Cedar is a beautiful wood and can be kept that way when stained properly.
Do you have to stain cedar siding.
The upside is that solid color stains will block most damaging ultraviolet light.
Cedar siding is very durable against the elements but still requires regular maintenance and depending on the climate should be restained every few years.
Browse our selection of top quality cedar siding here.
The most damaging element to cedar siding is moisture.
What you do before the finish goes on makes the most differenc.
Giving your cedar siding a nice tint will add beauty durability and value to your home.
With a new installation of cedar shake siding which can cost around 5 a square foot you shouldn t need to do any prep work before staining or painting.
Thus solid color stains let some of the cedar s grain show through but none of the color.
Semi transparent stains require more maintenance with an additional application in between keeping wood protected than does a solid stain paint lasting typically 5 7 years.
With plenty of colors of stain and paint to choose from you have a ton of new options for decorating the exterior of your home.
10 tips for staining your cedar.
To help you properly stain your newly built outdoor structure we ve come up with 10 tips to help you stain your cedar and to keep it looking new for years to come.
Solid color stains have solid particles but not nearly as many as paint.
Consider sealing your new cedar siding to keep it looking like new for longer.
The following outline is intended to prepare you before buying any such products knowing exactly which type fits your final outcome.
In fact you can pay extra for pre primed or pre stained shake products.
When it comes to staining your cedar you have three choices.
Second biggest factor is moisture.
What you get is a very uniform opaque color.
To stain cedar you must understand your needs how to prepare the wood for the process how to stain it the best brushes to use and how to clean up after.
Any exposed wood is susceptible to the elements that cause mildew swelling splitting and cracking.
Natural semi transparent and coloured or opaque.
It will absorb the maximum amount of protective deep penetrating stain when it is in this condition.
If the wood has weathered some you may have to do some surface preparation such as sanding before you can apply stain.
If you have intense sun on cedar wood siding you d be best served using a semi transparent stain not a paint.
Work in the shade while staining.
Put the oil stain you have chosen on the cedar while it is fresh and new.
Three choices for staining.
However you may need to reapply a clear coat stain every two years.
Watch this quick tutorial on what you need to do to prepare wood house siding for refinishing.
