How To Paint Cedar Siding Shakes

Hang the shakes from a clothesline while they dry.

How to paint cedar siding shakes.

Powerwash the siding to remove any excess dirt or paint with a low pressure pressure washer. How to prepare old cedar shakes for repainting. Remove as much of the old paint as possible as the more prep work you do. Prime the cedar before you paint it.

Alkyd oil primers are recommended but one may choose a high quality latex primer as long as it contains stain blockers. Stains dry rapidly and fresh stain applied over dried stain will show lap marks. You will need approximately 1 gallon of each paint and primer for every 400 square feet. Choose a paint and primer the best choice of paint to use for cedar wood is urethane acrylic house paint.

Allow the house to dry completely for one to two weeks. Next dip each shake into the paint leaving only an inch or two not painted at the top where it is being held. Choose your primer based on what the paint manufacturer recommends to use. How to prepare old cedar shakes for repainting scrape any peeling paint chips off the shakes with a scraper.

Remove the shake and hold it over the bucket while wiping off the excess with a paint brush. Remove as much of the old paint as possible as the more prep work you do the better your home will look. If possible stain all sides of the siding before installation. First remove any mill glaze a hard shiny surface on one side of the siding by sanding.

Pour the paint into a five gallon bucket.