Table of Contents
How do I make cedar siding look new again?
After cleaning your cedar to bring back its color, apply a clear exterior varnish to help sustain it. A quality weatherproofing product will prolong the fresh look of your cedar and help limit algae growth. If you would prefer your siding stained another color, choose a stain that is darker than the cedar.
How do you clean weathered cedar siding?
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.
How do you brighten cedar siding?
One part white vinegar to 3 or 4 parts water is fine. Dip a sponge in the vinegar solution, and wipe it on the bleached wood. Rinse the sponge in clear water before dipping it again in the neutralizing solution. Once the cedar is dry, you can leave it as is or apply the finish of your choice.
How do you clean cedar siding before restaining?
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.
How do you reseal cedar siding?
Your best option is probably a resin-based sealer fortified with epoxy or high-quality paint. Cover as much of the wood as you can with sealant, using a small brush to get into the spaces between panels if the siding is already installed.
Can you use teak oil on cedar?
The key to Helmsman® Teak Oil is allowing it to dry in the wood, not on the wood. You can use it on either indoor or outdoor furniture constructed of dense woods, such as mahogany, cedar, teak and other imported hardwoods.
How do you restore weathered wood siding?
Painting and Repairing Old Wood Siding—Step-By-Step Remove the old siding. Carefully use a pry bar to remove the siding. Add house wrap. Now strip the old paint. Next glue any cracks at the ends of the boards. Patch surface holes with an exterior wood filler. Caulk cracks. Sand. Nail any loose boards.
Can weathered cedar wood be stained?
Staining Cedar With a Semi-Transparent Stain 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.
Can you paint old cedar siding?
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.
How do you clean cedar siding with OxiClean?
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.
How do you make cedar shine?
When a hard glossy surface is desired on a tabletop or window ledge, a seal coat of thinned varnish or lacquer sanding sealer makes cedar easier to smooth in preparation for one or two top coats of varnish or lacquer. Cedar accepts most finishes well, including penetrating oils, such as tung oil and linseed oil.
Can you lighten cedar wood?
The best woods for bleaching include oak, beach, ash, and gum. Varieties like poplar and pine are already so light that removing further natural wood color might render them bland and lifeless. Others, like cedar, redwood, rosewood, and cherry don’t take bleach well.
Can you pressure wash cedar siding?
Power washing can be used to clean cedar as long as the sprayer is set at a low pressure to prevent damaging the wood’s soft surface. For cedar siding with a smooth surface, scrape the paint and clean the cedar before painting.
Can you use OxiClean to clean siding?
OxiClean is just one of many different brands of oxygen bleach cleaners. Oxygen bleach, aside from being great at cleaning siding covered in mold or mildew, is perfectly safe for you and the environment. It’s actually nothing more than a souped-up relative of hydrogen peroxide in powdered form.
Do I need to sand cedar siding before staining?
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. Rougher sandpaper can be used to remove material, and finer sandpaper for smoothing the wood surface and preparing for finishing.
Can you change the color of stain on cedar siding?
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.
How often does cedar siding need to be sealed?
When to Restain 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. There will be no difficulty in determining when it is time to do the job.
How do you seal stained cedar?
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.
