Cedar Maintenance Around Your Home

Cedar is a beautiful timber that’s a premium option for cladding New Zealand homes. With excellent thermal insulation properties and great resistance to shrinking, swelling or warping, cedar is a top choice.

However, long-term exposure to UV rays, rain and heat can deteriorate your cedar exteriors and make them fade or rot away. With proper care and regular maintenance, you can extend the life of your cedar cladding.

Dryden Woodcare products are made especially for NZ conditions and make cedar maintenance easy and stress-free.

Cedar Cladding

Cedar cladding is an elegant addition to any property, but it needs regular maintenance to keep looking its best. Without proper care, cedar cladding can suffer from:

● Cupping
● Weathering
● Discolouration
● Silvering
● Darkening
● Moisture retention

Dryden WoodOil is a premium migrating oil for timber cladding, including cedar. It helps prevent all of the above and extends the lifespan of your cladding. To give your cedar cladding extra UV protection, add Colourtone+ to Dryden WoodOil.

Best Cedar Maintenance Products for NZ Conditions

Dryden offers the best cedar maintenance products for New Zealand conditions. Our range of wood oils, stains and cleaners are designed to help protect and enhance the natural beauty of your cedar exteriors.

OilStain

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WoodOil

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TimberClean

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How To Seal And Protect Cedar From The Elements

The biggest enemy of cedar cladding is moisture, which is why a migrating oil like Dryden WoodOil is an excellent choice. Dryden WoodOil migrates deep into the timber and repels water while accentuating the natural grain. To protect your cedar from NZ’s harsh sun, add Dryden Colourtone+, which comes in a wide range of wood
oil colours.

What’s your current coating?

Dryden WoodOil is a premium choice to protect your premium cedar cladding – when you already have a migrating oil on your timber.

If it’s got a traditional oil-based stain, use Cabot’s Oil-Based Deck & Exterior Stain.

If water-based stain, then Cabot’s Water Based Deck & Exterior Stain or Intergrain Ultradeck Timber Stain.

Cedar maintenance becomes so much easier with Dryden WoodOil! You can apply it with any standard brush or speed pad (just not lambskin ones!). Professionals can also use a roller or spray gun, but everyone gets a great-looking and long-lasting result.

How to Identify the Coating on Your Cladding

#1 Do a solvent resistance test – The most common way to identify the type of coating is through solvent resistance tests. For example, if a water-based stain is treated with methylated spirits, it will quickly become gummy and sticky. 

#2 Check appearance –  To check if the coating is a film-forming stain, look at its appearance – if it looks shiny or plastic, or if it’s flaking, then it’s likely a film-forming stain.

#3 Do a burnish/dry rub test – For migrating oil stains, you can do a simple burnish/dry rub test with a clean rag to see how easily the pigment is removed. If the pigment comes off easily, this suggests a migrating stain was used.

 

However, please note that all these methods are indicative only and not foolproof. So, to accurately identify the coating on your cladding, it’s best to consult a professional.

Pick The Best Colour For Your Cedar Stain

Adding colour to your exteriors is easy and straightforward with Dryden Colourtone+, which comes with over 37 shades to choose from. It helps enhance cedar cladding’s

UV protection while complementing your timber’s character and colour without hiding the grain.

Clear

*Will silver as product weathers overtime

Clear

*Will silver as product weathers overtime

Dune

Lite Oak

Dusk

Cypress

Beech

Elm

Birch

Copper

Walnut

Autumn

Weathered Cedar

Platinum

Silver Grey

Slate

Stone

Storm

Ironsand

Teak

Black-X

Black Teak

Midnight

Dark

Redwood

Karaka

Dry-Hills

Lignum

Larch

Goldleaf

Cumulus

Barque

Dark-Oak

Charcoal

Oropo

Cedar

Soft-Grey

Driftwood

Dusk

Dryden WoodOil colours and finishes shown here on Western Red Cedar are representative only. The colour you choose and the amount of oil applied may change the final achieved colour.

How To Choose A Cedar Stain Product And Apply It

A semi-transparent wood stain is best for cedar cladding as it brings out the natural grain with your preferred colour. This is exactly what WoodOil and ColourTone+ is designed for!

Remember to use the same colour throughout the application so your cedar cladding maintains a consistent look.

If you’re using multiple cans, mix them together to keep the same tone throughout. One method to do this is ‘boxing’ – mixing half of bucket one and half of bucket two in a separate bucket.

Keep in mind that the final colour of the stain or clear finish can vary based on the quality of application, type of timber, natural colour, texture, grain, and porosity.

How to apply Dryden WoodOil

Dryden WoodOil is one of NZ’s favourite cedar maintenance products because it is so easy to use.

For dressed or band-sawn cedar, use a wide bristle brush or a speed pad – just avoid the lambswool types. A medium-nap roller or airless spray system can also be used to apply the oil to your cladding.

Remember to regularly stir the wood oil throughout the application process to maintain a consistent colour.

You don’t need to apply fresh oil to every side of the house unless it needs it. It’s not uncommon to coat the western and northern-facing areas more often than the south and east-facing areas.

But if you do start on any face, finish it off! This ensures a nice colour consistency for every part of the house.

Dryden WoodOil should not be thinned or altered in any way – you simply apply it to the wood surface and wait until the next day or the day after till the wet look has disappeared – it’s as easy as that!

Common Questions About Cedar Maintenance

Because Cedar cladding is exposed to the elements, it’s recommended that you give it a soft wash every year and apply a coat of wood oil or 1-2 coats of stain every few years – but this depends on the product used and the timber’s condition.

The timing and number of coats depend on the timber’s natural variations and the weather in your area. Generally, more direct sun means more frequent maintenance is needed.

Regular checks and appropriate maintenance coats will not only maintain its weather-resistant properties but also keep it looking impeccable.

Does cedar wood need re-coating or ongoing maintenance?

Yes, although naturally rich in protective oils, cedar cladding requires regular re-coating to stay strong and decay-free. Start your cedar maintenance journey with a coating of Dryden WoodOil and follow up with a soft wash and visual inspection every twelve months. Apply a fresh coat of wood oil or stain, depending on the condition of the timber – generally no sooner than 2 summers.

How often do I need to apply an oil or stain to cedar?

Because Cedar cladding is exposed to the elements, it’s recommended that you give it a soft wash every year and apply a coat of wood oil or 1-2 coats of stain every few years – but this depends on the product used and the timber’s condition.

The timing and number of coats depend on the timber’s natural variations and the weather in your area. Generally, more direct sun means more frequent maintenance is needed.

Regular checks and appropriate maintenance coats will not only maintain its weather-resistant properties but also keep it looking impeccable.

How often does new cedar cladding need oiling?

If you’re building with fresh cedar and started with Dryden WoodOil, it’s recommended to apply a “top-up” coat of WoodOil (maybe combined with Colourtone+) within 30-90 days of the first coat. After that, an annual soft wash and inspection are perfect, with standard maintenance every 12-36 months.

This process will maximise the oil’s protective qualities and ultimately extend the lifespan of your investment.

Can you stop cedar from going grey?

To maintain the rich, warm tones of cedar, it’s important to coat the cedar with a high-quality sealant. A premium solution like Dryden WoodOil protects from the inside out and contains an anti-fungal additive to help protect against mould and decay. – and it’s perfect with Colourtone+, which slows the cedar from turning grey with its UV-blocking properties.

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