Time-Tested Performance
Before painting (i.e.: staining, varnishing, etc.) wood, SEAL-IT Wood Sealant is a necessity. We have all seen paint on wood that is flaked, blistered, cracked, or crumbled. Why do paints blister and crack on wood surfaces? It is due to a problem called saponification. When soap is manufactured, the basic ingredients are a form of alkali and oil. The combination of alkali in the wood and the oil in the stain causes saponification, which in this case, is more commonly identified as flaking, blistering, and peeling of paint from the surface. This occurs when using oil-based paints which are rapidly disappearing from the market.
This beekeepers log home is coated with SEAL-IT Wood Sealant. Notice how the beauty of the wood grain is maintained.
Although much better than oil-based paint, the vinyl, rubber, or latex-based paints which are in widespread use today, also have the tendency to peel and crack off the surface. The primary reason for this is that the alkali is still fighting the paints. In the event that these surface coatings are used as a sealer or waterproofing agent, they must be applied and periodically re-applied so that eventually the surface contains many layers of coatings. This provides only temporary relief, with high repeated maintenance costs, while leaving the finished product less than pleasing to the eye.
The application of SEAL-IT Wood Sealant to wood surfaces will give an alkali free and moisture free (i.e. reaction-free) surface for better bonding of paint. When applied in accordance with the manufacturers’ directions, the paint life on the structure can be increased up to 300%, providing a longer “fresh paint” appearance and reducing maintenance costs.
Any treated or surface coatings must first be removed so that SEAL-IT Wood Sealant can penetrate.
On occasion, foreign matter such as grease and oil will float to the surface after applying SEAL-IT Wood Sealant. This foreign matter should be rinsed away with water (in excessive areas, several rinsings may be needed), prior to painting.