Hi guys: I am trying to decide whether to use white cedar shingles or cemplank a cement board for siding on my house. It would help in my decision if I understood better what happens to white cedar shingles as they weather. I’ve seen them go grey or a dark brown/black. What makes them go one way or the other?
Also, can they be power washed to restore their original light brown color? Can they be painted AFTER they have lost their nice light brown color? Or stained? Any one have experience with these matters? I like the color of newly installed shingles and like the idea of not having to paint or stain every few years. I even don’t mind if all the shingles turned a nice fairly even grey. But I don’t like the black I see on some houses or the dark brown mottled look. Any advice greatly appreciated. charlie
Replies
How the shingles weather depends in the climate they're exposed to. Coastal? Inner city? And white vs red cedar.
You can help the "weathering process" for your white shingles go in the direction you want by using a weathering stain. Most manufacturers have one in their line. It pushes the white cedar shingles towards the silvery-gray color that is commonly seen in coastal locations.
Once untreated cedar shingles...or cedar claps, for that matter...get a healthy dose of UV, coating them can be problematic. To ensure longevity, a bit of prep work needs to be done. If you plan on treating them, do it now.
I think that some treatment is better than no treatment. By giving them a protective coating that will inhibit UV, you'll extend the life of the shingles by many, many years. With todays products, that treatment doesn't have to be a colored (solid or transparent) stain. You can treat them and still have a natural-looking shingle.
thanks a bunch Mongo. I will investigate anti UV and other stains and penetrates. I still don't understand why some houses in the hood look so different from others--I am right on the Massachusetts coast--like I say some are black and mottled brown and others a beautiful silver grey. again thanks Charlie
Mike and Andy have had this argument before - just a couple weeks ago.
Mike is still right. I've seen some on the Maine coast here where it took about four years before the black started showing up. I've rempoved some white cedars that were a hundred years old and they were ranging in colour between coffee black and a black walnut stain kind of colour. I installed some predipped with weathering oil three years ago and when I stopped by there today, I noticed they were just starting to spot some mildew stains here and there.
If you are fanatical about silver grey, use a solid colour stain or wash them down with a percolate every year..
Excellence is its own reward!
all of what he said is true enough, but I get the impression that you are too particular? for anything but Hardiboard or Vinyl.
Excellence is its own reward!
I'm also planning cedar shingles, and I'm worried about this too. Sometimes you seem to get a nice silvery gray, other times a nasty black. And I've seen the two colors on the SAME house, depending on the exposure. (This is on a Maine island.) If the black is a fungal effect, some type of antifungal dip might help.
Chuck
I went out of my way to buy white cedar to side my house (see my website below for pix). I really love Robert Stern and a whole lot of his houses are done with white cedar. It turns silvery grey and you dont need to treat it unless theres a lot of trees real close. Red cedar turns black. Most lumber yards here in the east coat (NY) dont stock white cedar and I'm not sure why but my guess is.....red cedar "initally" looks awesome ( saleable) cept it turns disgusting after a few years unless treated. I absolutly love white cedar.
Be well
Namaste'
Andy
It's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
thanks so much andy. Is it really as simple as you say: just use white cedar instead of red and the shingles won't turn black or mottled brown? I do have a tree near the house in one corner and I want it to stay. What effect will it have on the shingles' color as they age?
Charlie
I am not so sure that is it as simple as WRC vs white.
Now my application is totally different.
I am in the Kansas City area. I have a WRC deck on the west side of my home. But it is heavly shaded by trees and is black.
I mounted some WRC 2 by's on the north side of my house to support some brackets that hold a sail boat boom. That area does not get as much weather and it dries out quickly.
It has a very nice clear silver gray color.
Andy,
I went to your website and I was wondering. The pic. that you have up with the pumpkins and wheelbarrel is that the house you just sold? I love the siding. Lars is wanting to put up cedarshakes, but I HATE the dark black look they get. I know that they have to be treated every so many years. HOw long has that siding been up on the house in the picture?
Thanks!Tamara
Tamara
The shingles I put up in that pic have been up for about four years. Yes thats the house I sold and will be moving out of in a cpl of weeks. Where there were serious trees RIGHT ON the house I washed the cedar once with a solution of 1 part bleach 4 parts water and hosed it right off. To me it was easy as pie. The sap from my oaks did a number on the shingles but I loved the tree too much to take them down and washing the siding was a cpl of hours of work or less. White cedar is what they use on Block Island and in the HAmptons etc etc....Robert Stern designed houses that I fashioned mine after. I highly recommend it. Is really a wonderful shingle choice.
Be well
Namaste
AndyIt's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
tamara.. andy got lucky.. he wound up with a silver grey color..
most White Cedar will NOT turn silver grey.. it depends on the climate, the exposure, surrounding trees , and overhangs...
White cedar is not as stable as red cedar.. if you want a silver grey, you have to help it with a bleaching oil or a silver grey stain.. or take your chances..
there is just no way that white cedar will always weather to silver grey.. most of the time it will weather to black.. or mottled.. or deep brown.. and some of the house will actually be silver grey.. usually the south side which is in full sun.. the south side will also be curled and cupped if left untreated...
they have a much wilder grain than red cedar , they are usually thinner than red cedar, and tehy are designed for a smaller exposure thatn the common red cedar.. a typical white cedar is 16".. a typical red is 18"
white cedars are a great shingle.. but they are not to be relied on to weather by themselves to a silver grey.. and they do not have the same formal appearance that reds do.. if you want the look of Cape Cod.. use a White Cedar Extra grade, either factory dipped or treated with a 50/50 solution of Cabot's Bleaching Oil and Silver Grey.. they will look just like the postcards of the Cape..and then touch them up with another coat of Silver Grey every 5 years or so....if you keep the stain on , they will last forever.. or longer than you or i anyways..
if you want the formal look of Newport shingle style.. stick to Red Cedars, Resquared & Rebutted...Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Rex Roberts, author of the 60's classic book, Your Engineered House, advocated untreated wood siding (reverse board and batten, actually). He said: "Sun and rain, gray. All sun, brown." In other words, Cape Cod type houses with no overhangs turn gray, houses with deeper soffitts turn brown, lighter in shade and on north, darker in full sun and on south. Over the years since I first read that, I have observed it to be more or less right (given that you never know when looking at what looks like untreated shingles whether they ever once were treated). It's probably not that simple, but it's definitely an important factor.
Nothing is as simple as I say but its real feasable and do-able. Its really not all that complicated. If you have questions feel free to Email me or post questions on this site. Ya gotta start somewhere and this is the perfect time and perfect place. Do it!
BE well
Namaste'
AndyIt's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Idk if anyone will still be on this thread but I want the dark brown look and would like to know how to achieve it. I dont want them to turn silver or grey.
Start a new thread
its wood, -------it warps, oozes, splits, rots, pieces fall out, it twists, and on and on