Full Answer
How can I preserve cedar cladding?
What is the problem with cedar cladding?
What stain should I use for cedar?
Why is cedar so hard to treat?
Why is cedar dark?
Where does cedar cladding come from?
Why do you coat Western red cedar?
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Can cedar be left untreated?
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 the climate. There are several options for covering cedar siding, including stain, a clear treatment or paint.
What is the best treatment for cedar cladding?
A thorough coating or two of an acrylic-based paint is by far the most protective of the finishes on offer. It will shield the timber from moisture and weathering, but will completely conceal the wood's colour and grain — so make sure to choose a wood paint of your desired colour.
Do you need to stain cedar cladding?
If the cedar has been left to weather without any kind of protective coating then the timber is often very dry and also may be cupping or splitting. Applying a stain is often a short term solution as, to be effective, it needs to be done every two to five years. An alternative can be to paint the timber instead.
Does cedar need to be coated?
Cedar is not needed to be treated, stained, or painted, but lasts for years without any damage. But I highly recommend you treat and finish cedar woodworks especially before placing them outside because if you leave it untreated, it can weather to a grey, ash color over time.
How long does untreated cedar cladding last?
40-60 yearsCedar cladding, especially Western Red Cedar cladding, is more weather resistance than most timber (and many other materials too). This makes external cedar cladding a great choice for any building, from a small garage or structure to a entire house. Typically, you can expect cedar cladding to last for 40-60 years.
How long does untreated cedar last?
Naturally rot-resistant wood varieties, like cedar and redwood, can give up to 30 years of use but will cost 12 times more than untreated lumber.
How often does cedar cladding need oiling?
After an initial oiling of either new Cedar weatherboards, cladding, or doors that has been stripped, it is recommended that a “top-up” coat of oil is applied within 12 months to maximise the oil's protective qualities and further extend the life span of the colour tone.
Should you seal exterior cedar?
If you're using cedar for an outdoor project, however, give it a light seal coat to guard against moisture and sunlight. Cedar is naturally resistant to rot, but that isn't its only benefit as a building material. It's lightweight yet harder than most other softwoods, including fir and pine.
Should I seal or stain cedar?
Cedar also looks excellent with a stain or paint job, but over time it will deteriorate due to exposure to the elements. The best way to protect a cedar surface is to penetrate deep into the surface pores with a sealant.
What is the best treatment for exterior cedar?
Linseed oil is the best clear cedar finish for outdoors because it is durable and dries quickly. Most clear stains that dry quickly contain linseed oil as the main component. However, other oil-based stains and solid wood stains work excellently on outdoor projects.
What is the best product to use on cedar siding?
Compared to other finishes, paint offers the greatest protection for western red cedar siding against the elements. And while cedar siding accepts, holds and showcases all types of paints beautifully, your best choice is a 100% acrylic latex formula. They outperform other types of paints in all types of weather.
Should cedar be sealed or stained?
Your cedar will retain its rich color and be protected from deterioration like cracking, graying, and warping due to sealing. Sealing your deck will increase its life and ensure that it will survive many years. Choose a sealant that is semi-transparent and has pigments with a cedar color.
What keeps cedar from rotting?
The “phenols” also are responsible for Cedar's natural resistance to moisture, decay and insect infestation. The natural resistance provided by the oils and acids are what make these species more popular in outdoor applications. Properly finished, cedar will last for decades even in harsh environments.
How long does cedar cladding last?
Because it’s soft and brittle, you should only use it in areas where heavy damage is unlikely. American imported red cedar is relatively expensive but has an expected life of 40-60 years. Luckily you can get less costly timber cladding that lasts almost as long.
What is the best wood for external cladding?
Western red cedar is a softwood, apparently the most popular choice right now for external cladding in the UK. When you use the heartwood or wood from the centre of the tree, it’s naturally occurring chemical transformation makes it more resistant to decay, so there’s no need to treat the timber first.
What happens if you don't stain your timber cladding?
One of the biggest exterior timber cladding issues is staining from the fixings. If it’s not done properly, you can end up with nasty stains all over the surface.
What is dry oak used for?
Dry oak is usually used for profiled cladding sections, either dried naturally or in a special kiln. It’s usually used untreated, is extremely hard wearing and rugged. But it’s prone to water stains and leaks tannin in the early stages when the weather’s wet.
What causes cladding to turn black?
If you’re in an urban area remember dirt and pollution will affect the colour and condition of your cladding. It can even make some timbers turn almost black, notably cedar
How long does wood finish last?
Depending on the type of cladding, the wood finish or treatment used, which direction the surface is facing and also on how much wind, rain and sun the cladding gets will affect the maintenance period which could be anything from 2 to 5 years. Wood oils are easier to maintain as there is no need to sand the old finish off, just clean and re-apply
Can wood cladding be treated?
Like all timber, wood cladding can suffer from attacks by fungus and insects. Cheaper, less durable timber like European redwood should always be treated and, depending on where and how it’s used, might even need re-coating. If your building is in an inner city or tricky location, access might be a serious challenge.
What is the best material for cladding?
Timber is the perfect material for cladding. It is reliable and easy to work with. To ensure you get the most out of your timber cladding, you may want to treat and preserve the timber depending on the specie selection and natural durability.
What happens to pressure treated timber after it is out of the tank?
Pressure treated timber will be green initially, however this colour will fade to the natural colour of the timber over time.
What is pressure treated wood?
Pressure treatment is also often referred to as tanalised timber. Woods are often categorised into groups, 1-4, which illustrate their chance of rot and thus the type of treatment they require. Wood used inside and that is unlikely to get wet or rot doesn’t need much treatment (if any).
What is drip treatment on wood?
Any cuts that expose new wood surfaces should be treated with an appropriate treatment/ end seal. This can be done manually with a brush. This is referred to as brush applied or drip treatment and will help ensure all the wood is adequately protected.
Do you need to treat hardwood?
Some hardwoods are naturally very durable and aren’t susceptible to decay or rot. Treatment isn’t necessary with these types of species. Other types are more vulnerable so do need treatment of some kind. Many softwoods make great cladding as they are easy to work with and more affordable. They are more susceptible to decay though so treatment is vital in ensuring these woods can withstand the elements.
Do hardwoods need to be treated?
Some hardwoods are naturally very durable and aren’t susceptible to decay or rot. Treatment isn’t necessary with these types of species. Other types are more vulnerable so do need treatment of some kind. Many softwoods make great cladding as they are easy to work with and more affordable.
Is wood safe to use for interior?
Timber used for interior purposes will most likely be safe from decay. As long as wood is dry, it isn’t vulnerable to decay. But for timber used for external buildings and design, avoiding the rain is unlikely. This means they need to be adequately protected and treated. Treating wood is highly dependent on the timber species.
What would happen if Western Red Cedar became hot?
If Western Red Cedar became hot during the planning process, the surface would show burn marks. Researchers at the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory have not been able to duplicate paint failure by “glazing” at the surface.
What causes wood to discolor?
Search and Destroy Contaminants. Dirt and mildew are among the most common causes of discoloration. Thankfully, both culprits are relatively easy to combat. With surface dirt, cleaning with a mild non-phosphate detergent solution from time to time should be enough to restore and retain your wood’s beautiful color.
How to clean weathered water repellent?
Weathered water-repellent preservative finishes should be cleaned with a non-ferrous bristle brush to remove loose fibers and dirt. If the surface is soiled, it may be scrubbed with a mild detergent solution. If mildew is present, it should be controlled.
Can you refinish mildew free wood?
Weathered penetrating stains on mildew-free surfaces are relatively easy to refinish. Excessive scraping or sanding is not required. A stiff, non-ferrous bristle brush may be used to remove surface dirt, dust and loose wood fibers before applying the stain.
Is red cedar good for outdoor use?
Western Red Cedar is classified as a durable wood species, dimensionally stable, and suitable for a wide variety of coatings and finishes. It is these characteristics that make Western Red Cedar suitable for exterior use for many outdoor applications.
Does Western Red Cedar have sap?
Western Red Cedar does not contain any sap or resins that can migrate to the surface. Western Red Cedar does contain extractives that make it resistant to insects and decay but they are not resinous or sap like. If Western Red Cedar became hot during the planning process, the surface would show burn marks.
Is red cedar good for coating?
It has been proven through field studies and research that Western Red Cedar is an excellent substrate for coatings and finishes. When comparisons are made between Western Red Cedar and other wood species, Western Red Cedar outperforms them all.
How can I preserve cedar cladding?
The best way to preserve cedar cladding is to apply a product ( supplied in UK ) called Di-ard. It is a quateri-ammonium disinfectant which is used to kill Algi and other fungal growth on a wide variety of surfaces, ie concrete, slabs, glass and wood.
What is the problem with cedar cladding?
Its colour is brownish red and because of its durable properties it has been used in recent years as a cladding for buildings. In my opinion it has been used excessively and usually has not been protected against the elements.
What stain should I use for cedar?
http://www.corell.ie . If you are looking to retain the natural colour of cedar then I would suggest using an oil based stain like an OSMOS 410D. Also have a look at SIKKENS Cetol. Its a water based system which is best applied to the timber with a vacuum coater.
Why is cedar so hard to treat?
Cedar is notoriously difficult to treat as it is rich in oils and resins so products often struggle to penetrate it and then over time are pushed out by the oils and resins.
Why is cedar dark?
The dark / wet / blotchy appearance of weathered cedar is as a result of Tannin / extractive bleeding from the timber. This eventually weathers to a uniform grey colour is exposed but sheltered areas wont weather as fast or as uniform as clear open panels.
Where does cedar cladding come from?
49 thoughts on “ The problem with cedar cladding ”. Western Red Cedar (thuja plicata) is actually mostly sourced from West coat Canada (Vancouver area BC). Like all timber, it darkens when it gets wet and bleaches to a grey colour if left natural due to UV degradation.
Why do you coat Western red cedar?
The only reason anyone should coat Western Red Cedar is to help prolong the natural colour of the timber, this is usually the start of the problem on building sites. Coatings require maintenance and the proper coating must be specified in the first instance.