I just built my own jamb for my basement window, so that I could trim it out in the old Craftsman style. It looks great, but I ran into a lumber problem. My window was 3' high x 8' wide and the depth of the jamb needed to be 8" because it is a firred wall over cinderblock in a basement. I found 1x8 material for my jamb in select pine, but I had to go with #2 pine for my sill. That 1x10 needed to be at least 9 feet long to accommodate the horns. I could have purchased a $63 hemlock board, but that would have been a shame because I am planning to paint this all white. I went with the pine to save money, but now I have a knotty pine sill that needs to be prepared for painting. Any suggestions as to how to make the knots disappear under the paint?
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You may already be one step too far ahead of yourself. Codes and common sense dictate that any limber in proximity to concrete must be isolated from direct contact with the concrete which can both wick water and create the possibility for condensation on it. Pine in direct contact with block in a cellar will surely rot well before other products. It should be Pt or have a slip of tarpaper at least isolating it from contact, Failing that, it would be wise to have it backprimed and painted, using the paint as a protector to isolate it. If it is not installed yet, keep this in mind. If it is installed in a way that allows you to easily remove it, try to do so to improve things
as for the original Q, When we have to paint pine knots, we prime with oil based primer, then hit the knots with a couple caots of Kilz, then paint the finish coats with either oil base or latex
Excellence is its own reward!
as for the original Q, When we have to paint pine knots, we prime with oil based primer, then hit the knots with a couple caots of Kilz, then paint the finish coats with either oil base or latex
Excellence is its own reward!
Thanks for the paint tips. With regard to what you said about the sill rotting, thanks for the heads-up. I think we're okay. My basement is 1/2 level below grade, and the window sits above the cincerblock where the 2x4 framing begins. There was already a pressure-trated sill plate in place before I installed the window jamb and pine sill. Hopefully that prevented the need for additional tar paper. If I am wrong, please correct me. I can probably take it out and fix it.
