Calling all extreme northern pinhead brethren in from the cold...CP in BC, Callan, Leeke. Maybe Irene, I dunno...she might still be too close to the Mason-Dixon line.

John L., and maybe John C., will recall my spouting off in a paint thread over there in Forum-L a couple of months ago. This email to me just showed up. What can you guys say about paint films in extreme climes? We weren't talking about extreme climes on Forum-L. John L. and I posited that preparation is critical for success; without good prep no matter the quality of the paint, it isn't going to last. Is there a point at which no matter the quality of the prep, a quality mass market paint product isn't going to last?  Mike E? For extremes, do we have to specify something more suited to extremes? Is it literally the cold leading to brittleness or the movement of the substrate due to contraction and later expansion that leads to failure? Is it the lack of elasticity in the film, or something more insidious?

I have his permission to solicit all y'all's assembled wisdom on this. I don't understand why you can't get paint to stick in a town of 600 buildings in Idaho. I'll report back to him whatall you think.

dan cover the world below the 50th parallel becker


-----Original Message-----
From:   Larry Hoppe [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Tue 10/7/2003 5:45 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Cc:     Ann Swanson
Subject:        Paint is paint is paint, maybe.
 
I read with interest your assessment on painting historic siding.  Does your data reflect information on our issue in far northern? Idaho, namely, low humidity and extreme cold in winter; and snow 4' to 6' deep standing most of the normal winter.  
 
The paint here doesn't seem to last more than a few seasons ( Five years is typical) regardless of quality from what I've been advised by citizens who have lived here much longer than I. 
 
Are there any internet resources you can recommend that our Historic Preservation Commission might use to add to our self-help education efforts.  
 
For background, the entire City of Wallace, Idaho (approximately 600 structures) is on the National Register of Historic Places.  Thanks for any info you can provide.
 
Larry Hoppe
Chairman, 
Planning Zoning, And 
Historic Preservation Commission        

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