Painting Old Cedar Clapboard Siding

Exterior western red cedar surfaces only need to be refinished when the old coating has worn thin and no longer affords the wood protection.

Painting old cedar clapboard siding.

Be sure to remove any caulk where the siding overlaps as old houses need to breathe. The majority of the siding is western red cedar and because these homes are 50 years old the siding is from old growth. Choosing paint colors for your wooden clapboard siding is one of the more exciting parts of home improvement. 7 tips painting or staining cedar wood siding walking into a paint store can be overwhelming trying to decide which paint or stain coating you wish to provide your exterior cedar wood and siding as there are many varieties.

From a distance the house in winchester mass site of the 2002 this old house tv project was a picture of yellow siding and white trim. Strip the old paint go to our paint stripping page we decided to strip the paint to give us the best chance of producing the longest lasting paint job. Siding nails should not be caulked another item that needs room to play is siding boards themselves. Even then the paint is not expected to last long.

The nails holding up the siding should not be caulked. In refinishing painted or solid color stained siding and trim removal of the old coating may be required. Be careful when painting very old cedar siding. Surface preparation is the key to success when dealing with weathered wood.

A diyer or a novice painter might attempt to achieve a cleaner look by caulking the siding nails but the nail is guaranteed to push the caulking material out within a few months. Rollers are available in many sizes and various widths from 3 to 12. I warranty all my restorative exteriors for 10 years which means if there is any peeling paint failure due to poor preparation workmanship or materials i will provide labour and materials to amend the problem. Loosened photodegraded surface fibers and.

The following outline is intended to prepare you before buying any such products knowing exactly which type fits your final outcome. A 1 4 to 1 2 thick roller nap is good for clapboard siding. Pull out loose nails and renail using stainless steel siding nails. Closer inspection revealed a craggy clapboard landscape of cracks chips and flakes where 10 coats of paint applied during the 80 year life of the house were failing by degrees.

While extremely old cedar can be painted it requires heavy preparation. Basic maintenance repair and painting of cedar wood siding using gardner flex n fill and behr premium plus exterior paint. From traditional to contemporary options most home improvement stores have a variety of paint books and brochures outlining available colors and finishes. The siding must be free from mold mildew and dirt.