How Can I Avoid Excessive Tannin Staining On My Cedar Siding?
Cedar siding is a great choice for your home’s exterior. It’s durable and naturally resists decay, which is why it’s one of the top three most popular siding materials.
However, a common problem homeowners have with cedar siding is tanning staining and extractive bleeding. Both cedar and redwood contain tannins and water-soluble extractives can bleed to the surface of the wood. This causes discoloration, which isn’t pretty.
The good news is you can avoid extractive bleeding when you paint your cedar by taking necessary precautions.
What causes extractive bleeding and how can I avoid it?
Moisture is the main problem that causes tannins to bleed to the substrate’s exterior. But it’s important to note that this isn’t something that happens naturally with cedar siding.
There are several reasons for why cedar paneling can become badly stained because of the tannins. These reasons include:
- The cedar isn’t properly cured. Your cedar siding needs to have a moisture content of 15% or lower before it’s treated. If it isn’t cured, problems can arise with excessive staining.
- The cedar isn’t adequately primed. Your cedar siding needs to be properly primed and sealed including all edges and cut ends before you do any staining.
- The primer isn’t tannin-stain resistant. The primer you apply to your cedar siding needs to be tannin-stain resistant or else problems can arise with excessive staining.
- There isn’t proper flashing prevention. Excess moisture can get behind your siding and cause more staining if the flashing or water infiltration prevention isn’t properly done.
- The wrong nail type is used. When cedar siding is installed, it’s vital to use nails that are stainless steel or hot dipped galvanized. If the nails are the wrong type, it can cause bluish-black stains to appear where the nails are.
Where can I find siding companies near me?
There are up to 15 different types of siding you can use on your home, but cedar siding is the most popular type of wood siding for a reason. Cedar can last for up to 75 years when it’s properly maintained and only needs to be repainted every 10 to 15 years.
If you’re looking for siding companies for a siding replacement or a cedar siding installation, Side Pro has the siding contractors for you. To learn more about the benefits of cedar siding replacements, contact Side Pro today.
