Restoring Redwood Siding On A House

Redwood is highly resistant to decay.

Restoring redwood siding on a house.

It s been over 3 months in the making and it s one helluva journey. Flashing and caulking should be checked carefully before power washing to prevent moisture from entering the wall cavity behind the siding. I had been looking at houses for over a year and finally found this small house in a nice neighborhood that is. Spray left to right holding the pressure washer s wand 8 to 10 inches away from the siding.

A good paint job can last for 10 years or more. Click here for more information and tips on how to restore your redwood back to the desired color by identifying the cause of the discoloration remedying the problem and to recondition the redwood to. Pressure wash the siding. Actually high pressure washing alone is the incorrect way to clean or restore cedar or redwood siding on any home.

One way to care for redwood siding is to paint it. Redwood takes paint and stain well but warranty programs with stain or paint manufacturers aren t as prevalent as with cedar siding. Sally zimmerman the senior manager of preservation services at historic new england recommends that the unsiding process ideally be completed over two building seasons. Invest in time excellent materials and proper paint and your paint job will be less likely to peel.

Make no mistake restoring the historic siding of your home is an intense task and certainly isn t as easy as removing the vinyl siding and throwing on some fresh paint. Last year i bought a house my first house. You must take extra care in the preparation of the siding because it is softwood and will mar more easily than hardwoods. Refinish and stain wood siding.

Fill the pressure washer tank with water and set the psi between 220 and 230. Redwood is preferred for siding and decks because of its attractive appearance unsurpassed stability and the durability of its heartwood. If the homeowner maintains the siding well by cleaning bleaching and restaining every 2 3 years it will lighten up and even out over the next several years. Wait several sunny dry days after washing before applying a protective finish.

Once redwood siding or decking has been cleaned and restored it is time to apply a protective finish. Lower pressure when washing cedar or redwood along with the correct cleaning solutions yields the best results for these softer woods. Tomorrow is light power washing and the teeny tiny repairs on the original old growth redwood begins. However it must be periodically maintained or it will darken and discolor.

However left natural or with the minimal protection of poorly maintained finishes any exterior wood s appearance will change color. The house became quite dark with the new stain because of the wide open grain but now is protected.