What is your taste? I would like to see a blueish color on your house. Or even redish color stain.
Good Luck
Sharon

:) thank you for deciding to restore the existing wood, instead of putting up siding...

if I weren't three states away, I would offer to help, just to encourage you :)

power washing beats the heck out of any of the older alternatives - which involve scaffolding and scrub brushes...

the tinting of the primer, and the 'solid color' stains drive me nuts, personally - but I'm a real nutball about wood being wood-colored...but it is a must if you're going to actually COLOR the house, instead of just restore the siding, or accent the natural color of the wood, eh?

and heck - with the windows being white-clad, this isn't a bad time to consider a lighter color that wouldn't add so much to that 'oh wow, look at those white windows' effect.

We just re-stained our home recently. Washing should be done on a very gentle cycle (not POWER wash!). DH told me Power washing causes losts of water to get into the wood and makes staining it more difficult.

We had our painter used CABOT and it looks wonderful. (It was a light yellow...custom...a bit of this and a bit of that!) They had a yellow which I liked, but wanted a bit more white, so we mixed!

Good luck to you!

Thanks for the feedback. I believe my wife wants to try a sage type color, thus why we are choosing solid stains. restoring?? you mean to tell me that wood can be takeeeeen back to original color and stained? that must be expensive and alot of work.

Cabot has three types of color stains: Semi-Transparent Stains, Semi-Solid Stains and Solid Color Stains. The diff between them is the amount of pigment in the "stain". Transparent the least, Solid has the most. You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the solid color stain and an exterior paint. The line between paint and stain has become somewhat blurred.

Any of the three types of stains can be tinted to any color you like.

If you want a painted look and go with the solid color. Make sure to prime first. Yes, I said prime first because this is almost exactly like a paint.

You appear to have a traditional stain right now. I.e. Not solid color. I don't know if you can go over a traditional stain with a traiditonal stain of another color. Call Cabot and ask.

Your clapboards appear to be in great shape.

Re the power washing, just be careful not to damage the wood and wait at least 7 days for the claps to dry. The actually sell a moisture meter (not expensive) at the paint store to tell how much humidity in wood. If there is too much humidity you'll have problems and all that work will be in vain.

Check out the article from This Old House. Not a bad overview of whats involved in an exterior paint job...

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/exteriors/article/0,16417,202236,00.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Cabot Link

Semi Solid stain? hmm didn't hear about that one. as for pressure washing, The paint store reccomended just by looking, that pressure is probably needed and chemically treated washing, they felt there might be mildew, but I don't recall seeing it and neither did the inspector, will determine that later.

If I did pressure wash it, it will be at least a week to allow for srying time and the weather better be pretty darn nice for that week. Then it will be stain primered and followed by 2 coats of stain.

One more thought......CABOT sells small sample cans that you can order.

Well I had a quote the other day from a good outfit, $8500 to powerwash, caulk prime and wood stain the house. HOLY!!!! So my question is, how difficult is it to do it on your own?

Hi Ekoreilly,
Previous posters' are mostly correct...
* POWER-Washing is an absolute MUST. Years of wind-blown dirt, etc., etc.
* Cabot has good cleaners/brighteners for decks/siding.
* I'll guarantee there's mold/mildew on your house...almost every wood-sided home does if not maintained the best. You won't see most of it until using a cleaner on it. Then, it turns black.
* It's hard to tell by computer, but I wouldn't rule out sanding most of that siding. Not what you want to hear, but it's true. How long since it was stained last??
* When pressure-washing...
>> Spray on cleaning solution(s).
>> Leave on for directed time.
>> When rinsing off, keep the tip a FOOT away!
>> Dial down pressure to ~500psi.
>> As stated above...1 week to dry out if weathers' right.

If painting: 1 coat Exterior primer, & 2 coats color.
If staining: 2 coats of Solid stain is best.

Good luck!
Faron

Hey thanks for the update. As for powerwwashing, I think I'll have someone else do that, unless there really is not much to it as long as your careful, then I'll go out and buy one. I agree though, it needs powerwashing. My quote was for one oil primer stain and one coat of stain.

Is painting a house this size that difficult , especially the second floor or is it most just time consuming?

Had a trusted contractor come over about siding, he suggesting staining if were are really going to move in 3 years, (we might be moving) otherwise side it with the cedar like siding in the front and regular siding on the sides and rear; cost $10-15K depending on material and options, but $15K tops.

Look it, I'm a DIY kind of guy and believe in doing things the right way, Ive' installed patio doors, doors, done window trim, floor trim, painted too many rooms to count, cabinets installation and when it comes to landscaping, well I love it. Taking on staining a big house , well a little overwhelming thinking about it. buying equipment that can alway be used later in life doesn't bother me (or the wife, thank god). Just don't know if it's a job I can complete satisfactorily?

oh, I forgot to mention, I was told it's about 20 square (siding guy said that) and the paint guy said 30 gallons of primer and 20 of stain.

Hi EK,
Yeah, it's hard to decide...especially if you may be moving relatively soon!
>>> Painting:
* You KNOW what color(s) you'll end up with...
* More "permanent" appearance & steady wear-pattern...
* More labor costs for primer-coat, and 2 topcoats (ideally!).

>>> Staining:
* Less labor costs...
* Somewhat more unpredictable appearance...
* Weathers at a faster rate on S & W sides especially.
* You're setting yourself up for more frequent maintenance to stay ahead of the quicker wood degradation.

>>> New siding:
* Hmmm, interesting! Did you mean new "Shakes" or clapboard-style artificial shakes??
* If new cedar shakes >>>> BACKPRIME THEM with the stain you're using, before they go up!!! REGARDLESS:
* The home has to be p/washed. I'd hire this and painting/staining done. It's too big a job for a DIY.
* Just review contracts, and be clear about p/washing practices, drying days, etc.

See ya!
Faron

Hi, for siding I meant vinyl, with the clapboad style fake shakes for the front and typical siding on the sides.

If we do it, it will be staining. Powerwashing, I though of buying a powerwasher and doing it myself, but I'd rather let a pro do it.

so might be too big for a DIY, meaning height of the house and such?

Hey EK,
Yeah, I meant contractors' using scaffolding to quickly & safely clean & stain on the upper-half. One guy on a ladder trying to wash a house = possible crutches!
(Unless you like moving a ladder 37 times when you're wet!!)

>>> Remember, where you're gonna stain, let that wood dry a WEEK or more...and that's in good weather!
>>> Are you gonna have the wood removed where the new siding goes on??

Later,
Faron

IF we do siding, the contractor will leave the wood alone and sheet over it them side. He said it could be done with our house. However, on the north side he will strip it, put down 1/2" pink board and then side over that.

any other thoughts on DIY staing and getting to the second floor? any regrets? techniques?

WOW can hardly believe its been almost a year 1.5 months away, since movinginto our house. we have decided to wait till SPring to do Exterior work and decided it's too dangerous for me to stain it myself, I'm just not a heights guy.

I have done many things around the house, update kitchen, recarpeting, reiwring garage and made a workbench/shop area. I put on new exterior lights, thus why I am reporting back. The siding looks pretty rough, on every side there seems to be several boards with horizontal cracks and almost everything needs to be recalked. I'm just worried that even replacing boards or calking will just be a bandaid. not to mention the F-ing bees around, must be cedar attracks them. SO I am considering residing the house.