Cedar Paneling Treatment

Preparation

• Some preparation work will allow the cedar wood to hold the paint or stain properly. A combination of brushing, washing and sanding with 50-60 sandpaper will prepare the surface of new wood or wood that has been exposed for only a few weeks.

  Previous paint and stain finishes on cedar will require more work. Sanding and scrubbing with a bristle brush is most recommended, but in extreme cases wet sandblasting and pressurized water spray may be needed.

Paints

• Paint for cedar paneling comes in every color from royal blue to white. Alkyd oil-based primers are absorbed easily by the wood and are the best at protecting the surface from water and weathering. Paint with a latex base lasts for many years and stretches or shrinks with the wood as it ages.

Stains

• Cedar wood receives better protection from solid-color stains than latex or oil-based stains. Acrylic solid-color stains may change the natural hue of the wood but will prevent water penetration. Oil-based stains do not protect the wood from ultraviolet rays as well since the stain partially soaks into the wood.