Cedar House Siding: Is It Right for You?

Quicklinks   Red Cedar Clear Coat Solution Available For Unfinished Cedar White Cedar Textures Accessories & Trim Work Tips on Maintaining Cedar Siding Cleaning Cedar Siding Woodpeckers and Cedar  

There are few companies in the Fairfield, New Haven and Westchester counties that have the experience you need when it comes to cedar house siding. If you select the right product and have it installed correctly, cedar siding has incomparable beauty.

If you are thinking about installing cedar siding on your home make sure the company you are considering to do the work has a good number of cedar siding jobs under their belt. Proper installation and proper finish application is crucial to long-term performance.

There are generally two types of cedar siding, red cedar and white cedar.

Red Cedar

Red Cedar is available in several basic styles and more durable than white cedar. They are horizontal clapboard style (known as beveled siding), shingles, and shakes. Ask about the different grades available, which are generally determined by grain pattern.

TIP: As a rule, the narrower and thicker the grain pattern, the better the performance.

Red Cedar is generally sold in clear unfinished form. Many homeowners like the natural look of weathered cedar. We do not advise this option because the product will not perform over the longterm if left untreated.

TIP: Clear unfinished cedar house siding will not weather evenly due to each side of your house being exposed to the weather differently.

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Clear Coat Solution Available For Unfinished Cedar

If you really prefer the natural look of unfinished cedar there is a clear coat solution available that will prolong the life of the wood and enable it to weather more slowing and evenly allowing you to maximize the performance and beauty of the product. This clear coat is applied after the siding has been installed and is an excellent option if a long-term natural look is your goal.

Ask for details when you speak to a Burr siding specialist.

Red Cedar is also available pre-primed at the factory, which means it has been coated on all sides using a primer such as Cabot's primer. This adds a benefit of sealing all sides (front, back, and edges) of the product so it is less likely to absorb moisture, expand and contract and move around like it will do in its natural state, therefore prolonging the life of the wood. Factory pre-primed product will require field applied finish coats.

Red Cedar can also come factory pre-finished where the wood is pre-stained on all sides before it is installed. This means you won' t have to paint or stain it after it has been installed and you get a factory warranty on the finish ranging from 5 - 15 years.

Most painters rarely give more than a one or two year warranty on their work. So for more maximum performance consider a pre-primed or pre-finished option.

TIP: It is a fact that a house releases moisture everyday similar to sweating. If the backside of your cedar siding has not been treated, the moisture will find its way through the siding and try to push out through the painted or stained surface causing bubbles and cracks. If you prefer the beauty of wood siding and want to avoid painting any more than necessary be sure to purchase a siding product that has been back-sealed with a primer or finish coat.

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White Cedar

White cedar is a shingle product only and comes from a different part of the country and from a different tree than red cedar. White cedar offers a very unique look and has very different grain characteristics than red cedar. In its natural state it has almost a whitish very light appearance and left unfinished it characteristically weathers to a silvery gray, a lighter color than what red cedar would weather to. White cedar is found in the North East and is famous on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. The shingles are smaller than red cedar shingles and offer a very unique and beautiful look on certain types of architecture. i.e. Cape Cod style houses, ranch style houses and some colonial style houses. a very "beachy" look indeed!

White cedar is also available factory finished and stained in various colors. But what makes white cedar so different than red cedar is that it comes available using a bleaching oil stain. This particular style is fast becoming a Burr specialty. Bleached white cedar is a very popular look in Coastal Connecticut. When bleached you immediately get that silvery gray tint right from beginning.

The bleaching oil process allows for the weathering to occur very gradually and evenly keeping a uniform attractive appearance. Very often our customers see this style and they automatically say... "Yes, that is the look I want!"

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Textures

Cedar Siding is available in smooth, rough or saw-textured surfaces. When used with clear or semi-transparent finishes, a smooth surface will show the grain patterns and color variations in the wood more than other textures. These surfaces also absorb less finish and typically require more maintenance than other textures. In contrast, rough and saw-textured surfaces can absorb about twice as much finish as smooth textured surfaces and, when protected by stain or water repellent finishes, need to be recoated much less frequently.

Wood siding and wood finishes go hand in hand in providing consumers with virtually unlimited choices for appearance. By properly selecting the grade, seasoning, pattern and texture of the siding and by protecting it from moisture, sun and mold with a quality finish, wood siding can last for many decades.

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Accessories & Trim Work

Sometimes it's the little things that make the difference such as decorative trim including crown moldings, window casings, corner posts, fascia, soffits, freeze boards, accent trim, etc.

Burr Roofing, Siding and Windows specializes in this trim work that can really accent the look and feel of your new siding. Ask your sales representative when you speak with him next about available options for your project.

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Tips on Maintaining Cedar House Siding

Moisture is the biggest and most common problem to homes with cedar siding. Moisture penetrates the siding through the smallest cracks and crevices, but keeping your siding dry takes just a few simple steps.

• Check the flashing and caulking around your home
• Try to maintain the interior humidity of around 40%
• Install heating wires at the eaves to melt any ice before water backs up under the roof shingles
• Be sure your attic is properly insulated and air is well-circulated
• Hire a contractor to take these measures if you cannot do it yourself

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Cleaning Cedar Siding

Many people choose cedar siding for their homes because of how it looks. When it is properly maintained, cedar siding can be beautiful because of its color, but it can be susceptible to mildew, mold spores, bugs and dirt.

To clean, use a pressure washer. One can be rented from your local tool rental store. Use a somewhat low pressure to wash the siding or you will damage your wood. Wash the area with water first, then mix together a solution of water, dish or laundry soap and a little bleach for a cleaner that can transform your siding from grimy to gorgeous.

Cedar shakes and shingles are no different. They, too, can be damaged by moisture or severe weather, such as hail. But they are not maintenance-free and do not last a lifetime. They will need replacement if damaged and while they are highly efficient and are biodegradable, maintenance is required.

• Make sure downspouts run all the way to the ground to keep moisture away from your shakes
• Keep downspouts free of debris
• Trim overhanging branches to avoid debris from falling on the shakes or in the downspouts
• Treat your shakes to an anti fungal treatment at least once
• Cedar needs to be stained or painted every few years to maintain it's natural beauty.

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Woodpeckers and Cedar

Many homeowners have complained that their cedar siding had been damaged by woodpeckers. These birds peck loudly to define their territory or to find insects as their next meal. Whatever the reason, you can discourage them from pecking on your siding by scaring them away with wind chimes, a windsock, or aluminum pie tins hung from fishing line. Woodpeckers also love suet. Hang some inside a wire basket and they will stop pecking your siding and go for the suet instead.

What else should I know when considering buying Cedar siding?

• Cedar siding should last for many, many years, but it must be properly maintained.
• Proper maintenance includes power washing, staining and sealing whenever the heat of the sun fades the finish, or moisture starts to turn to mold or mildew. Always allow wood to dry well before applying a new stain or finish.
• Cedar is known for its grain and its rot resistance. It is straight, and resists splitting. Cedar takes a stain well and reveals a rich character. It is commonly used in shakes and shingles because it is dimensionally stable, resists swelling, and has less cupping and splitting. Cedar clapboards are popular, too, but clear grade A cedar can be very costly. Still, for its grain and texture, cedar is preferred for stain applications.
• Some say that cedar is inherently more moisture and insect-resistant than pine, but no wood is insect or moisture-proof. All woods must be sealed and stained or painted to resist moisture, damage, and decay.
• If not properly cared for, wood siding can quickly deteriorate. Common troubles include bowed or expanded panels, shrinkage, disintegration, fading and the local critters. It is important that you minimize exposure to moisture, i.e. avoid 'watering' your house by distancing sprinklers.
• Painting will be required every 5 to 7 years, and staining every 3 to 5. Regular inspections of joints, nails and planks will help you maintain your wood siding for the years to come.

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