Exterior stain/paint colors

[spotty_dog]

Our house is sided with unstained cedar shake. We were charmed by it from the start, but we're now paranoid about it aging too fast, so we're getting it stained.

The painter is going to prep the bejeebers out of the siding, scouring off the tannin and mildew with some kind of "acid-base product", leaving it a pristine shade of bright new wood. He says when the stain (semi-transparent polyurethane) goes on it will look even in color (at least at first) and maybe even almost solid.

There are so few stained wood exteriors to be found on houzz.com! I'm leaning toward gray shades, approximating the color that the cedar would end up if it were in New England rather than here, LOL. There are two houses with SW 3540 (Mountain Ash) and two with SW 3541 (Blue Shadow). For each color, the houses photographed show two different depths of shade, one rather translucent and one more semi-solid. I don't know if this is more due to differences in the number of coats, the kind of wood underlying it, whether the painter chose oil/acrylic/poly...

So I guess I'm wondering, where besides houzz and Gardenweb do you go for photographic inspiration? And also, can I ask the painter for a piece of stained scrap to help me decide? Or the Sherwin-Williams store?

[diggitydot]

Our house is sided with unstained cedar shake. We were charmed by it from the start, but we're now paranoid about it aging too fast, so we're getting it stained.

Cedar shake oxidizes (grays) within about a year.

The painter is going to prep the bejeebers out of the siding, scouring off the tannin and mildew with some kind of "acid-base product", leaving it a pristine shade of bright new wood.

He says when the stain (semi-transparent polyurethane) goes on it will look even in color (at least at first) and maybe even almost solid.

Any idea what product he's going to use? Jomax, maybe? It mixes with bleach and works well to kill mildew on wood. Don't let him charge a shit-ton of money for it, though. It isn't an expensive item to use.

He says when the stain (semi-transparent polyurethane) goes on it will look even in color (at least at first) and maybe even almost solid

Solid stain = thin paint. If you want the look of a solid coating, primer and paint will last MUCH longer. Semi-transparent poly or stain will need regular upkeep. In some areas, maybe even yearly or every other year, depending on the product. Any idea what product he's recommending?

So I guess I'm wondering, where besides houzz and Gardenweb do you go for photographic inspiration? And also, can I ask the painter for a piece of stained scrap to help me decide? Or the Sherwin-Williams store?

Pinterest, maybe?

And DEFINITELY have the painter give you a sample on your own wood if you're going with a semi-transparent stain/poly. The same stain will look differently on every different type and sometimes even different cuts of wood. If it's a semi-solid or a solid, it will just look like the paint chip.

[spotty_dog]

Thanks! The house was renovated in about 2000, so what we have is pretty much what we're going to get, weathering-wise. And we're getting grays on one side but TONS of tannin and streaking on the other sides...here.

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He won't say what the "product" is, just that he swears by it for the best finish, that it that it's not bleach, and that he has to scrub it, that the acidity of the product stings his face, and that it's a labor-intensive process that he hates doing but loves the result, LOL. Funny thing is he's charging me less for labor than the other bid, who were going to do a more standard bleach treatment I think.

By "almost solid" I mean that I asked if there was any chance to keep as much natural variation in the wood as possible, and he said that the surface that he will leave after prepping will be relatively even in tone. So what that means for me is that instead of looking at homes with mottled shake I need to find ones that are fairly consistent in shade across the whole house -- it feels like the color will have more effect this way than if it were more variegated. Does that make sense? I definitely want semi-transparent and I super hope that it will continue to weather a bit in between re-staining!

The pamphlet he gave me is Sherwin Williams WoodScapes polyurethane semi-transparent. The quote also states he's doing SW satin acrylic for the trim.

I'll check Pinterest, and ask the painter for a sample!

[diggitydot]

I would bet he's using Jomax. It mixes with bleach, but isn't bleach alone. It's really one of the best exterior surface prep products on the market.

He needs to be COMPLETELY up front about what he's using. It's actually kind if a weird red flag to NOT tell you what he's using.

[spotty_dog]

I'll keep that in mind. I don't get the impression he is being evasive, just that he doesn't expect me to be concerned in the name of the product so much as the result. (And there are maybe 2 other serious games in town, so "I don't think anybody else is doing this particular process" is kind of good enough information, you know?)

Googling what he's said, I'm thinking it might actually be Benjamin Moore products he's using.

[Thirteen]

I dealt with a real winner today at Home Depot. I wish DD had a paint shop... I'd just go there, and avoid looks that are a cross between someone smelling something rancid, and being startled at the same time.

I was very clear regarding purpose, square footage, materials, and desired look. He was a certified first class puppet.


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[diggitydot]

Big box employees know fuck-all about paint. They're useless. Seriously, PM me and I'll send you my cell number so you can text me from the store.

The other option is heading to a stand-alone paint store. Sherwin-Williams peeps are typically VERY good.

[SoonerTexan]

Check out the Ben Moore color Woodcliff Lake. It may be too dark but I'm a little obsessed with it