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.
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.
Once cedar has turned gray, there is no natural way of going back. The only alternative at this point is to tone the wood with a stain or other coloring agent. Maintaining your cedar's color is about choices, timing, and above all, the right type of treatment.
However, cedar that is destined to live outdoors needs some special care and attention. Specifically, it needs to be treated with a good wood stain. Otherwise, your nice cedar color will fade to a dull, nasty grey.
Staining Old Cedar:
If a few steps are performed, staining an old cedar siding comes out almost flawlessly. You should always remove all old flaking paint or stains on the top layer of wood by using power washing.
Mix the powdered Oxiclean as four parts water to one part powdered product and apply the solution with a garden sprayer. All the OxiClean to soak into the wood for around fifteen minutes. Once the time is up, you can use a soft-bristled scrub brush to remove the debris, followed by a rinse-off with the garden hose.
“The safe and effective way to clean the wood is oxygen bleach. The oxygen bleach comes as a granular powder that mixes with water.
You can use water mixed with a bit of mild detergent for a basic cleaner. If you need a stronger cleaner, you can dilute bleach with water for a cleaner that will accentuate the natural luster of the cedar. This is particularly effective in the removal of mildew. Wipe the wood gently, and avoid excessive scrubbing.
Scrub the fence with a wood cleaning detergent or a 20-percent solution of chlorine bleach that contains 1 part bleach and 4 parts water. Spray the fence with a garden hose and use a long-handled scrub brush to scrub the pickets from top to bottom, paying particular attention to the mold, mildew and algae.
Wet the wood surface and apply the BEHR PREMIUM® All-in-One Wood Cleaner with a pump sprayer. Wait 15 minutes then scrub the wet surface with a stiff bristled brush. Rinse the wood surface thoroughly. Once the surface has completely dried, you're ready to coat with a BEHR stain or finish product.
The combination of water and UV exposure causes the cedar to lose it's scent and colour, turning it into a dull grey. The wood rot on the cedar creates an ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew, which is both unattractive and detrimental.
Can you pressure wash cedar siding? Yes, you can pressure wash cedar siding by using a low PSI pressure washer or adjusting a pressure washer to its lowest PSI setting. This protects the cedar from being damaged from too high of pressure because it is softwood.
Don't use it on jewelry, wicker, or other non-suggested materials and surfaces. OxiClean should not be used to clean the following materials: jewelry, latex paints, woven baskets, unpainted wicker, jute, teak, or finished woods.
Mix the powdered bleach according to directions on the bottle, such as 4 parts water to 1 part powder. Apply the solution with a clean garden sprayer, allowing it to soak for 15 minutes. The bleach will remove much of the discoloration. Use a nylon-bristled scrub brush to remove the rest.
The best clear Cedar finish stain for outdoors is Linseed oil, hands down. Linseed oil is the primary ingredient in any oil finishes, which dries clear. You can find other clear water-based stains, but will not last nearly as long as a Linseed oil based stain will.
When finishing cedar wood, we recommend using linseed oil. This type of oil is the most popular with woodworkers, as well as cedar cladding users and craft enthusiasts. If you would like an oil finish on a piece of mahogany, we recommend using tung oil, linseed oil or teak oil.
Although cedar is naturally resistant to rot and decay, staining your siding promptly will help in the preventing of deterioration.
Cedar offers a durable option for exterior and interior building projects with natural resistance to rot and decay, so a protective finish is optional. If you want to enjoy the aroma of varieties such as Western Red Cedar and incense cedar, leave the wood unsealed.
But, you can bring old wood back to life by using boiled linseed oil and prepare it for a few more decades of service life. Don't let grey, weathered wood convince you to replace it when all it needs is a little TLC. Other than rot or physical damage, boiled linseed oil is a great treatment for old dried out wood.