I have 15 columns on porches around my house. They are painted white. About 3 years ago I painted them with white oil based exterior paint. After about 6 months they started to mold. I cleaned them with bleach and they were fine again. It takes alot of work to scrub 15 12 ft. columns. Someone told me to paint them with a latex exterior paint instead of a oil base and I would not have the mold problem . that did not work either. Last summer I finally put putty in all of the nail holes and repainted again with latex white paint. In about 3 months they were molded again and most of the putty spots were worst. I am not sure if they were primed before they were painted and they are pine one bye boards. Any idea what to do with them now?

 

My mountain cabin is located in a narrow river valley. The sun comes up late behind the cabin because it has to cross the mountain behind. It is noon or after before the sun hits the front of the cabin. It seems like no time before the sun slips behind the mountain in front of the cabin. The point being that the front of the cabin remains damp with dew or rain for a longer time than the back of the cabin before the sun hits it to dry it out. To say the least, mold and mildew are a problem on the front of the cabin. Washing down the front of the cabin each spring is part of spring clean up.

Mold and mildew spores are everywhere in the air. When they find a damp, soiled surface upon which to feed, they tend to settle in. Mold is thus a common and reoccurring problem on the north side of structures.

There are paints available with mildewcides that can help with this problem. The mildewcide can be effective for some time. Paints containing zinc oxide tend to inhibit mildew growth. Mildew is more prone on latex flat than latex exterior enamel. Acrylic latex is most mildew resistant.

Before repainting with paint containing mildewcide, it is important to clean and disinfect surfaces with bleach/water solution. To expedite the clean up, the solution can be applied with garden sprayer, scrubbed with long handled brush, and rinsed with water hose.

 

Though it may look pretty initially, you wouldn't white carpet a kitchen or bathroom would you?

Dank location, white paint, same deal.

 

As noted, all the mold/mildew should be killed and removed prior to painting. Adding an extra mildewcide to the paint will help. Trimming bushes or trees to give the painted surface more sunlight and air circulation will also help. generally the areas that are the last to have the dew evaporate arre the first to mildew.

 

First do clean all this with bleach/water mixture and make sure to rinse well. As stated, use satin or gloss paints. They should help. What brand of paint are you having trouble with?