Paint Or Stain Cedar Shake Siding

Cedar siding shingles provide beauty for any home but they must be properly coated to ensure a long life.

Paint or stain cedar shake siding.

If possible stain all sides of the siding before installation. Oil or water based stains make an ideal stain for your cedar shingles as long as they don t have a high solid particulate nature. For high areas use an extension on the roller or climb a ladder and use your paintbrush. Both stain and paint protect your siding from moisture and sunlight but they differ in how much protection they offer.

The best way to prevent extractive bleed is to select a paint or stain that forms a seal over the cedar. While extremely old cedar can be painted it requires heavy preparation. Siding that has been primed and coated with two coats of paint can offer up. Exterior western red cedar surfaces only need to be refinished when the old coating has worn thin and no longer affords the wood protection.

Staining cedar siding differs from application of paint and other finishes. 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 siding must be free from mold mildew and dirt.

A stain or clear coating needs one or two finish coats depending on the cedar shake grade and whether you re applying a solid or semi transparent product. In refinishing painted or solid color stained siding and trim removal of the old coating may be required. Surface preparation is the key to success when dealing with weathered wood. Loosened photodegraded surface fibers and any loosened remaining finish must be removed prior to re finishing.

This is necessary if for example the old finish is severely cracked or is peeling. Be careful when painting very old cedar siding. Paint vs stain best stains seals and protects wood shingles leaving no paint mil to chip crack or peel. Hiring a professional to paint or stain cedar siding will cost 2 500 to 4 000 or more depending on your home s size and the labor required.

Even then the paint is not expected to last long. Paint or stain dimensional cedar wood siding 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. You ll want to leave the cleaner on for at least 15 minutes up to 30 minutes to ensure that it removes the old coating. Do not let it dry.

Stains dry rapidly and fresh stain applied over dried stain will show lap marks. Cedar shingles contain extractives that bleed to the surface when the wood becomes wet and then darken as the wood dries. Give it at least 24 hrs drying time before further handling.