Exterior staining of cedar siding
#1
03-31-09, 03:55 PM
Exterior staining of cedar siding
I need to stain the exterior cedar that has been left go for years. If I choose a lighter solid stain is it true that I will need an oil base primer to blend in the sun dried parts of the cedar and help it to adhere? Then if I choose a transparent stain I would need to go with the darker color of the cedar siding so it can all match?
#3
04-01-09, 04:43 AM
C leaning the siding is always part of good prep. If you use a pressure washer, take care so you don't chew up the siding because of too much pressure. A deck/wood brightner may help to even out the coloring of the wood.
If you prime the wood, you can't use a transparent or semi-transparent stain - they won't cover the primer. You would need to use either paint or a solid stain. Cedar is bad to have tannin bleed which will discolor some light stains/paint. That's why it's important to use a good oil base primer when using certain colors of solid stain. Tannin bleed usually doesn't show with the use of darker stains.
To prep the siding, I'd wet it down with water, spray a bleach/water solution [never stronger than 50/50] on with a pump up garden sprayer, let set but not dry and rinse well. While a PWer makes rinsing easier/quicker, you can rinse it off using a water hose.
Once the house is clean and dry, you can decide what type of stain will look best. Obviously, the more pigment the stain has, the more it will hide. The heavier stains will also last longer than the thinner ones.
As always, you are best off going to your local paint store for your coating needs. They will have better stains/paints and advice than a big box paint dept will.
If you prime the wood, you can't use a transparent or semi-transparent stain - they won't cover the primer. You would need to use either paint or a solid stain. Cedar is bad to have tannin bleed which will discolor some light stains/paint. That's why it's important to use a good oil base primer when using certain colors of solid stain. Tannin bleed usually doesn't show with the use of darker stains.
To prep the siding, I'd wet it down with water, spray a bleach/water solution [never stronger than 50/50] on with a pump up garden sprayer, let set but not dry and rinse well. While a PWer makes rinsing easier/quicker, you can rinse it off using a water hose.
Once the house is clean and dry, you can decide what type of stain will look best. Obviously, the more pigment the stain has, the more it will hide. The heavier stains will also last longer than the thinner ones.
As always, you are best off going to your local paint store for your coating needs. They will have better stains/paints and advice than a big box paint dept will.
#5
04-03-09, 07:27 AM
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Mass
Posts: 242
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
After the prep described, Couple more points to make here: if you apply anything to your siding which sounds as though parts are sealed and parts aren't, and you use a heavy bodied stain, it will turn out blothchy because of different suctions in the wood that will be present. Also oil based products spread better and help you avoid lapping. I would apply a transparent oil based stain of your liking, which will lock in the various different colors that may appear. If you are happy with the look, just apply a second coat of the same thing. If you decide to go with a heavier pigment, the color will hold out nicely because of your first coat. In either event choose 3 or four boards and run them their entire length so you will avoid lap marks, if you think you can carry more at a time and keep things wet, go for it.
Bill
Bill
Bill
Bill
