How To Paint Cedar Lap Siding

Work on three or four clapboards at a time.

How to paint cedar lap siding.

Remove pollutants and remove failing paint. Cedar siding painting will only be successful if you have a clean slate. For best results fresh siding should be pre primed on all six sides with a stain blocking primer and top coated with 100 percent acrylic latex paint. First painting freshly milled cedar requires a paint stain unless a 100 acrylic exterior primer is used first thereby allowing a 100 solid acrylic paint to be used as final finish coats.

Allow the washed surface to dry before recoating and apply primer paint to areas of bare wood. Do not however use a power washer because cedar can t withstand the pressure. Paint or stain dimensional cedar wood siding having cedar lumber wood siding such as 1 x 6 1 x 8 1 x 12 or two inch thickness can be painted with a solid paint stain not requiring primer but still not recommended painting cedar if you can help it. Alkyd oil primers are recommended but one may choose a high quality latex primer as long as it contains stain blockers.

Start at the top of the clapboard siding to be painted and paint across from left to right working down the side of the house. These may be applied to western red cedar by brush roller or pad. Choose a paint and primer. Two topcoats are always better over bare wood that has been primed.

Once done let the wood dry completely for approximately two weeks. Step 4 let the cleaner sit on the cedar siding for 15 to 30 minutes. After the primer has dried apply one or two topcoats of paint or solid color stain. Reach the high areas or apply cleaner to the less dirty areas using a roller with an extension pole which doesn t allow you to apply as much pressure or elbow grease as a paint brush.

Do not allow peeling paint to remain on the cedar siding before painting.