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Paint or stain cedar siding?

August 14, 2013 1 Comment Siding

Here is some dialog on the subject- many times beauty is in the eye of the beholder but for my money, stain is the way to go; some other thoughts….

Paint or Stain   my cedar clapboard siding?

Posted by mrmichaeljmoore on

Fri, Apr 18, 13 at 15:04

I   have gotten a few estimates to paint my ranch style home (cedar clapboard siding).But one thing the contractors can’t seem to agree on is: Paint or Stain??My home is in Connecticut, ranch style home that faces due West (so it gets a   lot of sun in the evening).Which is better to use? Paint or Stain?
If there is no definitive answer either way (which is what it seems to me), what are the pros and cons of each? Finally,  any opinions on the various products? Benjamin Moore, etc.
Most of the contractors I got estimates from use  Benjamin Moore….which I assume is good quality stuff.Thanks.

Follow-Up Postings:

RE: Paint or   Stain my cedar clapboard siding?

Posted by heimert  on

Fri, Apr 18, 13 at 15:51

Personally, I’m partial to stain, especially for a nice wood like cedar. But I don’t  think there’s a definitive answer. Benjamin Moore paint is good, though, if  you go that way.On stain, the advantages I see are (1) aesthetic–you can see the wood (2)  doesn’t peel (if you use semitransparent) (3) easier to recoat. On 2, the stain soaks into the wood, rather than sitting on top. You won’t get peeling   after the sun beats down on it every afternoon. You will get fading, however,   and reduced protection over time. But, it will be a lot easier to recoat–you   clean off the dirt/grime/algae and then re stain. No need to sand (at least not heavily), no need to burn/scrape. Just recoat it with the same stain.
RE: Paint or Stain my cedar clapboard siding?

Posted by paintguy  on

Sat, Apr 19, 08 at 10:18

For cedar siding, there is a definitive answer. Stain it with a 100 percent acrylic high quality      exterior stain. The pros to   using a stain are that it does not peel like a paint because it is not film   forming. Also, stain is perfect for cedar siding because of its lapping  properties which means you will not see where the painter stopped in the   middle of a board to move his ladder and then started again. These days, the word stain is confusing because people think stains are like semi-transparents but not all of them are. The acrylic stains look and apply very much like a paint does.
RE: Paint or Stain my cedar clapboard siding?

Posted by allison1888

Sat, Apr 19, 13 at 14:37

I go with stain also. It’s a nicer look for cedar.
RE: Paint or Stain my cedar clapboard siding?

Posted by moonshadow  Sat, Apr 19, 13 at 18:33

Stain!  I’ve used solid acrylic stain that paintguy mentions on exterior cedar and it  holds up much better than paint, imho. (As far as appearance it looks better, too, imho, gives a more uniform appearance overall.) I’ve had poor success with Behr exterior stains. Have had pretty good success with: Maxum; Rez, Cabot.Have checked into Sikkens for other projects, too. Pricey, but I heard they make a really superior product.
RE: Paint or Stain my cedar clapboard siding?

Posted by mrmichaeljmoore

Mon, Apr 21, 13 at 13:39

Thanks  for the responses…
If stain seems to be so much better, then why did 2 out of the 3 quotes I got recommend paint?? They are both from highly reputable guys in my area…..Well, I talked to the guy I plan on going with (he prefers stain)….
He said for the first coat he uses Oil Based Primer. For the topcoats, he uses Latex arcylic stain.
He prefers Benjamin Moore.Now   one other question….
Is there a difference between a solid stain and a semi-transparent? Is it just aesthetics? Does one look better or last longer than the other?Oh….I   asked him how many years should I get out of his job….He said 10-12 years easy. Sound about right?

Thanks again for the help.
RE: Paint or Stain my cedar clapboard siding?

Posted by davefr  on

Mon, Apr 21, 13 at 15:23

On  new wood I prefer semi-transparent oil based stains. However the weather eventually takes it’s toll and the siding develops weathered areas, water marks and faded sections depending on the sidings orientation. At that point   it’s best to transition to solid color acrylic stains. You’ll still see the  texture of the wood but you’ll get better coverage. (pick a natural solid   color like cedar or redwood).All the previous coats of oil based stain make an excellent base for the solid   color acrylics.Solid color acrylic stains are simply a thinned paint. They’ll last much longer   then semi-transparent stains but not quite as long as paints. IMHO they’re   the best solution for older cedar siding. I’d never use paint on high end   cedar siding because I like the woods natural texture and stains generally   don’t chip, crack and peel like paint can.When it comes time to recoat a solid color stain all you need to do is clean the   surface. (never use a power washer!!)

 

 

 

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1 Response to Paint or stain cedar siding?

  1. Tom King on August 20, 2013

    Very interesting article – looking to re do my siding shortly.

    Reply

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