DIY Cedar Siding Restoration

• 1

  Wash the siding with a mild, nonphosphate detergent solution. This will remove benign dirt but will not take care of discoloration caused by other agents.

• 2

  Test for and, if necessary, treat for mildew. Test to determine if discoloration is caused by mildew by applying a few drops of a bleach solution that contains five percent sodium hypochlorite to the stain. If the drops cause the disappearance of the dark color within about 30 seconds, treat the rest of the remainder of the stained siding with a mild bleach solution or commercial mildew remover.

• 3

  Rinse the wood thoroughly following any cleaning with bleach.

• 4

  Clean any areas affected by reddish-brown or blue-black iron stains. If the stain is not deep, it may be removed using a commercial cleaner. Otherwise, it may require a light sanding.

• 5

  Sand the cedar siding lightly to remove stains where other methods have proven ineffective or to remove any undesirable or patchy, cracked coats of old finishes.

• 6

  Scrub the siding with a nonwire bristle brush.

• 7

  Rinse the siding with water and let it dry before applying any finish.

Finishing

• 8

  Determine and take into account the type of finish, if any, currently present on the siding. Old latex coats should only be refinished with another latex coat, while oil-based finishes can be covered with a latex finish as long as the siding is first treated with a primer coat. This is pertinent for opaque finishes.

• 9

  Apply a primer paint to bare wood if an opaque finish is being used. Allow the primer to dry before applying topcoats.

• 10

  Apply one or two topcoats of solid-color stain or paint.

• 11

  Apply oil finishes, water-repellent preservatives, semi-transparent oil or latex-based stains. Follow the stain or finish manufacturer's instructions for application.