In theory you can paint any wood under the sun. In practice, paint (solvent-based or emulsion, is usually applied only to softwoods spruce (whitewood), European redwood (deal), pine and the like — and to man-made boards such as plywood, blockboard, hardboard and chipboard.

Hardwoods and boards finished with hardwood veneers can be painted, but are usually given a clear or tinted finish to enhance their attractive colour and grain pattern.

What Woods Can Be Painted

Paint systems

If you’re decorating new wood, there’s more to it than putting on a coat of your chosen paint It would just soak in where the wood was porous and give a very uneven color certainly without the smooth gloss finish expected It wouldn’t stick to the wood very well, nor would it form the continuous surface film needed for full protection. All in all, not very satisfactory, So what s needed is a paint system which consists of built-up layers, each one designed to serve a particular purpose.

The first in the system is a primer (sometimes called a primer/sealer) which stops the paint soaking into porous areas and provides a good key between the bare wood and the paint film. Next, you want another ‘layer’ — the undercoat — to help build up the paint film and at the same time to obliterate the color of the primer, so that the top coat which you apply last of all is perfectly smooth and uniform in color.

With some paints — emulsions and non-drip glosses — an undercoat is not always used and instead several coats of primer or two top coats are applied with the same result

The general rule to obey when choosing primer, undercoat and top coat is to stick with the same base types in one paint system, particularly out of doors and on surfaces subjected to heavy wear and tear (staircases and skirting boards, for example). On other indoor woodwork you can combine primers and top coats of different types.

If the wood you are painting has been treated with a preservative to prevent decay (likely only on exterior woodwork) an ordinary primer won’t take well. Instead use an aluminum wood primer — not to be confused with aluminum paint — which is recommended for use on all hardwoods too Oily woods such as teak must be degreased with white spirit and allowed to dry before the primer is applied.

As far as man-made boards are concerned, chipboard is best primed with a solvent- based wood primer to seal its comparatively porous surface. Hardboard is even more porous, and here a stabilizing primer (a product more usually used on absorbent or powdery masonry surfaces) is the best product to use. Plywood and blockboard should be primed as for softwood. There’s one other thing you need to know.

It the wood you want to paint has knots in it you should brush a special sealer called knotting over them to stop the resin oozing up through the paint film and spoiling its looks If the knots are live — exuding sticky yellowish resin — use a blow-torch to draw out the resin and scrape it off before applying knotting.