Refinishing Old Cedar Siding

Watch this quick tutorial on what you need to do to prepare wood house siding for refinishing.

Refinishing old cedar siding.

Fill any dents and holes with either a wood or epoxy filler. Mildew must be killed and removed before western red cedar is refinished or the mildew will grow through the new paint coat or solid color stain. Prep the cedar siding by cleaning it with a bleach and solution. Use the wood cleaner according to instructions on the product s packaging.

Be sure to remove any caulk where the siding overlaps as old houses need to breathe. You don t have to get it spotless but you do want to rid the siding of any loose dirt and debris along with cobwebs and other objects. Restaining your cedar siding involves removing the old protective coating and applying a new layer of wood stain in the color of your choice then applying more protective coating. Use a wide paintbrush to apply the stripper to a 2 to 3 foot wide area of the siding.

Cover cedar siding with primer to keep any tannic acid or natural red coloring from. Allow to sit until the stain begins to lift and bubble. Apply this to the entire surface of cedar siding making sure that the wood is completely saturated with it. There is one thing you must do however to hold onto that warm wood glow and that s restaining when your siding starts to look dull.

Apply the wood cleaner to the cedar siding using a paint brush or roller. Cedar siding has a warm natural look. Pull out loose nails and renail using stainless steel siding nails. Apply chemical stripper to the siding.

To refinish the old surface first scrape away all loose cracked or peeling finish. Reach the high areas or apply cleaner to the less dirty areas using a roller with an extension pole which doesn t allow you to apply as much pressure or elbow grease as a paint brush. Cedar siding can last decades and it requires little maintenance to retain its natural beauty. Sand it to remove the loose surface particles.

Step 4 let the cleaner sit on the cedar siding for 15 to 30 minutes. This is a cleaning solution specially designed for removing any stubborn stains or greasy marks on the wood.