Repaint Or Restain Old Shignle Siding

Even unpainted cedar will last for years.

Repaint or restain old shignle siding.

Like most wooden shingles however especially when painted they require care and maintenance over the course of time. Years ago my brother a life long painting contractor had his house resided with beautiful horizontal cedar clapboards. Cedar shingles can also grow moss and algae or develop iron staining which requires periodic cleaning. Painting cedar however calls for some preparation.

The brown shingles on our house built in the late 1950s are showing signs of wear. If new shingle siding no need to strip or try removing old paint not that you could do this 100 anyway priming painting is one of a solid type coating apt to blister bubble chip or peel. Stained wood siding offers your home a natural or rustic look. The paint will begin to peel and the shingles may become stained and they will need to be repainted.

Cedar siding is very durable against the elements but still requires regular maintenance and depending on the climate should be restained every few years. While not worn or damaged the shingles look tired waterlogged or parched depending on the season. Semi transparent stains would never do this protecting much longer. Restain old wood siding to give a house a fresh new appearance.

This discoloration is most likely caused by a combination of excessive tannins leeching from the wood and mildew growth. Cedar shakes are cedar shingles that naturally weather and are resistant to decay. 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. He used a national brand transparent oil stain.

The most damaging element to cedar siding is moisture. Weather age and normal wear and tear can leave it looking faded or. Cedar shake siding isn t hard to maintain if you are well planned. No matter you are staining or painting weathered cedar siding if you do the following steps in the proper order you will maximize your results.

Any exposed wood is susceptible to the elements that cause mildew swelling splitting and cracking. Remember to start on a day when no precipitation is predicted over the next several days if possible. Cedar siding though durable and able to maintain a good finish for a long period of time does sometimes get damaged and it is certainly not completely immune to rot no matter how well it has been treated and maintained.