Go Modern: Change the Colour of Your Cedar

17 Oct 2023

Most Cedar homeowner aren’t aware that they can change the colour of their Cedar. It usually comes about in our initial conversation with new customers who have just bought their home and want a more contemporary look.

Many Cedar homes that were built before the 2000s have a distinctive red colour than now looks dated.

At the time, the red/brown tint was all that was available, but now we have access to a wide range of tinted oils and stains.

What colours we recommend depends on the unique circumstances of each house: the existing colour of the Cedar, levels of UV exposure, whether the Cedar is treated with an oil or a stain, and when the Cedar was last maintained.

Before talking colours, it’s useful to understand how Cedar works in relation to oils and stains.

How Cedar Works

Raw Cedar can be a myriad of colours, anything from light pine to mahogany red.

There is a lot of red Cedar around. If you cut it in half, the inside is a deep red colour. Add oil to that and the red pops out, making it a difficult base colour to compete with. But more on that later.

Once the Cedar has been used in construction, an oil or stain is applied to protect it from the elements and give a cosmetic finish.

A tint is a pigment added to an oil or stain. This is like how pigment is added to paint. To create a pastel colour, you start with a white base, add the pastel pigment and blend it together to get the final colour.

It’s the same principal for stains and oils.

Assessing Your Colour Options

The more drastic the change of colour, the more difficult the process will be.

If you have a natural Cedar colour, which is less red and more of a brownish hue, it can be covered with a dark brown or black quite easily.

If you have deeper colours such as dark red, changing the colour becomes more difficult.

For a lighter or muted finish, you would need to scrub off some of the deep red. If you are going for a brown or black finish, you need to put on more of the next coat to hide the red that is underneath.

Changing from dark to light will also be more expensive, as the initial colour will need to be stripped back and is a much more intensive process.

Changing Colour with Oils

When an oil has already been applied, the tint will often need to be stripped from the surface using a degreaser. Because oils are translucent, they work with the colour underneath, which is generally the red Cedar.

If you don’t use a degreaser, you are working with the already pigmented Cedar and no matter how many coats you put on, it won’t make a difference.

The extent of this process depends on how much UV the treatment has been exposed to.

If the oil has been exposed for 4 or 5 summers, the tint will have oxidised and broken down, and will most likely come off with a heavy wash. If it’s only been on for 1 or 2 summers, chances are the sun hasn’t broken it down and it will need a degreaser.

If there are parts of your house that are protected from the UV, such as under soffits, we treat those areas separately to achieve an even finish.

Changing Colour with Stains

The underlying principle behind changing the colour on an oil or a stain is basically the same: you first need to remove as much of the original finish as possible to create the best results.

If any of the original colour remains, the oil or stain highlights whatever is left on the board.

Stain is opaquer than oil and hides a lot more. If you are going from light brown to dark brown, or red to dark brown, you can probably get away with a standard wash and 2-3 coats of stain. For more drastic colour changes, you will need to use a paint stripper.

Modern paint strippers are less potent than in the past and are made from organic compounds that are brushed on the surface, then scraped off and put in the rubbish bin.

Want a Modern Look for Your Home?

As you can see, there are a lot of different factors that need to be considered when looking to change the colour of your home.

To learn about your options, give us a call on 0800 298 298. One of our Cedar experts will visit your home and assess your timber.

If you want to browse colours, please visit our Colour Range page and look at some swatches.

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14 Mar 2023

Should Cedar be left to Silver Naturally?

Many Cedar homeowners fall in love with the Scandinavian silvered look – minimalist, clean, with a silver sheen that accentuates the beauty of the timber and the natural surroundings.

But when it comes to achieving this look, there is a common misconception that all you need to do is leave the Cedar and silvering will happen naturally.

Unfortunately, this is not true, at least in the New Zealand climate, and timber that is left to silver will eventually turn unsightly.

In this article we will cover what silvering is, how you can silver your Cedar safely while still protecting the timber, and some DIY tips for maintaining the silver look of your Cedar until you are ready to oil.

To find out more, read the full article, or watch the video below for a quick summary.

Is Silvering Bad for Cedar?

Without taking the location and climate into consideration, silvering itself is not bad for the timber. Silvering is caused by exposure to UV rays, which fray and loosen the top cells of the Cedar and cause the surface to become bleached.

In colder climates this isn’t a problem as the lower temperatures kill off the bacteria, retaining the beautiful, silvered look. But in a warm and wet climate such as ours, bacteria and mould will get caught in the roughened surface, and quickly turn the Cedar black.

Even if the mould and bacteria are removed, the natural silvering effect will often look patchy and uneven, detracting from the natural beauty of the timber.

Silvering Cedar the Right Way

So, is there any way to have the silver look you love, while still protecting your cladding? The answer is a resounding “Yes!”

Wood-X is a deep penetrating wood oil developed with Resene. It comes in a range of exciting colours – from rich reds and bush greens to a daring indigo blue – and a whole range of wood-protecting silvers. Applying a silver-tinted oil will protect your timber from the harsh UV rays, allow it to silver more quickly and give a more consistent silver look.

After applying the silver-tinted oil, you will need to follow a regular maintenance schedule to keep your Cedar looking its best. We recommend a soft wash every year, followed by recoating exposed areas every 2-3 summers.

DIY Silvering Maintenance

If you are not ready to oil your cladding quite just yet, a more affordable solution is to spray your house with a slow-acting mould and fungal killer such as Wet and Forget. This will remove the organic bacteria from the surface, but it will not replenish the natural oils of the Cedar or protect it against splitting and cupping in the future.

If you do not plan on oiling or staining your house, another option is to leave the silvering on as it provides natural protection to the layer below it. You can then use a slow-acting mould and fungal killer to keep it looking clean. The downside to this approach is that the timber will eventually look aged and tired.

Get Professional Advice You Can Trust

Ultimately, the best approach for protecting your cladding AND getting the silvered look is to oil your Cedar with a silver tinted oil. If you are unsure about the best approach and would like to talk with an expert, call us on 0800 298 298.

There is no obligation and our goal is always to look after the best interests of our customers over the lifecycle of their homes.

We love Cedar and are always happy to help!

15 Feb 2023

How Often Does Cedar Really Need to be Maintained?

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.

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Go Modern: Change the Colour of Your Cedar