Sanding Cedar Siding Before Staining

Cedar siding can last decades and it requires little maintenance to retain its natural beauty.

Sanding cedar siding before staining.

Solid color stains have solid particles but not nearly as many as paint. Cleaning and sanding is the best way to prepare the cedar siding for a new finish. A stiff non ferrous bristle brush may be used to remove surface dirt dust and loose wood fibers before applying the stain. One of the most thorough methods when staining is to use a thick natural bristle brush.

Staining cedar with a solid color stain. If you do need to sand it with a power sander use an orbital sander with 100 grit sandpaper. Restaining your cedar siding involves removing the old protective coating and applying a new layer of wood stain in the color of your choice then applying more protective coating. Excessive scraping or sanding is not required.

After it s been washed let the wood dry for at least a couple of days. Cedar siding has a warm natural look. The next step is sanding but make sure there is no chance of rain. Use a thick brush when staining.

Before staining replace rotting or decayed wood and remove loose stain and eroded wood fibers by sanding scraping or power washing the problem surfaces. 1 connect a pressure washer to a garden hose and pressure wash the siding to be sanded. What you get is a very uniform opaque color. Power tools make sanding go faster but heavy duty ones such as belt sanders are designed for heavier carpentry work and could quickly ruin a fine antique.

Prepare your cedar siding by washing it with soapy water to remove any dirt or dust if any has accumulated. Once the surface is in good condition re inspect for dirt mildew stains cedar bleed chalkiness and other foreign substances. If the wood has weathered some you may have to do some surface preparation such as sanding before you can apply stain. Dealing with surface contaminants.

Thus solid color stains let some of the cedar s grain show through but none of the color. Fine grits such as 220 are frequently used for a final light sanding just before applying stain to the wood. The upside is that solid color stains will block most damaging ultraviolet light. Work in the shade while staining.

The truth about mill glaze western red cedar is classified as a durable wood species dimensionally stable and suitable for a wide variety of coatings and finishes. Power sanders remove material fast almost too fast for finish work. If you work in the shade when applying deep penetrating stain to siding it will dry more slowly enabling the stain to sink more deeply into the wood surface. There is one thing you must do however to hold onto that warm wood glow and that s restaining when your siding starts to look dull.

A palm sander a lightweight rotary sander is more suitable for refinishing. After you have washed it wait for it to dry before applying any stain to the cedar.