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Discussion Forum

Best finish for cedar siding

| Posted in General Discussion on June 24, 2002 03:26am

I know this subject has been discussed before but I can’t locate anything so beat me if you must but I need some hep here.

Anybody have some words of wisdom as to the best finish for cedar sideing, northern climate, cold crappy weather followed by hot crappy weather followed two days of nice mild weather then back to the former. Would like a natural finish if possible. Have used Thompsons, waste of time, Olympic not much better, Benjamin Moore, OK for 2 summers. There’s gotta be something better out there.

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  1. JCJF | Jun 24, 2002 04:20am | #1

    One word Penofin..... you find it at R.K Miles in Manchester VT. 802-362-1952 About 40$$ a gallon.       Get the marine grade.

    THERES NO TIME LIKE QUALITY TIME



    Edited 6/23/2002 9:22:58 PM ET by Joe

    1. FrankB89 | Jun 24, 2002 05:43am | #2

      I second the motion for Penofin, marine grade...get the stain tint for the cedar you're using; i.e. Red Cedar stain for Red Cedar wood. 

      1. BruceM16 | Jun 24, 2002 07:25pm | #5

        Would you also use Penofin on Cedar Shingles?

        1. Armin110 | Jun 24, 2002 10:03pm | #6

          Anybody know how long Penofin lasts, as in two summers, four? Can it be recoated without sanding?

          1. MisterT | Jun 25, 2002 01:28am | #7

            In the past we have used a Sikkens product. May have been  Cetol (sp?)

            Swedish made was top shelf way back when.

            TDo not try this at home!

            I am a trained professional!

          2. FrankB89 | Jun 25, 2002 03:53am | #10

             It can and usually is recoated without sanding.  I know of a couple of painters that tarp the bushes, porch roofs and such and then carefully apply it with a garden sprayer.  I've never tried that, but it looks great when they're finished.  (That's why they're highly paid professionals).

            Some products start to get pretty glossy looking after a few recoats, so you might want to explore that potential problem...I know the Sikkens deck stain I've used warns against getting too many coats in too short a time span. 

          3. jimblodgett | Jun 25, 2002 07:37am | #11

            I think Penofin makes what they call "red label" now that has even better UV blockers than the old blue label products they been selling for years.  The blue label sells for about 25.00/gallon if you get it in 5 gallon cans at Home Depot.  Good stuff.

            You might consider CWF by Flood.  We sprayed our house two coats with it about 15 years ago and all we've done since is rinse with a garden hose every couple years.  It is getting a little dry, but still looks good to us. We don't get a ton of direct sunlight, but there is plenty of moisture in the air here in the Pacific Northwest for about 8 months a year.

        2. FrankB89 | Jun 25, 2002 03:29am | #8

          Yes, I've had good success with the Penofin on cedar shingles, but I dipped them (important that they're dry) and so far the color is holding up after 3 years on a 360 degree exposed headland on the Oregon Coast. 

          When I say "holding up," I mean they're still holding their cedar color, but there is some slight fading.  I don't know of a semi-transparent stain that won't fade in time.  On shingles I prefer 5" exposure for the most part and ripping down those big wide puppies...seems to help eliminate cupping, especially if they're dipped.

          The Sikkens product mentioned...I can't recall the exact name either, but I've used Sikkens deck stains with good results.

          I have seen poor results with Flood, Behr, and Thompsons, but I've never used them myself so it could have been the results of poor prep and application. 

           

  2. PostnBeam | Jun 24, 2002 07:53am | #3

    We either use Penofin....but just tried Superdeck on a few...looks good so far.

    1. oasis2500 | Jun 24, 2002 07:10pm | #4

      I keep reading about Penofin on different threads.  Does anyone know what this is exactly?  Oil based?? How would it work on pine board siding I am thinking of putting on a barn/carriage shed?

      Thanks,  Chip

      1. nailbender40 | Jun 25, 2002 09:59am | #12

         I have been using Penofin for 12 years, and find it to be a fantastic product. I used to build a lot of all heart v.g. redwood decks and was extremely tentative to put any product on the wood. It was about the same time that Thompsons came out with their product and there were abundant failures happening in our area with it and many other products. The company that installed one of my customers hot tubs recommended Penofin and they were the only ones in our area to carry it. I took some of my cut-offs home and bought every product that was available at the time. I dipped a board into each product and let it absorb over-night. The next day I cut each block in half to check the product penetration, and Penofin was by far the best. I have sprayed it on rgh. tex. T-1-11 siding, cedar channel, cedar bevel, redwood, ipe, mahogany, interior t&g cedar, etc.,etc. Never any failure. Remember to wait for or remove the mill-glaze on some species, and don't apply on the hottest day of the year. I've even (gulp) applied it during a rain shower, with great success. It is formulated from Brazilian rosewood oil. If you are doing interior application, apply product outside, let dry, then remember to temper your wood inside the area were it will be installed, much like a wood floor. Great product, good luck.

        1. Armin110 | Jun 26, 2002 05:16am | #13

          Thanks for all the info, you guys have been a big help. I'll most likely tackle the job early August after the misqitos take a hike.

  3. Brudoggie | Jun 25, 2002 03:38am | #9

    I've got the Sikkens system, on Red cedar clapboards. North side of house looks as good as day one, after 10 years. Sunny sides are due for a recoat. It's a 3 coat system, of two different products. Cetol 1 for first coat, and Cetol2-3 for others. The 2-3 has UV inhibitors. One note, it produces a fairly glossy sheen, that some folks don't like. Also , quite expensive, about 50/ gal. Supposed to be breathable, so it's good for log cabins and such. I have a local supplier if you are interested, seeing you're not that far from me.

     Brudoggie

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