# cedar shake siding



## jacob33

Has anyone here ever cleaned brightened and oiled old cedar shake siding. I did it once a while ago and have another one to do but am not sure what the best procedure or products would be. I was planning on rinsing with tsp and scrubbing to get the mildew off rinsing it off well and than oiling with BM transparent cedar oil. Should I use a wood brightener or bleach at any point. I was going to just use low pressure for all the rinsing. Does that sound right or am I missing something


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## Slopmeyer

Not sure what your asking, but if there is a finish already on the siding the brightener isn't gonna do anything. PW as normal with bleach and some detergent. Be careful if there is a finish existing in good shape. The oil needs to penetrate.


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## jacob33

I dont think anything has been done to the cedar siding in the last 20 years and not sure if there every was. It is a grey color with heavy mildew on it. The goal is to try and restore it to a good cedar color. Not sure if it is possible.


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## Lambrecht

Check out wash-safe.com they have a product that works great for killing mold, cleaning and brightening cedar.


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## bikerboy




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## Lee Decorating Corp.

jacob33 said:


> Has anyone here ever cleaned brightened and oiled old cedar shake siding. I did it once a while ago and have another one to do but am not sure what the best procedure or products would be. I was planning on rinsing with tsp and scrubbing to get the mildew off rinsing it off well and than oiling with BM transparent cedar oil. Should I use a wood brightener or bleach at any point. I was going to just use low pressure for all the rinsing. Does that sound right or am I missing something


I have photo's and explanations on my facebook page. I even show part of the cedar cleaned. Lee Decorating Corporation. Take a look. The B.M. prep products worked on linseed oil.


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## [email protected]

The BM products are great. Use "Remove" to take off any old stain and or greying wood then use "Brighten" to revive the wood. No Pressure washer needed, just a garden hose and a scrubber. If you prefer the Pressure washer, then only use the rinse nozzle. Let dry and restain with product of your choice. I suggest Sikkens or Arborcoat.


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## Everett Abrams

When restoring older cedar shake siding there are a couple of things to do prior to the actual restoration that MANY contractor's miss. First is make sure your insurance is in good standing and ask to inspect the interior of the house. Look for existing water stains or leaks and take notes and/or pictures. When creating the estimate you should put in writing "not responsible for any preexisting conditions." Usually when the shakes are this old and have not been kept up water will find a way in from a pressure washer. We actually hand scrub the stripper or cleaner on the shakes and rinse with a garden hose or a low-pressure rinse before adding the brightener. If the mold and mildew are that heavy it will take a lot of scrubbing and water with any type of bleach cleaner. You are better off using a diluted sodium hydroxide based stripper to clean with this will still effectively remove mold and mildew and use less water to rinse with as well as give you a more consistent look after applying the brightener. I have testified in 2 cases where the homeowner blamed the contractor for work inside and in the one case the total damages assessed were over $285,000. If you are doing shake replacement remember that they only come in bundles and to include that in your estimate. Another option is cob-blasting which eliminates the use of water and is excellent for log cabins and jobs like these where water damage may be an issue. That is probably a topic for another thread. Good luck, these are fun projects when everything is done right!


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## Windy Painters

I use Wolsman Acrylic Stain Remover. You can get it in Menards (Illinois, Wisconsin...). It works with all stains, sealers and oils. Not only with acrylic. In my opinion the best stripper on the market. Easy to use - just spray with garden pump, wait 15 min and pressure wash. I have deWalt 3750PSI and use 45 angle tip. Works like a charm. Don't need brightener or neutralizer. 
Worked with cedar, red wood, treated pine.


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