How To Stain Old Cedar Siding

Use an oil based stain instead of latex.

How to stain old cedar siding.

Bring back your cedar siding s beauty with a simple homemade solution. The clear stain does darken the cedar somewhat but otherwise lets the beauty of the wood shine through. Wood stains are toxic to inhale and can harm your skin so wear a respirator mask and gloves and apply stain an area with proper ventilation. The four types of stain you can use for your cedar siding.

However with semi transparent stains you will need to take care with the application. Department of agriculture s forest services laboratory recommends cleaning cedar shingles with an oxidizing bleach as opposed to a household bleach to avoid damaging the wood while you can use household bleach to kill mold and algae it tends to make the cedar shingle s surface. Stains dry rapidly and fresh stain applied over dried stain will show lap marks. 7 tips painting or staining cedar wood siding walking into a paint store can be overwhelming trying to decide which paint or stain coating you wish to provide your exterior cedar wood and siding as there are many varieties.

Semi transparent stains are your best bet when you want the real look of slightly weathered cedar with protection. Restaining can be time consuming but it s easily enough done. If you are interested in keeping the natural appearance of cedar then the clear stain is for you. Cedar shingles can also grow moss and algae or develop iron staining which requires periodic cleaning.

Staining cedar siding differs from application of paint and other finishes. If possible stain all sides of the siding before installation. The few solid particles in this mix will not significantly obscure cedar s wood grain. The following outline is intended to prepare you before buying any such products knowing exactly which type fits your final outcome.

Prep and paint or stain the wood to prolong its life as siding or repurpose it in functional ways. When putting up brand new cedar siding it is recommended that your first stain be oil based alklyd.