Author Topic: Staining Red Cedar Shingles  (Read 4843 times)

Offline BillCT

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Staining Red Cedar Shingles
« on: February 01, 2016, 10:03:34 PM »
Hi - We're dealing with new red cedar shingles on a roof and all siding.  This will be finished in a month or two.  The goal is to maintain the shingles in a light brown/butterscotch color. This link shows what the desired color is:   http://www.maguireconstruction.com/NewConstruction.html
The question is how to treat the shingles to achieve this look.  If untreated, the shingles will weather unevenly, have dark areas, light areas, etc.  So, how do we stain for this look?  A semi transparent clear?  A semi with some color?  AND... when to do the job?  Logically, I would think we have to stain before the shingles begin to weather unevenly.  A window of a couple of months after they go up?  Thanks!

Offline mymint87

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Re: Staining Red Cedar Shingles
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2016, 07:56:07 AM »
Hi - We're dealing with new red cedar shingles on a roof and all siding.  This will be finished in a month or two.  The goal is to maintain the shingles in a light brown/butterscotch color. This link shows what the desired color is:   http://www.maguireconstruction.com/NewConstruction.html
The question is how to treat the shingles to achieve this look.  If untreated, the shingles will weather unevenly, have dark areas, light areas, etc.  So, how do we stain for this look?  A semi transparent clear?  A semi with some color?  AND... when to do the job?  Logically, I would think we have to stain before the shingles begin to weather unevenly.  A window of a couple of months after they go up?  Thanks!
welcome.....i think it all depends on climate, exposure but each shingle will not deteriorate unevenly, i can see the most exposed side deteriorate faster than the others, but basically all the shingles will deteriorate at the same rate....first off, dont use a sealer or anything that applies a membrane surface, it is best to use a penetrating non drying oil...have it tinted in a light cedar tone...its basically the natural oil in the shingle, once that goes its starts deteriorating so your object is to keep the oils inside it, thus penetrating oil and not sealer is your best route....put it this way, in the past, they used linseed oil, kerosene, diesel fuel etc on shingles....today's products will be easier to apply but better yet will not darken the color as some of the old treatments...again on timing it all depends on the weather but i would honestly say you have a year to apply something....good luck
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