Cedar Shakes - Paint or Solid Stain

[nkpaintingvt]

Hello folks,

I have a job that involves applying an opaque finish (color is a dark grey) on cedar shakes, installed a few months back. They weren't backprimed. They're under a porch roof so they get very little liquid moisture and the bottom rows get some morning sun.

My first step is sanding, then every resource out there recommends an oil primer. I have the budget and the time, so I'm thinking BM Long Oil.

Top coat: Solid stain for supposed breath-ability, or paint for a thicker film and more durability?

Thanks!

Noah

 

[Cheese]

Over the years I've removed the original grooved cedar shingles from our 1950's house and have resided it with cedar bevel siding and cedar shakes. I always use SW oil based primer and 2 topcoats of SW latex. I also back prime the siding and shakes with SW oil based primer to prevent any tanin bleeding. Great results...

 

[nkpaintingvt]

Considering that the back sides were never back primed, do you think there's an advantage to a solid stain over a paint on the front?

 

[Cheese]

It may be advantageous to use solid stain because the siding has not been back primed. Stain soaks into the wood rather than lying on top of the wood surface like paint does. Thus it is probably less likely to peel or bubble if moisture gets into the siding.

However, having said that, I believe that solid stain needs to be applied to bare wood or to previously stained wood, NOT painted wood. I'd have a chat with your local Benny Moore person. Explain the situation and ask them for their advice.

 

[jeh]

Paint or stain it is unfortunate that you could not have done either before they went up. Shrinkage is always a problem with shakes as they age.

 

[peter halle]

I hope that [member=13337]Scott Burt[/member] will see this thread and chime in.  You are in his neck of the woods.

Peter

 

[nkpaintingvt]

It may be advantageous to use solid stain because the siding has not been back primed. Stain soaks into the wood rather than lying on top of the wood surface like paint does. Thus it is probably less likely to peel or bubble if moisture gets into the siding.

However, having said that, I believe that solid stain needs to be applied to bare wood or to previously stained wood, NOT painted wood. I'd have a chat with your local Benny Moore person. Explain the situation and ask them for their advice.

The TDS on BM's Solid Stain lists oil primer as an acceptable undercoating. My understanding is that you just build the normal 3 coat system using the solid stain as a lower build topcoat. The advantage being a more porous coating that is able to expand and contract better, and movement may happen on these shakes to a greater degree because there was no backpriming.

Double check my logic here folks?

Also, if I'm just splitting hairs in trying to decide between paint/stain here, please call me out.

 

[Pnw painter]

Personally, I would skip the oil primer and apply 2 coats of solid stain. This will allow the stain the penetrate into the shakes. If you apply the stain with a brush or roller this will help the stain penetrate into the shakes. Or spray and back brush or back roll.

I've seen quite a few companies spray solid stains without back brushing or rolling. The finish looks uneven and fails due to adhesion.

If you have concerns I'd recommend talking to your local BM rep. They might have some helpful insights as their are regional differences in how paints perform.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pjwoolw]

Agreed.  Stain it.  I imagine this a fairly small area.  If so just brushing it is how I would go about it.  Might take more than two coats but that's unlikely. 

 

[Brent Taylor]

I always used solid body stain on my cedar projects,  but if the area iw small enough I would try to talk them into stripping it and allow you to do the job right and dip the shakes before installing them.