# Rust-Oleum on Wood? and Painting Pressure Treated Plywood?



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

Can you use Rust-Oleum on wood? The can doesn't list anything but Metal on it. 

What I'm going to paint is some 3/4" pressure treated plywood. It a cover for my crawl space.

Also, how long do I have to let the pressure treated plywood dry out before painting it? I cut it to size and shape on a portable plastic work table. When I took the wood off of it, the table top was 'soaked,' like someone just wiped it down with a very wet expunge. 

The 'funny' thing is at the hardware store, I had some items on a cart, stopped by the paint department, and asked the clerk for help, telling him what I was going to do (I know nothing much about paint). 

He tried to upsell me on things like sealers and top of the line brushes. I again told him it's just for a pressure treated plywood crawl space cover.

I didn't notice until I came home that the can he told me was what I wanted was a can of Rust-Oleum, and not 'outdoor' paint like I asked for... I guess it's really my fault for trusting the guy and not reading the can at the store.
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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Do you mean rattle can rustoleum? I wouldn't recommend any rattle can paint on exterior wood. It dries too hard for wood. The quarts on the other hand are an alkyd enamel which will work on wood. 

To paint pressure treated plywood I would wait a week past the date when you can't feel any trace of moisture on the wood. Then an exterior primer should be used before topcoating.


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## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

Steve Neul said:


> Do you mean rattle can rustoleum? I wouldn't recommend any rattle can paint on exterior wood. It dries too hard for wood. The quarts on the other hand are an alkyd enamel which will work on wood.
> 
> To paint pressure treated plywood I would wait a week past the date when you can't feel any trace of moisture on the wood. Then an exterior primer should be used before topcoating.


It's a quart can. It's not in front of me, but I do remember it being labeled as 'oil based,' if that makes a difference.

I don't even know if one quart will cover it: it's 54" x 39.5" with a couple of small notches cut into it for the mounting.
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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

One quart of Rustoleum enamel will easily cover a 40"x54" piece of plywood with two coats. Pressure treated plywood is pretty rough so be sure to use a primer first.


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## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

OK, you talked me into getting primer. I want to paint both sides (it's a reversible cover, which is nice) so it sounds like I should just get a second quart, or maybe take the quart I have back and get a gallon? (The price difference is not too much...) That way I would have some leftover paint for small projects.


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## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

What about a 'primer and paint' in one can product?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

TwoRails said:


> What about a 'primer and paint' in one can product?


That would work however they are latex and not quite as durable as oil. It's a little misleading, there is no such thing as paint and primer. Over the years paint companies have been watering down their paint more and more until it's nearly impossible to paint something without using a primer. What they did was make the paint closer to what they used to and call it paint and primer like it was a new invention. On wood you don't have to use a primer with any paint. The primer is just thicker and covers better so it doesn't take a half dozen coats of modern paint to cover. The paint and primer just has more solids in it so it will cover easier. 

I remember when you could put a stir stick in latex paint and it wouldn't even go to the bottom of the can unless you pushed it down. You had to thin it to use it.


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## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

Thanks for the education, Steve. I'll get separate primer and paint.


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