Western Red Cedar Siding Stain

Refinishing western red cedar siding western red cedar lumber association.

Western red cedar siding stain.

Uncoated weathered western red cedar siding or trim can often be restored to its original color by applying commercial products called cleaners brighteners or restorers. We recommend 100 acrylic latex topcoats over an alkyd. It gets absorbed by the wood and then becomes a great base to which the topcoat of solid stain or paint will adhere. Red cedar is one of the most popular wood species for exterior use because of its natural rich red color and its natural resistance to decay.

Regularly applying a transparent or semi transparent stain on your cedar every few years is how to keep cedar looking as natural as possible. How to stain western red cedar. Since western red cedar naturally lacks pitch and resin it allows for countless staining options and will accept stain very well if applied correctly. Restaining your cedar siding involves removing the old protective coating and applying a new layer of wood stain in the color of your choice then applying more protective coating.

To add a rich long lasting opaque color there s ppg s 100 acrylic stain which protects against sun and water damage. Beyond that western red cedar has multiple advantages over other cladding options because it is natural sustainable and is a renewal product. Used for shingles trim house siding decking fences hot tubs and gates cedar is cheap widely available highly versatile easy to fabricate and best of all it weathers exceptionally well. The best time to prime and stain western red cedar siding shingles and shakes is before installation.

Although intended primarily for restoring horizontal wood surfaces such as decks these products generally work almost as well on vertical surfaces. 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. Once western red cedar is properly cleaned a regular maintenance program of same stain finish is required. Restaining can be time consuming but it s easily enough done.

When it comes to solid body finishes paints and solid stain for siding and trim boards we recommend an alkyd oil stain blocking primer. The flood pro series by ppg paints comes in a wide range of exterior stains that are ideal for western red cedar products. For best results fresh siding should be pre primed on all six sides with a stain blocking primer and top coated with 100 percent acrylic latex paint.