Wash the wood first.
Do you stain cedar before guttering.
Make sure your fence is completely dry before staining it.
Although cedar is naturally resistant to rot and decay staining your siding promptly will help in the preventing of deterioration.
By staining early you provide uv and water protection to the wood.
If it pools on the surface do it later.
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.
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.
That way you can rest easy knowing your real cedar was treated by pros.
Use a moisture meter to determine how dry your fence is before applying any stain.
However with semi transparent stains you will need to take care with the application.
If the wood has weathered some you may have to do some surface preparation such as sanding before you can apply stain.
Hand washing is better than using a power washer which can cause damage.
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.
Wash wait for it to dry.
The natural drying process is slowed down a bit but that helps prevent cracking.
Likewise dirt or grime on the wood surface makes it impossible to get a good finish.
It will absorb the maximum amount of protective deep penetrating stain when it is in this condition.
Depending on the weather you may have to wait a few days after cleaning your fence for the wood to dry.
Semi transparent stains are your best bet when you want the real look of slightly weathered cedar with protection.
Not a bad idea anyway.
Even if you don t get great penetration of the stain the worst that will happen is that you will need a second application next year.
Stain that is applied to a damp moist surface won t adhere well and will crack or peel.
The following outline is intended to prepare you before buying any such products knowing exactly which type fits your final outcome.
Work in the shade while staining.
Ideally you want to apply a finish to all six sides of your wood before installing them or better yet opt for factory applied finishes.
Staining cedar with a semi transparent stain.
Let it dry completely before you start.
Apply the sealant or stain to clean dry cedar.
After you have washed it wait for it to dry before applying any stain to.
Decks should never be allowed to weather before finishing the simplest but most labor intensive finish to maintain on a cedar deck is a water repellent preservative which may have to be.
The few solid particles in this mix will not significantly obscure cedar s wood grain.
Put the oil stain you have chosen on the cedar while it is fresh and new.
