Cedar shake siding will grow algae and mold if it's not cleaned once in a while. Algae and mold will cause deterioration and discoloration to your cedar siding. Much like a wooden deck, you can use detergents and a pressure washer to blast the grime away and reveal the beautiful cedar color within.
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.
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.
The Damage Power Washing Cedar Shakes Can Inflict
When used on cedar, they actually strip away wood fibers from the shingles, which dramatically shortens the lifespan of the roof. In many cases, power washing a cedar roof is actually worse for your long-term investment than not cleaning the shingles at all.
It's generally not necessary to pressure-wash a shingle roof for the purpose of removing ordinary dirt and leaves, and pressure-washing can potentially damage the shingles' coating of protective grit. A light sweeping or a rinse with the garden hose is usually sufficient, and most roofs don't even need that.
Don't: Use a pressure washer, which can loosen shingles and seriously damage your roof. Do: Use a sprayer attached to garden hose that's filled with equal parts chlorine bleach and water. of laundry strength liquid chlorine bleach and water. This is the best way to clean a roof if you have asphalt shingles.
The main reason why you need your roof cleaned often is that it simply makes it look better. It increases its curb appeal. Aside from that, cleaning is also good for removing debris such as tree branches that could cause serious damage if left up there.
Apply the Cedar Wash solution starting at the bottom of the wall and work your way up. Work only an area big enough so that the Cedar Wash is on the wall for about 10 to 15 minutes. Gently scrub the wall with a soft bristled brush to remove stubborn stains and heavily soiled areas.
The best solution to remove moss from a cedar roof is chlorine or oxygen bleach mixed with water. These types of bleaches are effective at killing algae and mold on cedar shake roof surfaces, and they provide a clean, tan-colored finish.
It can take years for new cedar shingles to weather to match the color of old ones. To make them blend in at once, mix up a solution of 1 pound of baking soda and 1/2 gallon of water. Brush onto the new shingles, and they'll turn gray in a few hours.
Staining cedar shingles not only enhances their beauty but also fortifies them against threats posed by the elements. Here is a helpful tip if you are thinking of staining some cedar shingles. To protect new shingles, apply a penetrating stain.
You'll have very clean cedar shingles lying on your lawn. 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.
There is a common misconception that just pressure washing a deck prior to staining is all you need to do in order to prep your deck for stain. Pressure washing can help, but if you want your stain to last, using a good deck cleaner and brightener on the deck prior to pressure washing will provide you the best result.
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.
Simply put, Oxiclean is an all-purpose cleaner that incorporates hydrogen peroxide to remove the toughest stains, debris, and organisms such as mold or mildew. Whether your siding is aluminum, cedar shingles, or vinyl, it can be cleaned using products such as Oxiclean.
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.
Algae and molds can be cleaned quite easily and effectively with bleaching agents such as sodium hypochlorite (liquid household bleach) and sodium percarbonate (the active ingredient in some commercial cleaners). Bleaching agents quickly kill mold and algae, but they also can degrade wood.
You simply keep the wood siding wet with the oxygen bleach solution for 15 minutes. It will remove the mildew and deep-clean the siding. Lightly scrub the siding before rinsing with clear water from a garden hose. Avoid the temptation of using a pressure washer.
A good “rule of thumb” is to clean vinyl siding every 2 to 3 years. It's not recommended that you go longer than just a few years without power washing, as homes might hold lots of dust and debris that homeowners overlook, and pressure washing also cleans away bothersome insect nests and termite tunnels.
No. Never seal your cedar roof. Sealing the roof will lock in moisture that would otherwise naturally evaporate during normal weather conditions. Cedar needs to breathe and thus a water repellant type product, rather than a water proofer is the best route to follow.
Pressure or power washing may also void the warranty on the roof. A process known as soft washing is the best way to clean shingles. This method removes not only moss, but algae, bird droppings, and lichen. Soft washing utilizes a cleaning solution, often bleach and water) and sometimes a detergent.
Non-pressure chemical cleaning is the safest way to clean the roof and ensure no damage to the texture or integrity of the shingles. Too much pressure washes away the surface granules of the shingles and leaves damage to your roof. Non-pressure washing takes longer and does require some professional tools.
Pressure washing: Using a pressure washer to blast off the moss, lichen, and algae is another method that some service companies use. In most cases, using a pressure washer on an asphalt roof can actually really damage the roof, removing much of the shingle grit as well as void the roof warranty.