jeudi 21 septembre 2017

How Should You Seal Cedar Fence

By Brian Murphy


Cedar fences looks just great, with their lovely reddish color that gives them that particular warmth. If you don't know should you seal cedar fence, here are some really good reasons for this. First, various stains will protect the wood from water, UV rays and mildew, and this will affect your fence longevity and appearance.

These lovely red pigments will soon fade away, if the wood is not appropriately protected. This means that your beautiful reddish fence will soon become lighter, and, in time, even grey. Sealants can contain UV filters, and those filters will protect your fence's color from fading. Oil-based sealants can contain more or less pigments, and can be transparent or semi-transparent.

Transparent sealants contain less color pigments, while semi-transparent ones contain higher levels of pigments, and provide better UV protection. There are also various clear sealants, that should leave the natural color perfectly intact. Even so, the fact is that all sealants will affect the color in some percentage, even the clear ones. For example, the ones containing linseed oil will make the color slightly darker.

There are different types of cedar, and it can be in different nuances of red. So, it would be a good idea to take a few wood leftovers to a store, for an on site check. Another important thing to know is that higher levels of pigments usually bring better UV resistance, which means better protection. Some products might be too orange nuanced, and you should check it as well.

When it comes to an application method, you may use some type of a sprayer or a roller. In both cases you will have to use a brush as well, to brush the sealer into the wood and to make some corrections. It's hard to say which method is better, some prefer using sprayers, while others rather use their rollers. Using sprayers is easier, but you will probably spend more sealer this way.

Some sealants can be used only with particular type of sprayers, and it might be a good idea to check it up before buying anything. You should protect your hands, if you don't want them to smell like your sealant. If you are using a sprayer, protect your eyes as well. In this case, you might consider protecting the opposite side of a fence as well. Your lawn doesn't need a sealant, and neither does your neighbor's lawn.

New fences need to be unstained for a while, to set. You can apply the sealant after a month or two, depending on weather conditions. Don't wait for too long, because the color will most certainly start fading after a few months, especially if there is a lot of sun. After a year or two, the fence will become grey, and it doesn't look very appealing.

Well, if it is already grey, there are some things you can do. First, use a pressure washer to remove the grey patina and renew the color. Inspect the fence, and, if there are some stains, remove them using a mild solution of a bleach. Then, let it dry and apply the sealant, for example semi-transparent, oil-based one. Wait for a day, and apply a second coating.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire