Professional Cedar Maintenance vs. DIY

15 Nov 2023

Let’s get to the point. Is DIY Cedar maintenance possible?

Absolutely. Furthermore, the process is relatively straightforward.

Cedar maintenance is all about protecting the timber from the elements, most importantly, the harsh New Zealand sun. If you have a long, hot summer, the natural oils in the boards will be sucked out by the sun.

Your job is to replace the oil that the sun is extracting. Without oil replenishment, the boards will dry out over time and begin cupping.

A general DIY Cedar maintenance plan would involve soft washing your house once every few years and applying a coat of oil to sun-exposed faces every 2-3 summers.

Seems straightforward, right?

So is changing the oil on your car, but very few people have the time or are willing to get their hands dirty. The same goes for Cedar.

Here are some factors to consider before attempting DIY maintenance.

1. Convenience

We have a customer in Northland who is 83 years old and had previously maintained the Cedar on his family home for decades – and did a great job of it. Now that he can’t get up the ladder like he used to, he came to us for help.

Anybody can learn how to maintain their own Cedar, but not everybody has the inclination. Maintaining Cedar is physically demanding, often working at heights, using bulky equipment, in a wet and mucky environment.

Hiring a professional means you don’t have to worry about anything. They will bring all their own equipment, have experience working at heights and clean up after themselves, leaving nothing but a beautifully maintained house.

2. Property Access

Accessing the different areas of your house can be tricky, and potentially dangerous.

Even on a flat property, there are always parts of a house that are difficult to reach. The job gets even more complicated if the ground is uneven.

Double story house can be quite daunting. Some houses require scaffolding, but most houses can be accessed with a ladder.

If you are not comfortable working on a ladder, or the ground around your house is uneven, it is usually safer to hire a professional who is experienced working at heights.

If your house does require scaffolding, a professional Cedar maintenance company will often have their own scaffolding and manage the whole process, saving you time, headaches and money.

3. Risk of Damaging the Cedar

The surface of a Cedar weatherboard can be easily damaged. The water blaster should be set at a low pressure and moved across the boards in a steady motion without pausing.

Water blasting at a high pressure can strip away too much of the soft tissue in the timber, leaving it streaky and unsightly.

This is often when we get called, only now the customer is paying for remedial work to restore the damage rather than just maintenance.

Your home is usually your most valuable investment. By hiring a professional, you are removing the risk of damaging the timber and ultimately, adding value to your investment.

4. Preparing the Cedar for application

Cleaning and preparing the Cedar is the most important part of getting a satisfactory finish.

People can be so scared of damaging the timber, that they use a water pressure that is too low or don’t scrub sufficiently to properly clean the Cedar.

If you do not remove all the built-up organic matter, whatever you put on the surface will then be compromised.

To prepare your Cedar with a water blaster, make sure you wash it at the right pressure, or scrub the boards with an appropriate brush, making sure the boards are free of any timber fibres, oxidised tint, dirt, mould, lichen and moss.

Once all that is gone, you need to make sure any stain on the boards is evenly removed. You don’t want the boards under the soffit left a different colour.

5. Consistent application of the product

Applying a stain is simple, you move the brush from one side to the other keeping an even coverage and a wet edge.

But getting an even finish across the boards takes time and practice. If the stain dries before you finish, there will be lines in it.

We have also seen DIY oiling attempts that only go 3/4 of the way up the wall because they couldn’t reach any higher, or thought the Cedar was protected by the soffits of the house.

Trying to blend that in after the event is very difficult and always ends up costing more in the long run.

Thinking Twice About DIY?

Anyone can learn how to maintain their Cedar, but it probably looks easier than it is and is fraught with little problems that when added together, become bigger issues.

If you require expert advice, call us on 0800 298 298. Our friendly team is always ready to help.

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13 Jul 2023

Transitioning Cedar from Stain to Oil

As Cedar ages, we highly recommend transitioning Cedar from stain to a penetrating oil where possible. The simple truth is, no matter how much stain you put on the surface of the timber, 5-10 years of sun exposure on a northern face will deplete the natural oils of the Cedar and cause the boards to dry out, cup, then ultimately split.

As Cedar ages, we highly recommend transitioning Cedar from stain to a penetrating oil where possible.

If you want to know more about the pros and cons of each, please read our article The Cedar Oil vs. Cedar Stain Debate.

The simple truth is, no matter how much stain you put on the surface of the timber, 5-10 years of sun exposure on a northern face will deplete the natural oils of the Cedar and cause the boards to dry out, cup, then ultimately split.

This doesn’t just look bad, it threatens the integrity of your home to withstand the elements and if the damage continues, you may need to replace the cladding altogether.

How Stained Cedar Ends Up Looking Unsightly

Treating aged Cedar with stain isn’t usually an informed choice by the homeowner. Often, the previous owner has done a quick fix and used stain to make the Cedar look pretty before selling, or the current homeowner has stained over a poorly prepared stain without stripping back the boards.

Stains are translucent, so even though they have some opacity, you can still see through them and unless the preparation is done well, stains don’t hide imperfections.

Eventually the stain will delaminate in the harsh UV, giving a camouflaged look with light and dark shades that are often patchy and uneven.

The Transition Process from Stain to Oil

First, we will do a site visit to look at the current state of the Cedar boards.

In the best-case scenario, the weatherboards will have had an even exposure to the sun. We then use a strong solution of the oxy cleaner to get in behind any of the oxidised stain which has been broken down by the sun, then use a heavy wash to remove anything which is loose.

The heavy wash will give us a good look at the condition of the boards below. If there is any stain remaining on the surface, we will need to sand or strip the boards back to their virgin state before applying the oil.

If the boards have had partial shade cover, such as nearby trees or soffits that have only protected the upper areas, they need to be stripped. You can’t just oil over the top and hope that it’s going to match the weatherboards below.

This adds a lot of cost to the process and if the homeowner isn’t willing to spend that much money, we may recommend applying another coat of stain to provide at least some protection and keep the house looking tidy.

Be Prepared for the Shiny-flat Look

One of the biggest downsides of moving from stain to oil is a 3-9 month transition period where your Cedar will have a shiny-flat-shiny-flat look.

This happens when oil is applied to any surface that still has stain remnants. The oil cannot soak through the stain as it is non-porous, so it sits on top, around the surface area where the oil has soaked in, giving the shiny-flat-shiny-flat look.

In the sunlight, the shiny-flat-shiny-flat look is not pretty. However, this effect is only temporary and after 3-9 months the oil eventually soaks in behind the stain and the stain will delaminate further.

After 3-9 months, we will come back and give the boards another heavy wash, sand back any remaining stain and apply another coat of oil. 9-12 months later we repeat the same process. After 12-24 months the process will be complete and the Cedar will move into a regular maintenance schedule, with sun exposed areas being treated every 2-3 summers.

What Costs Are Involved?

Cost is the final hurdle for many Cedar homeowners. Stripping off stain is an expensive process and if your current home is not your forever home, the costs might be prohibitive.

However, if you are planning to stay in your current home for the foreseeable future, the costs become an investment that will pay for itself. Over time, oil is much easier to apply than stain, provides superior protection against the elements and increases the lifespan of your Cedar.

In broad terms, it comes down to this: do you want to spend the extra 10k to remove the stain and give yourself an easy to maintain finish, or deduct the 10k from the cost of replacing the cladding in the not-to-distant future?

By investing in the health of your Cedar now, you will save money on long-term maintenance, and your cladding will look amazing.

Get An Expert Opinion!

As you can see, there are a lot of variables when considering the transition from stain to oil. This article is intended to educate Cedar homeowners on the general process, but nothing compares to having one of our team visit your house and make a professional assessment.

For a free Cedar Assessment, get in touch by calling 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.

14 Jun 2023

Cedar Maintenance Advice for Newly Built Homes

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.

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!

15 Apr 2023

What is the Best Season to Maintain Cedar?

You might be surprised that there’s no ‘best time’ for treating Cedar and maintenance can be done throughout the year, across all seasons, given there is enough time for the oil to penetrate the timber, or the stain to cure. The real question isn’t which season is best for maintaining Cedar, but which conditions are optimal for the Cedar maintenance process.

We usually get asked this question during winter, when the weather outside is either rainy, cold, blowing a gale – or sometimes all three at once!

In fact, winter is an excellent time for Cedar maintenance. Your cladding has been knocked about by the summer sun and needs nourishment, relief and protection.

The real question isn’t which season is best for maintaining Cedar, but which conditions are optimal for the Cedar maintenance process.

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

Optimal Conditions for Cedar Maintenance

To successfully apply oil or stain to Cedar, the boards need to be dry, with no threat of imminent rain. It’s that simple.

When most homeowners think of maintaining the outside of their house, they think of paint and how long it takes to dry. Oil and stains do not work like paint and are quick drying.

On a hot summer’s day, we can stain the side of a house and gently waterblast it 20 minutes later and the stain won’t move.

Oils are similarly robust. On average you want to give oil a couple of hours to soak in. Once absorbed into the timber, the oil is resistant to any incoming rain and is in no danger of getting washed away or having the finish ruined.

The Best Plan is Planning Ahead

If last summer is any indication, heavy rain can strike at any time, as can long dry stretches.

Given our changing weather patterns, there really isn’t an ideal time to maintain Cedar and the best course of action is to get your Cedar regularly maintained, following our standard advice.

“To protect Cedar from the harsh NZ sun and keep it looking beautiful year-round, sun exposed areas should be treated at least once every 2-3 years.”

So don’t let winter deter you from getting your Cedar maintained. Our Cedar Technicians are experts in their field and know how to work around the seasons, even if there are four of them in one day!

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Professional Cedar Maintenance vs. DIY