Cedar Beautifully Restored After Maintenance Mishaps

This stylish, modern home in Swanson was built in 2016, but soon ran into problems with the appearance of the Cedar.

The building company had used a stain product that wasn’t tested in New Zealand conditions and soon deteriorated in the harsh UV rays, becoming porous and exposing the Cedar to the elements. Air borne mould took root in the timber and quickly spread once the moisture got in.

As the house was relatively new, the homeowner was understandably upset. Thankfully, the building company did everything to make things right – including bringing in TimberTech to give our expert advice.

Maintenance Timeline

The building company first approached us on the 23rd of September, 2020.

27th September, 2020 – Onsite Cedar assessment completed.
29th September, 2020 – Quote sent.
14th December, 2020 – Team arrived onsite to start the job.
25th January, 2021 – Job completed.

The job took 3 weeks in total, with some time off over the holiday period.

Cedar Maintenance Process

We first masked all the areas that were adjacent to the cladding and stripped off the old stain using a paint stripper.
Modern paint strippers are less potent than in the past and are made from organic compounds, which are harmless to gardens and more environmentally friendly.

Once the paint stripper had been applied, we scraped the weatherboards and removed all traces of the old stain and stripper. To prepare for the new treatment, we lightly rinsed the surface with a water blaster to remove any remaining dust and organic matter, then sanded the boards to take away any of the furring.

The final step was to apply 2 coats of an oil stain. Oil-borne stains are oil mixed with solvents that evaporates upon application, allowing the stain to cure. These types of products are not used as much these days as the market has shifted to waterborne products that are more environmentally friendly.

Solvent based products give a much flatter finish that absorbs the light, giving a less shiny, more natural look.

Cedar Maintenance Challenges

As the house was basically new, we had to take special care masking around the edges of the timber to ensure the oil stain didn’t come into contact with the joinery, or the established gardens.

The awning on the front face of the house also had to be removed. We supplied and erected mobile scaffolding to give the builders access to the awning.

Another challenge for this particular property was liaising between all the concerned parties to achieve a satisfactory outcome. This included the customer, the building company and the company that supplied the initial product.

TimberTech has the staff and the experiencing to manage jobs of all sizes and we gladly took on the management of this project – which proved to be a great relief for the customer.

Ongoing Maintenance Requirements

To keep the Cedar looking beautiful for years to come, all it needs is a light wash once every few years and a recoat of exposed areas every 2-3 summers.

The Final Outcome

The final outcome was an outstanding transformation. The Cedar has a smooth, even finish that is free of mould and still retains the natural textures that make Cedar look unique.

We are very proud of the restoration work done by our team, but the highest praise came from the customer, who sent us an email soon after the work was completed:

“I wanted to let you know how pleased I am with the work completed at my property, it’s now looking fab. I was particularly impressed by the team, they did a fantastic and thorough job, they demonstrated an excellent work ethic and they were very easy and trustworthy to have around. I’d like to schedule regular maintenance for the cedar – please let me know what I need to do to lock this in. Thanks again for all the hard work – excellent job!”
– Jannette

Property Details

Year of Build:

2016

Location:

Swanson

Coating:

Resene Woodsman Waterborne

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11 Sep 2025

Cultural Icon Restored to Original Splendour

The ASB theatre has received numerous awards for its design, efficiency, and sustainability. Part of this aesthetic is defined by its impressive Cedar feature walls. See how we returned the dry and weathered Cedar back to its original splendour.

The ASB Waterfront Theatre is a modern, 675 seat performing arts venue and the home of the Auckland Theatre Company.

It has received numerous awards for its design, efficiency, and sustainability, including a 2017 Auckland Architecture Award for Sustainable Architecture.

Built by Hawkins Construction and opened in 2016, the theatre’s aesthetic is defined in part by its impressive Cedar feature walls.

The building has two main Cedar walls high on the west and south faces. There are also Cedar doors at ground level on the west and north sides.

Maintenance Timeline

TimberTech was first contacted on the 3rd of March, 2025.

7th March, 2025 – Cedar Assessment completed.
18th March, 2025 – Quote sent.
19th May, 2025 – Job started.
16th June, 2025 – Job completed.

The job took 3 weeks in total, with some delays due to inclement weather.

We will check the Cedar again in 12 months and advise if further treatment is needed (usually if the timber was particularly dry). Otherwise, the building will move into a standard 10-year maintenance plan.

Cedar Assessment

The Cedar had been oiled previously, probably around the same time as installation 5 years ago, and nothing had been done to maintain it since.

That’s longer than we normally advise and the Cedar was starting to look dry and weathered, particularly on the high, exposed areas of the building.

The western face received the brunt of the afternoon sun, and the tint was starting to wear off unevenly in places, giving the Cedar a patchy look.

The southern face was largely sheltered from the sun and the pigment in the oil hadn’t broken down as much as the western face.

The doors on the west and north sides had also been affected by graffiti and people rubbing up against the boards and required some restoration.

To remediate these, we lightly sanded the Cedar before applying the oil.

Cedar Maintenance Process

No matter the size and scale, the first step in any Cedar maintenance job is to deep clean the timber with a penetrating surfactant and remove any built-up organic matter.

As the building is in the heart of Wynyard Quarter, the timber had been exposed to considerable dust, grime, air pollution, along with wind and salt coming from the ocean.

Before applying the oil, we had to mask the surrounding concrete to make sure the oil didn’t leave any stains.

We colour matched the tint using Wood-X to ensure the colour would match the original look of the building.

To reach the Cedar high on the western face, we used a 15-meter knuckle boom. The southern face was even higher and required an 18-meter scissor lift.

It was only once we got up close to the boards that we saw how dry they were. Cedar will tell you when the pores are full just by looking at the surface. In the end, we used much more oil than we expected.

Cedar Maintenance Challenges

There were two main challenges for this project: traffic management and the height of the building.

The building is situated in a busy area with a lot of pedestrian traffic, requiring appropriate safety measures such as signage, flagging and a spotter on the ground to direct pedestrians.

There was also a shared driveway along the western side of the property that could not be blocked.

Communication with both the public and the neighbouring tenants was essential in making sure the project ran smoothly, with as little disruption as possible.

The height also presented some unique challenges. The height itself was not an issue – we have a lot of experience working on tall buildings and using specialised equipment to reach high areas – but where the building was located.

Strong winds regularly came in from the ocean and funneled between the tall buildings all around, limiting when we could use the scissor lift and knuckle boom.

The Final Outcome

The result was stunning, retuning this prestigious building back to its original state and protecting it against the elements for years to come.

The Cedar went from grey and shabby to a vibrant and deep hue, beautifully contrasted by the metal and glass of the surrounding buildings.

The building managers were very satisfied with the outcome, highlighting the excellent colour match to the original aesthetic and minimal disruption to neighbours and pedestrians.

To see this landmark building for yourself, visit 138 Halsey Street next time you are down at Wynward Quarter.

15 Feb 2025

Bleached and Burned Cedar Looks Better Than New

This architecturally designed home in Titirangi is the perfect example of a well-designed Cedar home, with few soffits or overhangs for most of the structure, allowing the sun to weather the boards evenly.

This architecturally designed home in Titirangi is the perfect example of a well-designed Cedar home, with few soffits or overhangs for most of the structure.

This allows the sun to weather the boards evenly, making ongoing maintenance more straightforward and cost-effective.

The western face at the rear does have an overhang, and you can clearly see the uneven effect it can have on Cedar. Uneven weathering usually requires restoration as opposed to maintenance.

This Cedar was installed 10 years ago, with little more than a light oil to protect the timber against the harsh UV. That coating has long since burned off, leaving the Cedar exposed to the sun.

Thankfully, Cedar is such a resilient timber that a deep clean and oil can work wonders.

Maintenance Timeline

The customer first contacted us on the 15th of November, 2024.

21st November 2024 – Initial onsite assessment completed.
25th November 2024 – Quote sent.
6th January 2025 – Team arrived onsite to start the job.
21st January 2025 – Job completed.

Cedar Restoration Process

The initial assessment showed that the Cedar was in good overall condition, but the northern and western faces had been burned by the sun and were very dry.

Whatever protective application they initially used did not have any pigment, leaving the Cedar to turn grey over time.

The Cedar also had mould and bacteria growing on the outside, which happens when the harsh UV rays break down the surface of the timber. To remove the organic matter, we deep clean the Cedar using a biodegradable cleaning solution that is safe for pets and does not harm any surrounding plant life.

Once the timber is clean and dry, we can start to apply the oil.

The customer chose Wood-X Kauri Gum to give the Cedar a natural look, closely resembling wet Cedar. This is a mineral oil that soaks into the timber, leaving pigment on the surface to protect against the UV rays.

The northern face of the house runs long up the side of the property and is the first thing you see upon arrival.

The top of the cladding has been bleached by the sun. This was extremely dry and sucked up a lot of oil, around 4 square meters per litre.

If you look under the window frame, you can see where the windows have been cleaned with a brush. Cedar is very structurally sound, but the surface can be easily damaged if you are not careful.

The darker sections at the bottom are mould and pollen, which have been exacerbated by the surrounding bush. Sometimes the trees can protect the timber if they are nestled in tight, but the number of trees here added to the amount of pollen on the timber.

Cedar Restoration Challenges

There were two main challenges for this job: access issues and uneven weathering.

The southern face of the house has high walls and two large water tanks at the base. Without ground access we could not use ladders or mobile scaffolding. To gain safe access to this area, we used fixed scaffolding.

Both the southern and northern faces have uneven ground, with limited access, and required careful use of ladders.

The dormer situated on the roof at the back of the house also needed rope and harness to be done safely.

Souwest on roof wash .5 oil 1 plus .5 rope and harness

As mentioned before, it’s best not to have any soffits or overhangs on Cedar homes. While they do protect the timber from the sun, the effect can be aesthetically unpleasant, as seen here on the western face.

In the photo below, there is a line just below the overhang where the Cedar was shaded from the sun. To fix uneven weathering, our team needs to strip back the surface to an even finish and then apply oil.

The western face also had some black areas above the window which had been burned by the sun. Below the window, there were even darker areas caused by the rain hitting the concrete and bouncing back, causing dust and muck to accumulate.

The front of the house, which faces east, had a section of timber above the front door that had not been exposed to the sun and appeared orange (the natural colour of the Cedar), in stark contrast to the grey timber to either side. This required an expert touch to even up the colour, which can be seen below.

Ongoing Maintenance Requirements

Our recommendation is to recoat the northern and western faces within 3 months. If you look at the top of the walls in the after photos, the oil is already soaking in and appears lighter. And we used a lot of oil on this wall.

The recoat isn’t critical, but topping up the pockets in the Cedar with oil will provide maximum protection and make sure the colour remains consistent.

After that, the house will fall into a regular maintenance schedule, with sun exposed areas needing a recoat every 2-3 summers.

Final Thoughts

The customer was knocked back by the transformation. The years of grime and dirt were washed away and replaced by glistening Cedar that looked better than the day it was installed.

The contrast between the Kauri Gum tint and the black joinery looks amazing. We even washed their skylights while we were up there!

This was a quick job, with the bulk of the work being done in a week by our technicians, Mikey and Lorena. Great work, fantastic results!

15 May 2024

Weather-beaten Cedar Home Fully Restored

This architecturally designed home is located along the eastern coast of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, with magnificent views across Stanmore Bay.

The home was built in 2009 and the Cedar had not received any maintenance before the customer contacted us.

Cedar located along exposed coastlines has different requirements than Cedar in tree covered areas. Without any shelter, the Cedar is fully exposed to the harsh New Zealand sun, which can burn the timber fibres on the exposed faces and dry out the boards.

Coastal winds can also be strong and contain higher amounts of organic matter, such as dust, pollen and sea salt.

Due to the lack of maintenance and exposure to the elements, this Cedar home required a complete restoration.

Maintenance Timeline

The customer first approached us on the 25th of January, 2024.

1st February, 2024 – Initial onsite assessment completed.
8th February, 2024 – Quote sent.
26th March, 2024 – Team arrived onsite to start the job.
4th April, 2024 – Job completed.

Cedar Maintenance Process

Before oiling, the Cedar required a deep clean to remove all the built-up organic matter and burnt fibers on the surface of the timber.

The customer wanted a golden look for the Cedar. We used Wood-X penetrating oil in Kauri Gum, which is the most popular and natural Wood-X colour tone.

As the front of the house is the main feature area – and the faces most exposed to the sun – we allocated more time and materials here to make sure it looked stunning.

The colour of the garage door (in the before photos) shows what the boards would have looked like if they had been washed previously.

Unfortunately, the garage had been water blasted by someone unfamiliar with Cedar, leaving the surface streaky and damaged. Because the timber is so soft, these lines will stay in the timber forever, unless they are either washed or sanded out.

Above the garage door, the boards have been oxidised by the sun, giving them a burned and blackened appearance.

After putting drop cloths down, we sprayed oil from the bottom up, then across the boards, and by the time we got to the top corner, we had to start again as the oil had already been sucked into the timber.

This was coated 4 times in an hour, and the section above the garage door alone would have used 1.5 litres of oil.

We then left it for 24 hours and came back the next day to apply another coat, mainly because it’s a feature area and we wanted it to pop, rather than still look thirsty.

On the face running perpendicular to the garage door, the boards have been bleached by the sun. Walls facing to the west can sometimes get just as warm and weathered as the northern faces, especially if there is no tree cover.

We recommend that sun-exposed areas are recoated every 2-3 summers. As these boards were so dry, we will return in 9-12 months for a recoat.

This gives the oil a chance to really suck into the pores of the timber before adding more. If done any sooner, the oil will sit on the surface and wash off when the rain hits.

Cedar Maintenance Challenges

The biggest upfront challenge for this job was how steep the property is at the back. As shown in the photos below, the house is built on a very steep coastal hill and required extensive scaffolding.

The next big challenge was just how dry the Cedar was.

The boards used for many Cedar homes are scalloped at the bottom, so that they overlap the board below and sit flush. The boards on this home are solid timber without any decorative features, allowing the boards to sit on top of one another.

They are not much thicker than standard boards, but the difference is that the thickness goes all the way down. This thickness makes the boards very durable, as the thinnest part of the board is where most of the cupping occurs.

The thickness of the boards, along with how dry they were, required more coats of oil than usual and anyone untrained in Cedar maintenance might have slapped on a coat of oil and called it a day. The end result would not have been pleasant to look at.

Ongoing Maintenance Requirements

We recommend recoating sun-exposed faces every 2-3 summers. That doesn’t mean the whole house, just the faces exposed to the harsh UV. The rest of the house may not need further maintenance for 5-7 years.

The Final Outcome

The restored Cedar makes it look like a brand-new house. Contrasted with the grey schist, the lovely golden hue creates a timeless alpine look, both homely and sophisticated.

The owner was away while we did the maintenance and was stunned by how it looked upon their return. They knew we would make it look better, but they didn’t think the transformation would be so dramatic.

Even Mark was impressed with how well the Cedar polished up, and that saying a lot having been in the business for 30 years! What a fantastic result for the homeowner, and a restoration we are very proud of.

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Cedar Beautifully Restored After Maintenance Mishaps