Vent: Picked cedar over composite for a big privacy fence in Tacoma

The client wanted something that would last, and I had to choose between the lower upfront cost of cedar or the no-maintenance promise of composite. We went with cedar, and after staining it with a solid color, it looks great, but I'm already thinking about the re-stain talk in about four years. Anyone have a go-to solid stain that holds up better than most?

2 comments

2 Comments

joseph_black7d ago

Been there. That four-year clock starts ticking fast. For a solid stain on cedar, you want something with a good bit of oil in it to soak in deep. The stuff from the big box stores often just sits on top. A local paint store can mix you a quality oil-based solid stain that actually penetrates. It costs more but you might get five or six years before it looks tired, especially on a north-facing side. Prep is everything though, gotta clean it really well before the re-coat.

jamiegreen7d ago

Read a forum post once where a guy swore by adding a bit of linseed oil to his stain mix for cedar... said it really helped it drink in. Joseph_black is right about the local store stuff, the penetration makes a huge difference. That north side advice is spot on too, mine always fades there first no matter what.