Whilst treated cedar cladding still looks great, letting your cedar go grey is actually somewhat of a trend. Amongst architects, there’s been a growing appreciation for leaving materials like timber in their natural, rustic state, with their inherent, untreated beauty on full show. Treatments for cedar wood can be broadly placed into these groups: opaque, semi-transparent, transparent or untreated. After the final coat is applied, the cedar wood has to be left out to dry for at least 72 hours. This can ensure even spread and adhesion of the paint applied. The surface should not be disturbed so that the effect stays for long. Repeated brush treatment of Western Red Cedar until the wood no longer absorbs any more products (known as the point of refusal) will enhance the durability of the finish.

Natural, water-based protection doesn't penetrate as deeply, but still afford a good deal of protection, containing fungicides that inhibit the growth of mildew. They’re seen as more environmentally friendly. Generally, opaque treatments (like paints and solid-colour stains) offer higher protection at the expense of obscuring more of the wood’s natural appearance. 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. When left untreated and exposed to the sun’s oxidising UV light, Western Red Cedar fades and bleaches to a beautiful silvery-grey finish. So if you’re after the weathered cedar look — perhaps some ‘silver fox’, distinguished weathered cedar cladding, for example — you simply don’t need to apply any treatment.

We recommend using the clear version, as it delivers a beautifully natural finish. The same can't quite be said about the teak colour, as it's a little orange.

Of course, it’s possible to leave your project without any treatment at all — one of the glories of durable timber species like this. With all its resins, Western Red Cedar is naturally rot resistant and still performs well without a finish. First, wash the steel wool (some manufacturers apply an oil to prevent it from rusting), then separate it as best as possible and put it in a clean glass jar with the vinegar (different types of vinegar will provide different shades). Oil is also really durable and is easy to maintain – you just need to keep it clean and touch it up every now and then. It’s very resistant to dirt and water so doesn’t require much upkeep at all.'Don't know where to start? Not sure what you need? Don't worry, the gardening experts at B&M HQ are here to help! Helpful Tips Top tip — Western Red Cedar has fantastic exterior finish-retention qualities, especially when smooth, as opposed to textured. Therefore, if you’re particularly interested in longevity, look for planed cedar. 1. Opaque or solid-colour Cover it and let it sit for at least 2 days. At that point the steel wool should be completely dissolved. I know from mistakes of using the products I’ve helped design that this is a costly and flaking-well infuriating.

Stupidly, I fell under the marketing spell,read the copy on the product, saw the price and thought with proper prep, my job would be better…. it wasn’t! This depends on your home's exterior and the colours and tones in your garden. Avoid anything jarring, and look to either complement or contrast with your walls and fences. It’s designed to penetrate deep into the wood to replace the natural oils lost over time through weathering, and to offer deep-seated protection against splitting and drying, while the tinted oil brings out the colour in greyed wood for a fresh look. How much protection do you want or need? The amount of sunlight and rain hitting your wood will shorten the lifespan of the finish applied, so if it’s exposed, consider a strong, oil-based stain or paint.

And finally – cleaning up after deck staining:

Another thing that can affect the quality of finish uptake is how weathered the timber is. If your Western Red Cedar is showing signs of age, you’ll have to prepare the wood with a heavy-duty clean and restore. Skip the section below for more details on how to do this. Paint or solid-colour stain application These are also solid-colour stain finishes, which provide an opaque finish whilst retaining some of the original texture. They offer very strong protection against the elements. Clean all tools and equipment with soap and water whilst still wet. If allowed to dry, remove with paint stripper. Once dry, remove any loose nails and replace them with the next size up. The bigger nail will provide a greater grip, holding loosened wood in place If ‘ can you paint cedar wood’, was the question on your mind, then yes you can paint both old and new ones. If it is new cedar, you have to first prepare it for accepting the paint. This process opens up the wood grain and keeps it ready for the painting session. Old cedar may have accumulated a lot of dust and needs a thorough cleaning. All mildew collected on exposure to elements needs to be removed so that paint stays well.

Semi-transparent stains are usually best applied with a brush, although this can be achieved with a roller, pad, spray or drip. A second layer can be added for extra protection, but only if the cedar will accept it. When you are planning to paint the cedar on the exterior of your building, the main point to consider is the weather. Humidity or rain may be disturbing factors for your project. First, it is essential that you estimate the time required to complete the project. Based on this, get an understanding of the weather forecast in your locality. Make sure that you will be able to complete the task before changes in weather set in. else, you may be left with a half-done job. Also, painting in the time of rains is not advisable as everything will be washed away easily.If you’ve spent the money on the construction, and spent time on the proper preparation, a word of advice…Don’t be cavalier with regard to the preservation and finish. If you are painting an old cedar, you have to consider the paint that was used earlier. Can you paint cedar wood with a transparent or semi-transparent coating? Not if you had given a solid coat already! The wood has already been covered and it is very difficult to apply a transparent coat, while vice versa is possible.