Painting Cedar

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I guarentee that cedar can be painted with a high quality 100% acrylic stain blocking primer and quality acrylic (latex) paint. I am in the process of painting redwood siding now. The only place I used an oil base primer was where some uncured residual oil stains posed a possible problem.

I am using Kelley Moore Acryl-Shield, but any of the high quality products from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams etc will be fine. Acrylics have excellent coverage and stain blocking properties, better expansion capability and much easier application and cleanup. A few years ago, I would have agreed that an oil base primer followed by acrylic latex paint would be the way to go, but todays paints have progress to where they are durable and higher performing.

Cedar siding can also be stained with semi-transparent or solid color stains. Although these need reapplied more frequently, they do not require primer coats, and will not require as much preparation when recoating. The decision of whether to use paint or stain depends on the look you want to achieve and the style of the house.