How Often Does Cedar Siding Need to be Painted in Washington State?

For years wood siding has been a common choice for all houses. Depending on your requirements, wooden siding comes in several varieties, from redwood and pine to engineered timber and cedar. Cedar is one of the most popular. Professionals recommend that you repaint cedar siding every five to seven years, but if you take extra care, you can achieve up to ten years of use from a single coat. However, you must first prepare the surface and consider all relevant environmental elements to accomplish this. As the popularity of cedar siding grows, so does the need for homeowners to know how to care for it properly. At Arclight Painting in Bothell WA, we understand how difficult it is to paint and maintain cedar siding since we are the best in the exterior painting business. Hence, we’ve compiled some information to assist you in figuring out how frequently to paint your cedar siding and what else you should keep in mind.

Essential factors you should consider

When painting cedar siding, there are several variables to consider. Also, it might happen every two years for specific properties or every 10-15 years for others, based on the following:

• Climate change

The sun may do a lot of harm to cedar. Cedar siding becomes brittle and dry and turns grey when subjected to a lot of sunshine. As a result, the paint job will wear out far more quickly than it should if you reside in an area with a lot of sunlight and dry weather. Additionally, cedar siding must be thoroughly prepped and painted using the finest quality because of its susceptibility to the environment. Also, to protect cedar siding from the sun and preserve the underlying wood’s condition as it ages, you should invest in a good primer coat and 100% acrylic-latex paint.

• Selection of Paint and Primer

Applying standard exterior painting, on your house will not last as long as it should. Cedar is a very absorbent wood, which will rapidly soak up any regular paint. Also, because the exterior layer of the wood will be thinner, it will be more susceptible to cracking and degradation from the weather. Priming your cedar siding with a stain-blocking primer can help you obtain the best results from your paint job. Ideally, you should remove the siding and apply a coat of primer to all six sides of the slats. If you are incapable of doing this, ensure that you apply a complete, uniform coat on all exposed parts. In addition, use acrylic-latex paint for your final layer. The paint completely covers the cedar and fills up any holes or blemishes that may be present in the wood. With the help of a skilled painter near you, you may get up to 10 years out of one paint job with an acrylic-latex paint chosen depending on the state of your siding.

• Proper Application

You can use a roller, brush, or sprayer to paint your cedar siding. A professional painter often sprays and back rolls the paint. However, to apply the thickest layer of paint, use a hand brush, which helps to cover up gaps or holes. To get deep into the porous wood, ensure that you back roll the paint while it’s still wet. Ensure that you paint your new cedar siding two weeks after installation because new cedar will retain the coating better than cedar subjected to sunlight and weathered. If your cedar siding is quite old, you should get an expert to help you since they know how to remove dirt or mold and deal with loose wood fibers.

• The Siding’s Condition

The state of the siding itself is an easy thing to ignore. Although paint can conceal many flaws, damaged cedar siding will require more regular painting than good cedar siding. For instance, it’s better to repair damaged boards and repaint your siding rather than paint over the damage if it has cracked or beginning to decay.

• How Well painters did the Previous Work

If painters previously painted your siding, it’s necessary to check the quality of the initial painting. If your cedar was painted in a hurry, using low-quality materials and equipment, it’s more likely to get damaged and wear out quickly.

If you want to know more about cedar siding painting, contact Arclight Painting in Bothell WA. We offer top-notch exterior home painting services and can help you choose the proper paint and apply it correctly so that it lasts for decades. Call us today or search online for painters near me to enjoy quality services.