used with great results.I just went downstairs to check the tin. It works great.

  Thanks for checking the tin. Zinsser seems to have a pretty good reputation for primers, I heard a lot of good things about BIN, but water based Bulls Eye 123 is just easier for the walls and ceiling and likely to be more flexiable than BIN. My only grip is bunnings only sells it in 4L tins.  Friday night in brissy we had a bit of storm out my way the water brew in horizontal like in an opening (no installed window yet) and hit the top of doors 3 meters away. I have new red cedar balustrade fully exposed on a sundeck, so the driving rain did a good job of pushing out the sap, unfortunately it has left tiles and grout stained, even after an hour of scrabbing. Off on Saturday for emergency priming job, Zinsser Cover Stain is what Zinsser recommends for red tannin bleeding timbers. A bit gluggy to paint with but I will be interested in the result. I primed the same type of balustrade at the front veranda with Dulux and I have resin bleed in a few spots. Obviously the fully exposed deck is going to weather worse. Will provide feedback on this in a the next few months. Enough for me back to painting.

----------


## GlennB

hey guys i couldnt help but read your posts about bin primer and notice your concern that it only comes in 4L cans which will become expensive quickly... 
have you considered or heard  of solver paints ?  
they stock a all purpose primer that acts as a substitute to traditional oil base undercoat. the product is called Solver Maxi Prep and it comes in 20L drums  :Biggrin:    http://www.solverpaints.com.au/docum...SU-4592-01.pdf 
theres a link for the product. 
iv used it many times internal and external mainly on older style homes as oil based undercoat sometimes doesnt have the coverage properties this product does.

----------


## BrissyBrew

> hey guys i couldnt help but read your posts about bin primer and notice your concern that it only comes in 4L cans which will become expensive quickly...

  The tins are actually only 3.75L (1 Gallon) 
I made Bunnings price beat a local price, 
Bulls Eye 123 came out at $14.40L, 
BIN came out at $16.80L
Bringing the price in range of Dulux primers.

----------


## paintchick

zinseer products are available in a larger can sizes a 10l and 19l for the bullseye. You can usually find them at trade paint stores such as 3D or Paint Place stores. If they dont have it in stock im sure they will happily order it in for you. It is always a good idea to give a light sand to the surface before applying any coating just to help with adhesion and remove any blemishes on the surface. When gapping the boards keep in mind that gaps are left to allow for expansion and contraction. If you gap all the boards it is possible that it could cause the boards to warp if they arent allowed to move. This is the reason that alot of companies dont make a gap filler for weather boards. you are right to prime then fill. When using sugar soap make sure you only use it to the concentration on the bottle as if you make it any stronger you will need to rinse the walls with clean water afterwards. If you use a scourer with the sugar soap you will wash and sand at the same time. Its not recommended to use steel wool with acrylic coatings because if any bits get caught in the timber they can rust through the water based coating.

----------


## BrissyBrew

Hi PaintChick 
I did chase up a couple paint places and unless I was interested in trade quanities 100L a month they were not interested. I guess it varies from store to store a lot. 
The old VJ walls were put in green/air dried about 100 years ago.  Hence why most walls have developed big gaps, the ceiling for instance I could gaps so big I could see clear though, I am really sick of dust/soot like particles raining from my celing.  I have seen a lot of queenslanders gap filled and observed the following. No buckling, but recracking open yes, mainly where people have used cheapo gap filler.  The selleys weatherboards gap fillers stretches 25% normal selleys only 10-15%. Lesser brands 5 to 10%. 
I like the scrubber idea, but I was going to use a broom to get into the actual VJ gaps and clean them out, thinking this would make the sugar soaping process quick. If i mix as per instructions I dont need to rinse or is it the case I might be able to get away without rinsing.  Afterwards was thinking of running the orbital sander over the walls and ceilings with a 180 or 220 grit paper grit paper. 
Skirtings are off for the entire house so going to sand, prime and maybe 1 top coat before putting them back on. 
Trims, archs and doors I am going to sand espeically the falt spots due to the many coats of paint and prime with BIN as they are oil based.

----------


## BrissyBrew

I have found BIN a little difficult to work with, it dries super fast, too fast, the idea of brushing over something is just not on. It does self level well but is thin.

----------

