We built a cedar deck end of September and because of the weather unfortunately were unable to finish it then. We now want to finish it and notice that it has greyed a little and there are some boards that have cracks that we don't think were there originally. We have contacted a few contractors none of which recommend that it be cleaned first. They want to start with sanding it with 40 grit paper. Do you think they should clean it first? If so with what would you recommend?
If we decide on a transparent water-repellent preservative will the cedar maintain its colour or do you have to put on a semi-transparent stain to preserve the color?
Thanks,
M Schok
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power washing may damage.
the folks at Western Red Cedar have all of the answers:
Finishing
http://www.cedar-decking.org/finishing_cedar_decks/overview.htm
Restoring
http://www.cedar-decking.org/finishing_cedar_decks/restoringfinishes.htm
To maintain the color choose a finish with an UV blocker.
the folks at Western Red Cedar have all of the answers:
Finishing
http://www.cedar-decking.org/finishing_cedar_decks/overview.htm
Restoring
http://www.cedar-decking.org/finishing_cedar_decks/restoringfinishes.htm
To maintain the color choose a finish with an UV blocker.
As the links in the previous post note that you will need to wash the deck to remove dirt and mildew,as sanding will not do this. If you seal/stain over mildew you will have a mess on your hands.
A great product to use is Sikkens SRD and you can go to their web site for cleaning instructions as well.
A great product to use is Sikkens SRD and you can go to their web site for cleaning instructions as well.
