How Often To Stain Cedar Siding

Let s go over to the solid body stain.

How often to stain cedar siding. After installing your exterior cedar you have about a two week grace period until the wood starts to discolor. Two coats are always recommended when you want to maintain the natural look of western red cedar. Wash the entire surface with a dampened cloth removing any traces of. Stir the stain thoroughly during application to prevent settling and color change.

Work in small circular motions to remove. Paint cedar for a more formal look. Bare cedar requires immediate staining. Clean the siding with a mixture of 1 part bleach and 4 parts water.

Leave the stain in a shaded spot sheltered from wind and rain for six to eight hours after putting on the first coat. However if the stain used on the cedar siding has a clear coat a professional may only need to maintain the clear coat. There again if you are looking to do a color change or you had prolonged maintenance you re probably looking at two coats of stain every eight years. A good maintenance coating is one coat of stain of the same color every five years.

Cedar treatments should last 5 7 years. Stain offers homeowners a number of advantages over paint for cedar siding. How to restain cedar siding. Most cedar treatments are much like house paint in that they are composed of pigments and solids.

If the cedar siding only has a stain the wood will need to be restained fairly frequently as stains do not provide the same longevity as paint. Let s look at probably two coats of stain every five years. Depending on the annual local weather conditions and how much damage it does to the cedar siding expect to restain every three to five years. When properly applied cedar stain should last for five to seven years or longer if weather conditions are mild.

Two coats of penetrating oil based stain on textured western red cedar will provide a longer service life than one coat but only if the wood will accept the second coat. Apply a second coat right afterward so the wood will accept it. Remove the existing finish with a power sander and 220 grit sandpaper. After that the color will rapidly change from red to gray.

A solid color stain or paint tends to give cedar a more formal appearance while a transparent stain or clear. The service life of a stain also varies depending on the quality of the stain and the texture of the siding. How well the siding has weathered the elements determines how often to restain. Nail down loose cedar shakes.

Make sure your cedar shake siding is properly treated stained or painted. If you do decide to color your wood there are several options.