The drier the better for cedar stains

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/07/2011 (5197 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Q: I have just put in a new cedar fence. How long should I wait before I stain it and how often will it require staining? We have not decided if we want to keep it the natural color or use a solid color stain. Is there a good stain that will work to keep the cedar looking like new for as long as possible without graying?

A: With most stains the drier the cedar the better, typically it’s best to allow the cedar to weather naturally for a year before painting or staining. Otherwise, the moisture will cause the oils and tannins in the cedar to bleed through.  The life of each type depends on the weather and the exposure. Generally speaking, a solid stain will last approximately five to seven years. A semi-transparent stain three to five years. Transparent stain one to two years.  To maintain the natural cedar look you can use Cloverdale Paint’s Sunfast Exterior Stain.

Q: On the east side of our house the sidewalk is right up to the basement wall and water runs to the house. On the inside, it is coming through on a rusted tie. Is there a product that would seal from the inside?

A: Before fixing the problem from the inside, you will have to correct the drainage problem caused by the sloped sidewalk to have the water run away from your house. This can be repaired by having a concrete company complete a process called slab jacking. Over time, concrete will settle and may require lifting. Slab jacking involves pumping a dense combination of clay, sand, water and other materials through a hole drilled into the concrete. The mixture is injected by hydraulics under the sunken cement. Concrete slab jacking often improves drainage problems associated with water seepage, but it will not completely solve water problems if other problems exist in your drain tile perimeter drains.

Once the water drainage problems are resolved then you can proceed to stop the water at the form snap tie using a hydraulic cement patch available at most Building Supply stores. Entire concrete walls and floors can be water sealed using Cloverdale Paint’s Aqua Seal.

Shell Busey can be heard every Saturday morning from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Winnipeg’s CJOB 680. Go to www.TheHouseSmart.com for more home improvement tips and information.