Why Does Clapboard Peel?

This is probably one of the biggest, unanswered (or poorly answered) questions in this industry.  These are my answers based on experience (25 years) including over 2000 2 year warranty inspections, internet searches, painting for the founder of the PQI (Paint Quality Institute),  inspections with paint representatives (Ben Moore, Sherwin Williams) and training sessions through CertaPro Painters Headquarters in Oaks, PA.

PREVIOUSLY PAINTED CLAPBOARD
Clapboard tends to be an area of concern when repainting a house – particularly if it has been painted several times.  The combination of several coats of oil paint (does not allow the wood to breath) and the filling of the gaps between the boards (does not allow the moisture to escape between the boards) leads to premature peeling of the clapboard.  The moisture from the house needs to escape somehow – typically it tries to push the paint off the clapboard.  There are several solutions to this, but they are expensive.  If you are interested, please talk to me about them – most often our clients decide to paint as usual and take their chances.

I hope these answers shed some light on your questions. To be clear, these are my opinions – and you could find many opposing opinions if you hunt around a bit. Unfortunately we are in an industry where there is not much that is BLACK or WHITE, just a whole bunch of GRAY. . .