Recommended Schedule for Painting Cedar Siding

Cedar Wood

• When it comes time to decide on siding for your home, you not only want it to look good, but you also need it to hold up to the rough exterior elements of sun, wind, rain and snow. Cedar wood is a good choice because it is naturally resistant to moisture damage and swelling or shrinking that are common with other softwoods. Cedar wood does not easily warp or rot and is capable of retaining the fasteners that hold the siding in place to your home. It also provides a solid base for painting in your choice of colors. .

Paint

• When painting cedar wood for the first time, it's recommended that you at least cover the wood with one coat of exterior primer followed by at least one finishing coat. One coat of primer followed by two coats of the finishing exterior paint is the typical regimen for painting exterior woods. You have the choice between oil- or water-based paint. Both are formulated by companies for exterior use, which will make them more resistant to fading and peeling over interior paints.

Schedule

• It can be hard to determine the painting schedule for your cedar siding. A professional paint job performed with the correct amount of preparation to the surface and generous but evenly applied coats of paint are all factors that can help make a coat of paint last longer. According to the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, the average paint schedule when at least one coat of primer and exterior finishing paint is applied can be up to 10-year intervals. The paint is expected to last up to 10 years or longer on standard smooth cedar wood. Textured cedar wood paint jobs can last up to 12 years.

Signs of Wear

• Look for signs of wear that will indicate the cedar needs to be sanded free of the loose paint and resurfaced with fresh paint. Darker exterior colors painted on cedar wood are more likely to appear as if they need paint sooner than lighter colors. The dark exterior colors tend to fade faster when directly exposed to sunlight continuously. There is a level of UV protection with exterior paints, but over the course of a decade it will fade. Other signs of wear include cracked or peeling paint.