Please note that this is a scanned copy of a paper originally published in 1997, so the text is not as clear as in documents created as pdf files.

Explains the principles underlying the successful painting of exterior wood, with details of paint systems and of the initial and maintenance painting process. It discusses: the structure of wood and its effects on the application and durability of paint, moisture content and dimensional changes, effects of surface finish and end grain sealing, and external influences such as water, solar radiation, micro-organisms and the risk of decay. 8 pages. Replaces Digest 354.