Leaving Cedar Siding Untreated

Cedar has natural antibacterial and anti fungal properties allowing you to leave the wood untreated without worry of excess warping rotting and cracking.

Leaving cedar siding untreated.

Untreated cedar siding weathers over time without excessive warping and cracking but still requires care. Untreated cedar fences can go for many years before they need to be replaced. It does weather though changing color throughout time offering a much more rugged look than stained cedar siding offers. Horizontal installation is most common but clapboard siding can be used vertically too and diagonal installation in gables and other locations produces interesting aesthetics such as a sunburst design.

Other types of siding can only hope to imitate the timeless beauty of cedar and its rich textures and grain. To avoid this type of damage an option for you is to pick cedar siding shingles that have been factory treated or sealed. Treatments for cedar siding maintenance. However it will lose its typically golden brown color.

Boards used for clapboard siding have a uniform thickness and they are overlapped to leave no exposed gaps. Too much direct sun causes the siding to dry out warp and crack. From a structural standpoint cedar more than holds its own. As albany fence designs mentions the natural forces of nature such as wind and rain will slowly cause untreated cedar wood structures such as fences and furniture to fade.

Leaving cedar untreated and exposed to the elements causes its natural honey color to become weathered and gray. Although weathering begins immediately with cedar it quickly slows to a crawl. A thorough cleaning once or twice a year will greatly extend the life of cedar. If you leave cedar wood untreated it will not succumb to the devastating effects of mold rot and insect damage.

All cedars tend to turn a satin gray with age if left untreated. Cedar wood deteriorates slowly due to its abundance of natural oils.