Painted Cedar Shake Siding Maintenance

Left untreated cedar shakes individual planks of one of several varieties of cedar will discolor and begin to soften with a possibility of rot after about five years depending on your climate.

Painted cedar shake siding maintenance.

How do you maintain or stain cedar shake siding. The surfaces of finished western red cedar decks siding and trim boards exposed outdoors inevitably become dirty and can also be discolored by mildew algae and moss. This summer a sundeleaf painting crew has been pouring love and sweat into this spectacular portland home. With proper care cedar siding should last many decades.

This will avoid problems such as mold mildew rot and water damage. Cedar shakes are cedar shingles that naturally weather and are resistant to decay. If the caulk separates and fails to keep out moisture water can seep in and rot the siding. Like most wooden shingles however especially when painted they require care and maintenance over the course of time.

These natural elements slowly erode the finishes and as a result all finishes applied to cedar require regular cleaning and maintenance to perform. Even species of wood that have a natural resistance to rot such as redwood cypress and cedar may decay if not properly protected from the elements. Cedar shingles can also grow moss and algae or develop iron staining which requires periodic cleaning. What does that care look like.

Your climate and landscape will determine how often these processes are required. You have several options for covering cedar siding including stain a clear treatment or paint. We have a house that has cedar shake siding. Cedar siding maintenance must be a regular task so that you can avoid permanent damage to your home s exterior.

A mild non phosphate detergent is recommended. The painter that we hired had his crew use brushes to paint the shakes. We chose a darker shade of grey. Dusty climates will require more frequent washing.

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. It was painted probably 15 20 years ago so we decided to paint it. The paint will begin to peel and the shingles may become stained and they will need to be repainted. From the outside the cedar siding is a major part of the aesthetics.

Power wash every two to four years. While this material is beautiful long lasting and tough like all other types of wood you must be up to date with the care and cleaning of cedar siding. Left unprotected paint will chip and crack putting stress on caulked seams around windows and doors. Genuine cedar siding is going to require washing and staining sealing or painting on a regular basis.