If your siding's fresh color lays buried under a gray, weathered surface and mold, buy a bleach-based cleaning solution or mix 3/4-cup of bleach with 1-gallon of water to restore or salvage the cedar's luster.
The best way to restore your cedar siding or cedar fence to its original glory is with soft washing. Instead of the robust streams of high-pressure water used in pressure washing, soft washing uses a low-pressure technique with a special mixture of highly effective and biodegradable cleaning solutions.
Real Cedar in its Raw Form
But, if this is no longer the desired effect, you can usually get your siding back to its original color with wood brighteners, cleaners and restorers. But first you have to sand off the top layer of “skin.” After that, clean, dry and inspect the wood for mildew.
Semi-transparent stains are your best bet when you want the real look of slightly weathered cedar with protection. The few solid particles in this mix will not significantly obscure cedar's wood grain. However, with semi-transparent stains, you will need to take care with the application.
Paint the cedar siding with primer, once the caulk dries. Wait for the primer to dry, then paint on a layer of exterior house paint, picking a color that matches the original or a fresh color. Apply additional coats as needed, making sure each paint layer dries before adding others.
While extremely old cedar can be painted, it requires heavy preparation. Even then, the paint is not expected to last long. Surface preparation is the key to success when dealing with weathered wood. The siding must be free from mold, mildew, and dirt.
The Cedar Bureau recommends using a solution no stronger than one-part bleach to three parts water. Apply it with a pump sprayer and let it sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing it off with a garden hose. Be sure to keep the hose pointed downward to avoid forcing water up behind the shingles.
Cedar siding must be properly maintained at all times to reach its maximum lifespan, with many planks needing to be replaced after just 10 to 15 years, and even well-maintained cedar siding may only last around 20 to 30 years in some climates.
High-quality paint or stain, properly applied, should last five to seven years, and as many as 10, depending on weather conditions and if you maintain the siding. However, you may need to reapply a clear-coat stain every two years.
Cedar shake siding costs between $6 and $12 per square foot for materials and installation. Shingle siding costs $6 to $10 per square foot. To put cedar siding on an entire house, it costs $9,000 to $19,000 or more, depending on the size of the home.
Allow the washed surface to dry before recoating and apply primer paint to areas of bare wood. After the primer has dried, apply one or two topcoats of paint or solid-color stain. Two topcoats are always better over bare wood that has been primed. These may be applied to Western Red Cedar by brush, roller, or pad.
Answer is yes, you can paint over stained cedar, but with some testing, also long term commitments. You'll want to make darn sure stain has dried out, after using best deck cleaner, also great for cedar siding.
According to Dwight Barnett, a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors, power washing can be successfully applied to cedar siding safely as the setting is turned to low pressure.
The best answer is based on your home's current cedar condition. Stain lasts longer and often looks more natural, but can only be applied if cedar is paint-free. Paint offers more protection and can be a good choice for badly worn homes with previous peeling issues from past painting applications.
Cedar siding needs to be repainted every 5-7 years, but if you take some special precautions, you can get up to 10 years from one paint application. In order to do this though, you will need to ensure that you are properly preparing the surface and considering all the environmental factors.
Back priming helps prevent paint from peeling by reducing the amount of water vapor that passes through the wood. When back priming, be sure to prime the ends of each piece after it has been cut to fit, since end grain will absorb the most moisture.
Cedar oil has a strong scent but is the most natural way to refresh faded cedar. Cedar stain penetrates the wood and adds a touch of color without the cedar scent.
Make Your Cedar Fence Like New!!!
A friend of mine showed it to me and I thought it was awesome. Just take a pump up sprayer and add Clorox bleach ( must use clorox brand) 1 part bleach and 2 parts water. When you spray it on the fence the gray washes off and the board looks new again.
Cedar siding is a durable, attractive building material that has been used widely across the United States. Cedar wood is lightweight, stable and relatively easy to work with. It can be sanded to remove surface defects and prepare the wood for painting or staining.
So it is possible to use virtually any exterior wood stain color on the siding, but the same color or darker exterior stain will have to be used on the soffits. Keeping to one color for the body and soffits will make the application easier. Choosing a slightly darker color is the best compromise.
Like other types of external siding, cedar is prone to accumulation of dust and dirt. You have to clean it twice a year to keep it easier. Use a soap and water solution for general cleaning to scrub the siding and then wash it down. You can use some bleach if you have mold and mildew problems.