Preserving Cedar

October 19, 2020, 09:06 PM

RichN

Preserving Cedar

I am building a cedar fence. In the past I have done 3 rail flat board fences and just left them untreated and let them turn gray. This is my first privacy fence, and this thing looks like a damn work of art. So now I think I would like to protect this one from turning gray.

What is the best way to seal this wood so it won't change color. I would gladly pay more up front if it means I don't have to repeat the treatment as often.

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October 19, 2020, 09:59 PM

6guns

I'm curious too. Would something as simple as Thompsons work? I've heard complaints about that product, but have used it on a deck that I re-treat every spring anyway.

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October 19, 2020, 10:13 PM

doublesharp

I put Cabot transparent cedar on a cedar privacy fence and the side that got little sun looks decent after 10 years. Sunny side was re done after 8. Lowes is where I bought mine.

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October 19, 2020, 10:14 PM

flesheatingvirus

Maybe a polyurethane? It will darken it a bit. That’s what the wood columns and front door at my place were coated with.

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October 19, 2020, 10:21 PM

preten2b

My original deck on house was cedar. It would not take Thompsons very well, nor another I tried 2 years later. I never tried again, which I acknowledge is no real help except to say it still lasted about 18 years. Just got used to grey.

Semi transparent stains should help protect better than clear varieties (UV block), but then you're going to be looking at the stain color.

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October 20, 2020, 07:11 AM

MikeinNC

The house we built in the 80s had cedar siding, dad stained it with an oil based stain that looked silver! So it looked like it was weathered cedar.

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October 20, 2020, 08:07 AM

snidera

I built a cedar picnic table for my 2yo at the beginning of July & used Flood cedar color. It has some pigment, which will help against sun, but doesn't hide the grain at all.
It doesn't show any change in color after 3 months, but it also sits if a fairly shaded area (N side of house). water beads up nicely.
I like that it penetrates, but I would have liked a little more natural look. It looks good, but you can tell it has been stained.

October 20, 2020, 08:25 AM

chellim1

TWP Cedartone

Cedar Tone Exterior Oil Stain, 1-Gallon
$33.99

https://www.truevalue.com/ceda...r-oil-stain-1-gallon

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October 20, 2020, 03:53 PM

cusingeorge

Visit my website and let me know if you have questions:

TWP Total Wood Preservative

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October 21, 2020, 05:22 PM

RichN

quote:
Originally posted by cusingeorge:
Visit my website and let me know if you have questions:

TWP Total Wood Preservative

So it looks like the 1500 series is the recommended product.
Did I read correctly that you should let the wood weather naturally for 6 months? It's been a while since I built a fence, but won't the wood already be turning gray by then?

October 21, 2020, 08:32 PM

cusingeorge

For new wood, especially cedar or redwood, allowing it to age a few months helps to open the wood and remove excess tannin so when you do stain (even if you don’t use mine) the stain will soak into the wood properly and give you a much more uniform tone than staining right away.

The wood will gray over the winter, and you could stain now, but you will most likely not get the longevity from a stain had you allowed the wood to age. Gray wood fibers are easy to remove with a light power washing.

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October 21, 2020, 08:47 PM

Bassamatic

There are a lot of products available. I like TWP with a UV protectant. They offer a lot of shades and can be found in any Lowes or HD.