I finally saw the difference after 3 seasons of letting my siding weather

Bought a house in Portland 2 years ago with brand new cedar shingles. The first 6 months I was stressed about the bright honey color fading. But by last fall the gray patina had settled in and it looked like it belonged in the neighborhood. Now I see why old timers say wait it out before you stain or paint anything. Has anyone else here let natural materials age on purpose or do you prefer to seal them right away?

2 comments

2 Comments

nina83424d ago

You let them go gray? Don't you worry about mold or rot in all that Portland rain? I sealed mine right away with a clear coat because I couldn't stand the thought of moisture getting in. I've seen too many neighbors end up with green streaks on their cedar after a few wet seasons. But yeah, the gray look does fit the neighborhood vibe around here.

schmidt.blake24d ago

oh man, you're totally right to be nervous about that. I'm in the same boat actually (Portland represent!) and I was so stressed about the green slime situation. I've got a few cedar planters out back that I just let go full silver fox, and yeah, they're definitely sporting some algae patches after last winter. I figured a clear coat would just trap moisture in and cause rot anyway, so I'm just rolling the dice and power washing them once a year instead. It's not perfect, but I kinda like the worn-in look, you know?