Painting Cedar Wood

Don t paint over bare cedar boards or the finish will fail.

Painting cedar wood. If you absolutely want some type of wood appearance paint is not a good alternative. Because of cedar s large pores it is necessary to prime the wood before painting it. You can skip this if the cedar is textured. Choose a paint and primer.

This procedure will greatly increase the coatings performance but will not detract from a smooth finish. When working with cedar on craft projects you may need to paint the wood. Surface preparation is the key to success when dealing with weathered wood. Be careful when painting very old cedar siding.

7 tips painting or staining cedar wood siding walking into a paint store can be overwhelming trying to decide which paint or stain coating you wish to provide your exterior cedar wood and siding as there are many varieties. Even then the paint is not expected to last long. Once done let the wood dry completely for approximately two weeks. Lightly sand following the direction of the wood grain with 50 or 60 grit sandpaper.

About wrcla the western red cedar lumber association is a non profit association representing 27 producers of the finest western red cedar lumber throughout. The best choice of paint to use for cedar wood is urethane acrylic house paint. You will need approximately 1 gallon of each paint and primer for every 400 square feet. Coating raw cedar with clear wax is the most unobtrusive way to finish.

Surface preparation is not necessary for textured cedar. Don t use plain latex primer and paint on exterior cedar boards as they do not provide adequate elasticity in fluctuating temperatures. Be sure to wait 6 weeks before painting or you may have problems with adhesion. Weathered new wood that has been exposed to the elements for longer than 2 weeks may have a degraded surface that is unsuitable for painting.

Cedar wood naturally repels insects is aromatic and a very durable material. But be aware that it is notoriously difficult to mimic authentic wood color with paint. You can paint directly over previously painted cedar but prime with a stain blocking primer before painting over bare wood. While extremely old cedar can be painted it requires heavy preparation.

Sand the cedar siding if it has a smooth finish. The following outline is intended to prepare you before buying any such products knowing exactly which type fits your final outcome. The smoothness of cedar makes it a natural choice for furniture its lack of knots and raised grain is comfortable against the body. Choose your primer based on what the paint manufacturer recommends to use.