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We are shingling our new house and garage in Western Red Cedar Shingles; we would like to maintain the natural color (as opposed to using a pigmented stain)….does anyone have any recommendations for good products? By the way, we live in Seattle (needs to handle rain). THANKS.
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Suzanne
Western Red Cedar doesn't need any help in shedding rain or lasting pretty much forever in sidewall applications. . . if you're using it as roofing, it may not last
i forever,
but it still doesn't need any help from man made products. Anything you put on will need to be regularly maintained, and even then I have yet to see one that actually lives up to it's claims. Sorry I can't recommend a product, I prefer to see it left to weather naturally.
*the best way to protect any siding is with large overhangs, especially here in the NW. Hope it's not too late for your cedar.
*The first decision is whether you want to maintain natural as-installed color, or natural as-weathered color. From the post I'm not sure which you prefer.If you want to let it weather then put nothing on the cedar.If you want to keep some semblance of the original color you will need to put some type of UV protecting finish on the wood. My favorite is either Thompson WaterSeal or Thompson WoodProtector(Preferred). I've used both with good success. There are other brands as well so I'm not plugging Thompson's necessarily. The key is the UV screen and some water protection to help the wood shed the dissolved dirt, pollutants and chemicals.
*Fred B.,If you've had success with Thompson products, you're in a small minority. They've failed Consumer Reports tests, and, because they're paraffin-based, they wear out and need replacement annually. Any clear sealant will succomb to UV damage, but the better medium priced products include Olympic and Cabot brands. Sikkens is a high quality, but very expensive, solution. A redwood deck featured in FHB a couple of years ago employed Penafin, and I'd be interested to know how it's fared.
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I've used a Benjamin Moore product called NatureGuard .....it has pigment in it (pigments provide uv protection) and parrafin for water repellency. It retains the natural look of the red cedar. It's been a year and it still looks fine. I think you will find that that if you want to retain the new look of the cedar, it will require frequent applications (every 1 to 4 years) of the stain due to low or no amounts of pigments in these products.Cabot and Flood also make some good products. There are others I'm sure, but I have not tried them.
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jcallahan,
According to their own technical data, Benjamin Moore NatureGard stain (product 099) is a linseed oil based stain, not paraffin based. This would account for its better performance than a paraffin based product like Thompson's Water Seal. NatureGard is very similar to an Olympic product called Natural Look Protector Plus that also has a mild tint and is linseed oil based. Flood's CWF-UV is also oil based, and it's a clear finish, which means it'll probably require more frequent renewal than would be required with a lightly tinted product.
Oh, I misspelled Penofin in an earlier posting. It's up in the $32/gallon price range, so I'd be interested to know if anyone has used it and what they think of it.
*I have used Penofin on my cedar T&G siding for the last 11 years and it still looks about the same the same as it did after the initial staining. However, I have had to restain it every 3 years (2 years would have even been better). I would recommend the Penofin with the understanding that it is very difficult to maintain the original look of cedar with any clear stain. I have paid about $110 per 5 gallon pail for the Penofin. I think the Sikkens is a little better product (may be able to get an extra year or so between staining) but it is more expensive and wasn't available when I started (it may even be a 2 part process I think). Both these products are much better than Thompson's and some of the other cheap stains (see Consumer Reports).I am now building a new home and wouldn't even consider a siding with such high maintenence.Sick of staining, Jim
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Barry ....'tis true NatureGuard is oil based but it does have parafin in it .....excessive coats look like you applied candle wax to the house.
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jcallahan,
Shazam! Benny Moore uses paraffin? I'm bummed. I thought only the crummy brands used the stuff, which is why I corrected you. Sorry.
*Well, like I said I'm not plugging Thompson's. The cedar I've used it on has lasted about 8-9 years before needing reapplication. But regional climate differences and specific site differences are such that national or continental comparisons are pretty tough.Probably, the best advise is to use whatever is being successfully used in your area; but to use something if you don't want the grey weathered look.
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Found out that MooreGard has been replaced by MooreWood (seems to be a simular product)...... according to local lumberyard.Suzanne, to keep that new look of the cedar, you are in for a lot of work unless you decide you like the weathered look (I do).
*I'm curious ....what do other brands use for water repellency? .... Could have sworn Penofin has parafin in it, too in addition to the rosewood oil .... left my hands feeling pretty waxy.
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Will bleaching oil give the weathered look AND protect the shingles? I like the Nantucket look but am a couple miles from the ocean so my white cedar hasn't gotten the silver grey that I want yet.
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I've used Cabot's bleaching oil with good results .... and it does seem to protect the wood. I'd try a small inconspicuous are first, just to make sure you like the results.
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We are shingling our new house and garage in Western Red Cedar Shingles; we would like to maintain the natural color (as opposed to using a pigmented stain)....does anyone have any recommendations for good products? By the way, we live in Seattle (needs to handle rain). THANKS.