Congratulations on purchasing your newly built Cedar home! 

Cedar is a miracle timber if ever there was one: durable, long lasting, rot resistant and a superior insulator – warm in winter and cool in summer. Not to mention it looks stunning. 

But like any outdoor timber, Cedar will require maintenance to stay in optimal condition.  

New Zealand’s UV rays are some of the harshest in the world and they will eventually dry out the Cedar, leading to fine cracks and a roughening of the surface. This can commonly be seen in Cedar houses that have been left to “silver off”. 

By starting Cedar maintenance early, you can get ahead of costly maintenance further down the line and keep your cladding looking just as beautiful as the day you moved in. 

When To Start Cedar Maintenance

We recommend starting Cedar maintenance after two summers. 

At this point, you may be wondering why we are talking about maintenance for a house that has just been built two years ago? Fair question! 

While fresh Cedar boards do have a reservoir of natural oils that will keep them protected for longer, the boards have now been exposed to the sun for two summers and the natural oils are already being depleted. 

It’s also worth noting that although you just recently moved, the Cedar may have been installed up to 3-6 months before that, so this process is well underway. 

What Does Cedar Maintenance Involve?

For most new Cedar homes, maintenance consists of a soft wash and a recoat of sun exposed areas. 

Our soft wash is an oxy-wash solution that removes any built-up organic matter – dust, pollen and spores – and leaves the Cedar fresh and vibrant. 

Applying a recoat of oil will replenish the Cedar’s natural oils, fortify existing anti-fungal properties and enhance the colour tone, retaining the vibrant look of freshly installed Cedar. 

After the initial treatment, sun exposed areas need to be maintained every 2-3 summers. The rest of the house may not need any maintenance for 5-7 years, apart from a light wash to remove built-up organic matter. 

How Much Does Cedar Maintenance Cost?

This depends on the house size, ease of access and if scaffolding is required, but as a rough guide, the initial treatment of a single-story house with good access can cost anywhere between $4-5k.  

A larger house with multiple stories can cost anywhere between $8-9k, plus you may need to include the cost of scaffolding on top of that. 

However, after the initial treatment of the whole house, the cost of regular maintenance drops by 40-50% as only the sun exposed areas need maintaining. 

If you have bought a Cedar house in a new development, chances are you are in the same maintenance schedule as the houses around you. By pooling together with your neighbours, we can often spread fixed costs (such as a cherry picker) across the all the involved parties. 

Protecting Your Investment

A new house is an investment, possibly the most expensive investment you will ever make.  

By regularly maintaining your Cedar, you are protecting the long-term value of your property and investing money now to get a higher resale value if you decide to sell. 

Regular maintenance is also more cost effective than undertaking restoration just before you are ready to sell – and you will get to enjoy the beautiful look of freshly maintained Cedar while you are still actually living there!