skip to main content

how to prep white cedar shakes for stain

16 years ago

hi

we have a 3 yr old home in southern n england that has natural white cedar shakes, They are starting to grey and dh wants to clean and use clear coat preservative. We are getting lots of conflicting info re: tsp vs bleach or use both together , pressure wash or not. Would appreciate hearing anyones experience. Also any reccomendations on a clear coat?

thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comment (1)

moonshadow
16 years ago
I'd be very careful with the pressure washer, they can gouge wood easily if you glance away for even a second (ask me how I know this). I have used it on our cedar fence with success, as long as I'm careful ;) Somewhere on this board recently this topic came up, and Michael didn't really care much for pressure washing exterior wood siding, if memory serves. Might want to search the board, it came up within the last month or so. All the same, he did offer a link to a site that had instructions for pressure washing exterior.

When it's time to restain our cedar privacy fence, I spray it with hose to pre-wet, then use a garden sprayer that contains a mixture of Soilax and bleach, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes, pressure wash or rinse off. Depends on how overdue it is for cleaning, and if I'm going to be applying a fresh stain coat. No fresh stain, I just rinse off. If staining I pressure wash. (Soilax is difficult if not impossible to find anymore, but Dirtex is much the same.) If I don't pressure wash and have a bad area of mold (underneath a horizontal board) I have to use a stiff brush to get stubborn mildew or green mold off.

I did a lot of research before I re-stained our fence last time. Cabot got a lot of good reviews on the web (I believe their site has a pretty good Q&A page as well, you might check there.) When I checked at our local Ace (who carries Cabot) the paint dept manager told me a lot of pros that come in like Sikkens products for wood, too. Can't vouch for Sikkens, have never used it. The Cabot has been on for two years now (going into 3rd summer) and I noticed when watering the other day it's still repelling pretty well. (I used to use Behr products, but one of the first things to go was the water repelling ability and fade quickly followed.) I have used Olympic stain on a cedar fence as well (white picket) and for an exterior white, that stain has held up tremendously well. I'd probably look into Cabot's first, they have a lot to offer in the way of exterior wood protection.

I'm having trouble accessing their site right now, but it's wwww.cabotstain.com They also offer prep/cleaning products as well.
Related Discussions
red cedar shakes stain color
Q
Comments (1)
I think white trim would look perfect and provide a very nice contrast and even help tie the colors in together. You have to remember any semi-transparent stain on a RED cedar shingle will still show the red through quite a bit. Also I doubt very much that the stain separated at all as semi-transparent stains really do not have much to separate.
...See More
Cedar shake stains -- differences in wear?
Q
Comments (0)
We are doing an addition on an old brick house and have decided to go with cedar shake shingles instead of hardi to fit in with the more natural look of our brick. We were thinking of staining the cedar shake with a semi-transparent or solid stain to match the brick -- probably a dark red, brown-red, or orange-red (we have many colors in our brick). Is there a difference in how lighter vs darker stains wear/weather on cedar shake? Or anything else we aren't aware of with staining cedar shake that we should take into account? Thanks.
...See More
help with split red cedar shake siding on Long Island
Q
Comments (4)
You're not going to to be able to stain those dark shakes a light color, or "wash off the old color." You could paint them, but that will take a lot of prep and priming, and cedar shakes are notorious for bleeding through paint and for causing rusting around any exposed fasteners which will also show through the paint. I think you have the following choices: 1. Learn to love the traditional look you have 2. Paint them, spending a lot of time on prep, and hope that you don't end up with appearance problems later 3. Remove them and start over
...See More
Shingle Prep: How to strip solid stain cedar to raw for clear stain?
Q
Comments (5)
Not sure what the list is - are those things youve tried? I guess the question would be just how deeply into the pores of the wood did the stain go - experimenting in an out of the way spot would be the best ay to answer. If its just sitting on the surface (like the cheap stuff I used on a porch several years ago) and already wearing off conceivably it could be easy to get off most of it but cedar shingles being what they are - rough textured, open pores - that stuff could have gotten down pretty deep and probably will never look like pristine new shingles. HOWEVER .... I think they could still look pretty fantastic sanded off even if theres bits of old colors still remaining deep in the wood. Weathered/distressed wood is very much a thing now - as you know if youve looked at siding or flooring lately!
...See More

Related Stories

ENTERTAINING Genius Home Prep: A Guest Room in a Box

By Alison Hodgson

No dedicated guest room? Make hosting overnighters easier by keeping the essentials in one place

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING 12 Ways to Prep the Porch for Summer

By Becky Harris

Small Floor-to-Ceiling Projects for Your Front-Yard Perch

REMODELING GUIDES Design Dilemma: How Do I Modernize My Cedar Walls?

8 Ways to Give Wood Walls a More Contemporary Look

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen of the Week: Brick, Wood and Clean White Lines

By Becky Harris

A family kitchen retains its original brick but adds an eat-in area and bright new cabinets

WOOD Knotty and Nice: Highly Textured Wood Has a Modern Revival

By Mary Jo Bowling

Whether it's cedar, fir or pine, if a wood has a knot, it's hot

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Refinish a Wood Deck

By Christine Tusher

Keep your deck looking its best — and save feet from splinters — by applying a new stain and sealant every year or so

LIFE May Checklist for a Smooth-Running Home

By Laura Gaskill

Sweep into wonderful weather by prepping your home for outdoor pleasures and giving accumulated muck the boot

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen of the Week: Going Elegant and Bright in a 1900s Home

By Vanessa Brunner

Dark and closed off no more, this Atlanta kitchen now has a classic look, increased natural light and a more open plan

TRIM What Color Should You Paint Your Trim?

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Learn the benefits of painting your trim white, black, neutral, a bold color and more

PAINTING Knotty to Nice: Painted Wood Paneling Lightens a Room's Look

By No. 29 Design

Children ran from the scary dark walls in this spare room, but white paint and new flooring put fears and style travesties to rest

Sponsored

12 Reviews

Pittsburgh's Custom Kitchen & Bath Designs for Everyday Living

More Discussions

Color changes in paint formulations

12

STAIRCASE PAINT OPINION/help

1

Wood trim—what to stain, what to paint?

13

Paint help from owners bedroom through hallway to owners bath - help

4

Do I need shutters on my 1908 cottage style home?m

2