The quick answer is: not as often as you might think. On a wall that is not in the intense sunshine, Cedar will practically last forever.
Apart from being stunning to look at, Cedar is extremely durable, a superior insulator and genius at taking up deep-penetrating oil. Cedar’s worst enemy is not rain, or wind, or city grime; it’s the harsh New Zealand sun.
Left unprotected, UV rays will eventually dry out the timber, leading to fine cracks and roughening of the surface. This creates a toehold for mould, mildew and lichen to get established and make the timber look unsightly.
Regular oiling will prolong the beautiful look and weather resistance of your Cedar by penetrating deeply through the Cedar’s open cellular structure and replacing the natural oils lost over time.
Keep reading to learn how often you need to maintain your Cedar, or watch the video below for a quick summary.
What Does Regular Maintenance Involve?
For most Cedar homes, regular maintenance will consist of a light rinse once per year at the end of winter, then a recoat of exposed areas every 2-3 summers.
Cladding only needs to be maintained on a face that is exposed to the UV rays. The remaining faces will also benefit from recoating, but this might only be 2 or 3 times over a 15-year period. The treatment that is required is very dependent on the level of UV exposure and other environmental factors.
Think of it like washing your car. If you don’t wash your car for 12 months, all the dust, debris and contaminants from the road will stick to the body. It’s the same for your house, but not as easy to spot as houses are usually flat colours compared to a shiny paint job.
How Much Will Regular Maintenance Cost?
It’s a misconception that owning a Cedar home means you will be burdened with expensive maintenance bills. Compared to houses that require regular painting, Cedar works out far more economical.
The cost will depend on the unique requirements of each house. The main factors will be the size of the house, how many stories it has and ease of access. A single-story bungalow with good access might cost $2-3k every 2-3 years. For a multi-level property with difficult access, you might be spending $8k on scaffolding before you even start looking at the timber.
Regardless of the cost, regularly maintaining your Cedar will always be cheaper over the long run than painting, or the worst-case scenario, having to reclad due to the timber cupping and splitting.
Having a regular maintenance plan can help to spread out the cost and give you peace of mind that your investment is protected – and will look beautiful for years to come.
New Builds vs Older Houses
Newly installed Cedar has a reservoir of natural oils and tannins, and it will take longer for the cellular structure to start to move. You may not have to do anything for 5 years, but eventually the Cedar will start to dry out and you will need to slow that process down with regular oiling.
New Cedar will most likely be pre-coated, or coated on-site before it gets installed. There will usually be a booklet that comes with the house telling you how the Cedar has been treated and what kind of maintenance it needs.
For a pre-existing Cedar home, the new homeowner will need to ask the previous owners what kind of maintenance plan they had in place, or what products they have used in the past. If the Cedar has been stained and the stain is in good condition, then it requires a light rinse every year and a recoat every 2-3 years, depending on the level of UV exposure.
If you are unsure about the status of your Cedar, one of our team can come around and advise you on what treatment it has received in the past, and what is required to maintain the Cedar over the lifetime of the house.
Make Your Cedar Look New Again
TimberTech are NZ’s #1 choice for Cedar protection, maintenance and restoration. Our unrivalled expertise and craftsmanship have been developed and proven over 20 years throughout New Zealand.
We will diagnose your Cedar and put together a 10-year maintenance plan, customised to your unique situation, with a maintenance schedule and a full breakdown of all the costs. There is no obligation and our goal is always to look after the best interests of our customers over the lifecycle of their homes.
To find out more, call us on 0800 298 298.