New putty 9 January at 6:23PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 9 replies 184 views

GDB2222

I've just had some putty replaced in a traditional wooden frame.

I'd very much like to overpaint it pretty soon. How long should I leave it?

I'll just add that the paint will be Zinsser All Coat Solvent Based. This is usable down to 5C temperatures, and I'll wait for a dry fairly warm day (well above 5C)..

BUFF

linseed oil putty? If so, then probably a week for it to form a skin.

stuart45

I normally leave it for a month to skin over at home, but pro painters often do it after a week to get the job done. Watch the birds don't get at it.

twopenny

I'd wait for it to get a good thick skin that you can tap a fingernail against.

I agree about the birds. Make sure when you paint that it goes just beyond the putty and the required 2 coats etc.

You may want to cover  the putty with something breathable so it can still dry out to stop the birds. They even found my filler under 1 coat of primer and undercoat.

Apodemus

Wow, what sort of birds are going for the putty?  I've used a lot of putty over the years, but never had any issues, so I am assuming it's not a species that we have around here?

plumb1_2

Never seen a putty bird, but I tawt I taw a putty tat.

GDB2222

I had no idea that birds eat putty.

stuart45

It's Blue Tits on my windows. My wife got me to build some nest boxes for them years ago, and this is how they thank me. I was tempted to drill a few holes in their roofs to see how they like it.

Apodemus

stuart45 said:

It's Blue Tits on my windows. My wife got me to build some nest boxes for them years ago, and this is how they thank me. I was tempted to drill a few holes in their roofs to see how they like it.

Interesting!  While repointing an old wall, I made a blue-tit-sized nesting hole, which has seen annual occupation ever since.  The adjacent windows were reputtied a couple of years ago (I'm afraid to say that the putty is still to be painted over  ) but the blue-tits have shown no interest in the windows.

My recollection is that when blue-tits started to attack milk bottles on doorsteps, it spread across the country as a learned behaviour.  So it may well be that this is also a learned behaviour and has either not spread very far, or yet to reach my area.  Given the preponderence of uPVC windows with no putty, it may be a behaviour that struggles to spread very far at all!

plumb1_2

The only time I have seen putty removed is by the fingers of curious children.