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A n I n t e r i m R e p o r t o n t h e D e t e r i o r a t i o n o f
P a i n t s o n t h e E x t e r i o r o f H o u s e s i n N o r t h
V a n c o u v e r
D B R - R - 7
H o p k i n s , C . Y . ; G i b b o n s , E . V .
J u l y 1 9 4 8
The material in this document is covered by the provisions of the Copyright Act, by Canadian laws, policies, regulations and international agreements. Such provisions serve to identify the information source and, in specific instances, to prohibit reproduction of materials without written permission. For more information visit http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showtdm/cs/C-42
Les renseignements dans ce document sont protégés par la Loi sur le droit d'auteur, par les lois, les politiques et les règlements du Canada et des accords internationaux. Ces dispositions permettent d'identifier la source de l'information et, dans certains cas, d'interdire la copie de documents sans permission écrite. Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements : http://lois.justice.gc.ca/fr/showtdm/cs/C-42
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA
AN INTERIM REPORT ON THE DETERIORATION OF PAINTS ON
THE
EXTERIOR OF HOUSES I N NORTH VANCOUVERANALYZED by D r . C . Y. H o p k i n s , D i v i s i o n o f C h e m i s t r y a n d N r . E. V. G i b b o n s , D i v i s i o n o f B u i l d i n g R e s e a r c h ( p r e p a r e d f o r t h e C e n t r a l M o r t g a g e and H o u s i n g C o r p o r a t i o n ) O t t a w a J u l y , 1948
OF PAINTS ON THE FXTERIOR O F HOUSES
I N NORTH VANCOUVER
( P r e p a r e d f o r t h e C e n t r a l Nortgage and Rousing C o r p o r a t i o n )
The f a i l u r e o f e x t e r i o r p a i n t s on w a r t i m e h o u s e s under t h e c o n t r o l of t h e C e n t r a l Mortgage and Housing C o r p o r a t i o n h a s p r e - s e n t e d a s e r i o u s m a i n t e n a n c e p r o b l e m f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s . B l i s t e r i n g and p e e l i n g of t h e p a i n t h a s t a k e n p l a c e w i t h i n one y e a r af'ter i t s a p p l i c a t i o n . T h i s h a s o c c u r r e d on h o u s e s of new c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d a l s o o n o l d e r ilouses t h a t have b e e n p a i n t e d a s e c o n d and t h i r d t i m e . The f a i l u r e o f t h e p a i n t i s n o t l o c a l i z e d b u t r a t h e r i t i s country-wide. Sorne l o c a t i o n s a r e worse t h a n o t h e r s b u t t h i s i s a l s o t r u e f o r a d j a c e n t h o u s e s , t h e p a i n t on one d e t e r i o r a t i n g s o o n e r and t o a i z r e a t e r e x t e n t t h a n t h e p a i n t on t h e house n e x t t o I t .
A t t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e C e n t r a l Mortgage and Housing C o r p o r a t i o n ,
F l r . R o b e r t F. L e g g e t , D i r e c t o r o f t h e D i v i s i o n of B u i l d i n g R e s e a r c h , v i s i t e d t h e s i t e s o f s e v e r a l w a r t i m e h o u s e s i n Vancouver w h i l e a t t h e w e s t c o a s t i n June, 1948. From h i s i n i t i a l o b s e r v a t i o n s made a t t h a t t i m e , methods were i n s t i t u t e d i m m e d i a t e l y upon h i s r e t u r n t o Ottawa f o r a t h o r o u g h s t u d y o f t h e problem, t o a s c e r t a i n t h e c a u s e s f o r t h e f a i l u r e of t h e p a i n t .
A m e e t i n g was h e l d on June 30 a t t h e X a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h C o u n c i l which was a t t e n d e d by D r . A. Cambron and D r . C. Y. Hopkins of t h e D i v i s i o n o f C h e m i s t r y , Mr. I. E. A s h f i e l d of t h e C e n t r a l Mortgage
and Housing C o r p o r a t i o n end Mr. L e g g e t , M r . Wolochow and M r . Gibbons o f t h e D i v l s i o n o f B u i l d i n g R e s e a r c h . A f t e r d i s c u s s i o n of t h e
p r o b l e m a t t h i s m e e t i n g i t was p r o p o s e d t h a t D r . Hopkins and M r . 5. V. Gib'oons v i s i t t h e h o u s e s in t h e Vancouver a r e a and make a d e t a i l e d s u r v e y of t h e i r c o n d i t i o n d u r i n g t h e l a t t e r p a r t of J u l y .
A s a r e s u l t o f s u c h a s u r v e y , recommendations would t h e n b e made t o p r e v e n t f a i l u r e upon r e p a i n t i n g and i n c l u d e s u g g e s t i o n s f o r new c o n s t r u c t i o n t o p r e v e n t r e c u r r e n c e o t t h e p a i n t f a i l u r e .
S e v e r a l h o u s e s u n d e r the c o n t r o l of t h e C e n t r a l Nortgage and Housing C o r p o r a t i o n a t Vancouver, 3 r i t i s h Columbia, were examined d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d J u l y 1 9
-
27,
1948. P e e l i n g of e x t e r i o r p a i n t on wood s i d i n g had o c c u r r e d on a c o n s i d e r a b l e number o f t h e s e h o u s e s .P a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n was p a i d t o t h e g r o u p known a s P r o j e c t s
3
and5
i n N o r t h Vancouver. These h o u s e s were b u i l t aSout 1 9 4 2 andwere r e p a i n t e d i n 19115 o r 1946. S h o r t l y a f t e r t h e r e p a i n t i n g ( a c c o r - d i n g t o t h e i n f o r y n a t i o n s u p p l i e d t o u s ) e x t e n s i v e p e e l i n g of t h e p a i n t c o a t i n g t o o k p l a c e on many of t h e d w e l l i n g s .
C o n s t r u c t i o n
The u n i t s a r e one or one-and-a-half s t o r e y and a r e of wood c o n s t r u c t i o n , s e t on c o n c r e t e p o s t s w i t h o u t a basement. Some a r e
finished w i t h wood s h i n g l e s , o t h e r s w i t h p l a i n cedar s i d i n g . The r o o f s a r e wood s h i n g l e s . The w a l l s t r u c t u r e c o n s i s t s of p l a s t e r
b o a r d , studdi-ng, s h e a t h i n g , b u i l d i n g p a p e r , s i d i n g o r s h i n g l e s . There i s no i n s u l a t i o r l i n t h e w a l l s p a c e . C e i l i n g s a r e i n s u l a t e d by rockwood b a t t s w i t h m o i s t u r e - r e s i s t a n t p a p e r backing, l a i d between t h e j o i s t s . There were no a t t i c l o u v r e s i n t h e houses
i n s p e c t e d .
The s p a c e below t h e f l o o r i s e n c l o s e d by b o a r d s which e x t e n d t o and t o u c h t h e ground. Downspouts d i s c h a r g e on t h e ground
c l o s e t o t h e s e b o a r d s .
C o n d i t i o n a t t h e time of i n s p e c t i o n ( J u l y , 1948)
The t y p i c a l dwelling showed v e r y s e v e r e p e e l i n g of p a i n t on t h e e a s t s i d e , moderate damage on t h e n o r t h s i d e and a l e s s e r amount on t h e s o u t h and west. The e a s t s i d e shows t h e g r e a t e s t damage i n p r a c t i c a l l y a l l c a s e s ,
P e e l i n g i s c o n f i n e d t o t h e p a i n t on wood s i d i n g . There i s l i t t l e o r no p e e l i n g on t h e s h i n g l e d w a l l s .
The p e e l i n g i s mainly i n l a r g e s t r i p s , e . g .
4"
x 12", i n d i c a t i n g l o s s of adhesion due t o u n d e r l y i n g q o i s t u r e . There i s e v i d e n c e of e l r l . i e r m o i s t u r e b l i s t e r i n g and t h i s i s confirmed by p e r s o n s who had p r e v i o u s l y n o t e d l a r g e b l i s t e r s on t h e p a i n t c o a t i n g .The damage i s n o t l o c a t e d on any p a r t i c u l a r a r e a of t h e s i d e - w a l l . I n some c a s e s it i s on t h e lower p a r t of t h e w a l l , i n o t h e r s
I t i s on t h e upper h a l f . The p o r t i o n c l o s e t o t h e p r o j e c t i n g e a v e s u s u a l l y shows l e s s danage than t h e remaining a r e a .
R a i n had f a l l e n on
1 7
J u l y b u t dry w e a t h e r p r e v a i l e d f r o m t n a t d a t e u n t i l 26 J u l y . Moisture measurements were made on t h e s i d i n g of s e v e r a l houses on 20 J u l y . The wood was d r y ( 1 0 t o l 2 b m o i s t u r e ) i n v o s t p l a c e s , b u t one o r two wet s p o t s were found(20% m o i s t u r e and h i g h e r ) , On removing a board, marked s t a i n s on t h e b u i l d i n g p a p e r showed t h a t w a t e r had b e e n p r e s e n t under t h e s i d i n g . The s t u d d i n g and s h e a t h i n g b o a r d s were d r y b u t t h e b u i l d i n g p a p e r between t h e sheatrling t h e s i d i n g was damp.
Presumed c a u s e s of p a i n t p e e l i n g
The b a s i c c a u s e of p e e l i n g i n t h i s c a s e i s judged t o have been t h e p r e s e n c e of l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s of m o i s t u r e under t h e s i d i n g s h o r t l y a f t e r p a i n t i n g .
1% i s b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e m o i s t u r e came f r o m a t l e a s t two s o u r c e s , v i z . ( a ) from d a ~ p g r o u n d a-zd g r o u n d w a t e r , a g g r a v a t e d by r a i n w a t e r f r o m downspouts l y i n g under t h e house and ( b ) from
c o o k i n g , w a s h i n g and o t h e r s o u r c e s w i t h i n t h e h o u s e . T n i s f a c t o r i s i n t e n s i f i e d b y t h e p r e s e n c e o f a r e l a t i v e l y l a r g e number of p e r s o n s i n c l u d i n g c h i l d r e n i n h o u s e s of s m a l l volume. A p o s s i b l e t h i r d s o u r c e o f m o i s t u r e i s by p e n e t r a t i o n of r a i n t h r o u g i l t h e j o i n t s i n t h e s i d i n g . T h i s may a c c o u n t f o r t h e s e v e r e s t p e e l i n g on t h e e a s t s i d e , which i s s a i d t o be s u b j e c t t o t h e p r e v a i l i n g winds.
Wnile any one o f t h e s e s o u r c e s of m o i s t u r e m i g h t be i n s u f f i-
c i e n t t o c a u s e t h e damage o b s e r v e d , t h e a c c u m u l a t e d m o i s t u r e f r o m a l l s o u r c e s i s b e l i e v e d t o be r e s p o n s i b l e .
A s e c o n d a r y c a u s e i s p r o b a b l y t h e a p p l i c a t i o n of t h e p a i n t on damp s i d i n g alzd i n wet w e a t h e r . V a r i o u s p e r s o n s s t a t e d t h a t p a i n t i n g had b e e n done under s u c h u n f a v o u r a b l e c o n d i t i o n s o n t h e s e p r o j e c t s .
I n some c a s e s examined, t h e p a i n t coatin: was f o u n d t o e x c e e d t h e t l l i c h e s s u s u a l l y recommended. A l t e r n a t i v e s o l u t i o n s I n o r d e r t o overcome t h e d i f f i c u l t y of p a i n t p e e l i n g on e x i s t i n g h o u s e s , t h e f o l l o w i n g a l t e r n a t i v e s a r e p o s s i b l e : ( a ) Cover t h e s i d e w a l l s w i t h s h i n g l e s
x
i
d t r e a t w i t h s t a i n o r p a i n t . ( b ) Remove t h e s i d i n g and r e p l a c e b y r o u g h s i d i n g ; t r e a t w i t h s t a i n . ( c ) C o r r e c t c o n d i t i o n s l e a d i n g t o m o i s t u r e a c c u m u l a t i o n ( a s f a r a s p o s s i b l e ) and r e p a i n t w h i l e dry. If a l t e r n a t i v e ( c ) i s chosen, t h e f o l l o w i n g recommendations a r e o f f e r e d : 1. S t r u c t u r a l a l t e r a t i o n s ( a ) I n s t a l l a d d i t i o n a l v e n t i l a t o r s i n t h e c r a w l s p a c e b e n e a t h t h e house, t o p r o v i d e a minimum of f o u r8"
x14"
o p e n i n g s . The o p e n i n g s s h o u l d be c l o s e t o t h e c o r n e r s r a t h e r t h a n a t t h e c e n t r e s . ( b ) I n s t a l l a t t i c l o u v r e s , one i n e a c h g a b l e e n d , c l o s e t o t h e peak. The t o t a l a r e a of t h e o p e n i n g s s h o u l d b e n o t l e s s t h a n 2 s q u a r e f e e t f o r e a c h house.( c ) Arrange a d r a i n t o d i v e r t t h e w a t e r from t h e downspouts away from t h e house.
( d ) I n s t a l l a damp c o u r s e o r weather cap between t h e 2" x 10" ground board and t h e boards above.
( e ) R e - n a i l any p i e c e s of s i d i n g which do n o t make t i g h t j o i n t s w i t h t h e a d j a c e n t b o a r d s . T h i s i s t o p r e v e n t r a i n from e n t e r i n g t h e w a l l t h r o u g h t h e j o i n t s .
( f ) L e v e l the e a r t h I n t h e crawl space and e l i m i n a t e any c o n d i t i o n s which would p r e v e n t ground w a t e r from d r a i n i n g away.
( g ) Maintain o r improve s u r f a c e d r a i n a g e so t h a t ground w a t e r c a n n o t remain under o r n e a r t h e house.
2. D e t a i l s of p a i n t i n g
( a ) Use p a i n t from a s u p p l i e r on t h e approved l i s t . ( b ) Remove a l l l o o s e and s c a l i n g p a i n t , p r e f e r a b l y by t h e use of a blow t o r c h . ( c ) Make s u r e t h a t t h e s i d i n g i s dry b e f o r e p a i n t i n g . Determine t h e n o i s t u r e c o n t e n t by means of t h e e l e c t r i c m o i s t u r e m e t e r , t e s t i n g a t l e a s t f o u r p l a c e s on e a c h w a l l . If t h e m o i s t u r e c o n t e n t i s
1pb
o r l e s s , t h e wood i s r e a d y f o r p a i n t i n g . ( d ) Apply t h e f i r s t c o a t on b a r e wood by b r u s h . Thesecond c o a t may be a p p l i e d by b r u s h o r spray. The second c o a t must be a p p l i e d under d r y condi- t i o n s a s d e s c r i b e d i n p a r a g r a p h 2 ( c )
.
( e ) Apply c o a t s of normal t h i c k n e s s , t h a t i s , approximately 1 1/2 m i l s f o r t h e f i r s t c o a t and 2 m i l s f o r t h e second c o a t (1 m i l = 1/1000 i n c h ) .3 .
Record of p a i n t i n q ( a ) I t i s d e s i r a b l e t h a t r e c o r d s be k e p t of t h e p a i n t i n g o p e r a t i o n s under t h e f o l l o w i n g he adings: nuqber of house, d a t e , weatiier c o n d i t i o n s , m a n u f a c t u r e r of p a i n t . ( b ) A sample of e a c h l o t of p a i n t srlould be s e t a s i d e a t t n e time of p a i n t i n g and r e t a i n e d f o r t e s t i f r e q u i r e d . I t should be c a r e f u l l y l a b e l l e d w i t h t h e name of t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r , d a t e and l o c a t i o n o f use.S ummarg 1. I t i s c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e c h i e f c a u s e of f a i l u r e i s e x c e s s i v e m o i s t u r e f r o m s o u r c e s d e s c r i b e d i n t h e p r e c e d i n g p a r a g r a p h s . 2. P o s s i b l e a l t e r n a t i v e s t o f i n l s h i n g w i t h o r d i n a r y s i d i n g arld o i l p a i n t a r e s u g g e s t e d .
3.
I m m e d i a t e r e p a i n t i n g i s recommended i n m o s t c a s e s ,i n o r d e r t o p r o t e c t t h e wood and improve t h e a p p e a r a n c e . .*,inor s t r u c t u r a l a1 t e r a t i o n s a r e r e commended and
d e t a i l s o f > a i n t i n g p r o c e d u r e a r e g i v e n . P a i n t i n g s l l o u l d be d o n e i n t h e d r y s e a s o n b e f o r e b e p t e m b e r t h e 1 5 t h .