Do You Paint Or Stain Cedar Siding

Here are some factors you can consider when looking for the right stain for your cedar siding.

Do you paint or stain cedar siding.

Cedar shingles contain extractives that bleed to the surface when the wood becomes wet and then darken as the wood dries. The sooner you treat your cedar the better. According to paul mackie at the western red cedar lumber association wrcla red cedar siding that has been finished on all six sides with a stain blocking primer and top coated with 100 percent exterior acrylic latex paint has the longest expected service life of any coating system. Wood siding is a durable and attractive siding material but it requires protection from sunlight and moisture.

Stains dry rapidly and fresh stain applied over dried stain will show lap marks. Staining cedar with a semi transparent stain semi transparent stains are your best bet when you want the real look of slightly weathered cedar with protection. 7 tips painting or staining cedar wood siding walking into a paint store can be overwhelming trying to decide which paint or stain coating you wish to provide your exterior cedar wood and siding as there are many varieties. There are two common options for finishing wood.

Transparent or semi transparent finish. Although cedar is naturally resistant to rot and decay staining your siding promptly will help in the preventing of deterioration. Wash wait for it to dry. The main difference between the two is the subtlety of the staining.

If you choose to stain cedar rather than paint it there s a few things you should know. Staining cedar siding differs from application of paint and other finishes. Removal can be done with a commercial mildew remover or with dilute solutions of liquid household oxygen based bleach followed by thorough rinsing with clean water. Those extractives can even bleed through many types of paint.

First remove any mill glaze a hard shiny surface on one side of the siding by sanding. The sooner you treat your cedar the better. Once you ve decided on your finish it s best to get to work quickly. Having cedar lumber wood siding such as 1 x 6 1 x 8 1 x 12 or two inch thickness can be painted with a solid paint stain not requiring primer but still not recommended painting cedar if you can help it.

Factory applied finishes of this type are available in most. The few solid particles in this mix will not significantly obscure cedar s wood grain. When you re thinking of staining the exterior of your home there are plenty of options to choose from. Mildew must be killed and removed before western red cedar is refinished or the mildew will grow through the new paint coat or solid color stain.