Cleaning And Sealing Cedar Siding

Department of agriculture s forest services laboratory recommends cleaning cedar shingles with an oxidizing bleach as opposed to a household bleach to avoid damaging the wood.

Cleaning and sealing cedar siding. Special techniques are necessary for cedar and redwood home maintenance because the wood is soft and can easily be damaged. The siding must be thoroughly cleaned and old layers of paint or sealer must be removed before you can apply a new coat. If necessary use a paint removing product to remove an old layer of paint. Get rid of that grunge by cleaning your cedar siding with an.

Have any damaged pieces replaced. Removing the the wood mold with oxygen bleach. How to seal cedar siding if you re applying sealant to siding that is already installed it is essential to throughly clean the wood surface being sealed. The side of the house with the least sun exposure can be the worst spot with the cedar developing mildew or mold that looks black.

Then using low pressure power wash your home. Make sure you use low pressure because high pressure can damage the wood. The safe and effective way to clean the wood is oxygen bleach. It s important that cedar and redwood siding as well as cedar shingles and shakes are cleaned using a two step method prior to sealing the wood with a semitransparent oil based finish.

Inspect the siding for rot or damage. The wood cleaner will remove dirt gunk and grime that could be contaminating the surface of the wood. Pressure washing can damage cedar so if possible wash by hand. Wash part of a wall and allow it to dry thoroughly before applying the sealant.

When you begin the process of cleaning your cedar siding make sure to remove any old sealer stain with a stripping solution. It is highly toxic to vegetation. Cedar shingles can also grow moss and algae or develop iron staining which requires periodic cleaning. It is non toxic to trees and vegetation and will not remove natural color from the siding.

Begin by sweeping off dust and cobwebs.