Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 30, 1999 06:45am | #1

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   It is too late now but I would have dipped the shingles before installing them. You can still stain them. Cabot's makes a bleaching oil stain ...... it gives a nice (at least I think so) weathered gray look. They also have semi transparent, semi solid and solid (known as O.V.T) stains. I still prefer oil base stains. Cuprinol also has a line of stains, availble at Sherwin Williams stores. It depends on the look you want. Any of these products should extend the life of your shingles.

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   finnski | Jan 18, 2000 10:43pm | #2

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   I just finished building my house and installed white cedar shingles as well. I also did not pre dip the shingles but put on a 50/50 blend of Cabots bleaching oil and weathering grey stain. The result is a very handsome uniform appearance which Cabot assures me will weather to an even grey "cape cod " look. So far it looks very nice.

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   Michael_S._Copley | Feb 04, 2000 11:42pm | #3

   *I just built a large storage building and I did dip the shingles in Cabot's semi-transparent stain and I tell you, I will not do that again! Dipping shingles uses a lot of stain...I needed 5 gallons for 4 square of shingles...it does coat both sides, of course. It involves a lot of handling and a lot of time. Plus, rather than having nice managable bundles of shingles you now have loose shingles which have to be gathered up and brought where needed.Here in Maine, white cedar shingles are the cheapest siding available ($35/sq for 2nd clear from New Brunswick). That stain job cost me almost as much as the shingles! If you dip, buy your stain in 5 gallon buckets and get a good deal. I shingled a big place in '73 (about 20 square) and left the shingles raw. They aren't in bad shape today. I stained these becasue I got tired of the grey weathered shingles you see all over Maine. I have been doing a fair amount of painting with a low pressure high volume spray rig...I think that if I had it to do again, I would spray the shingles, more for color than for preservation since they last well enough.If I were you, I'd just let them weather.MSC

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   jeff_burstein | Feb 04, 2000 11:42pm | #4

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   We've just built a new house and clad it woth Norther white cedar shingles. Should we let it weather raw, or should we treat it? If we treat the shingles to preserve them, what should we use?