The Chemistry of Cedar: Why Your Cladding Goes Grey, Black and Peels (And What a Stain Actually Does)
Why does cedar go grey, black or start peeling in Central Otago? A Wanaka painter explains the actual chemistry of cedar cladding and how penetrating, film and migrating stains really work.
Cedar Guides
Diagnosis, refresh, restoration and costs
How to Wash Cedar Cladding Without Wrecking It (A Painter's Method)
Every cedar guide says 'soft wash it yearly' - almost none tell you how. What to use, what never to put near cedar (looking at you, waterblasters and 30 Seconds), and the exact method I use on cedar homes around Wānaka.
New Cedar Cladding: How Long Can You Leave It Bare Before You Coat It?
Your new build's cedar is up and uncoated, and someone's told you to let it weather first. That advice is wrong, and in Central Otago UV it's expensive. Here's the real first-coat window, what to do if you've already missed it, and why the back of the board matters as much as the front.
Grey, Brown or Black? How to Read What's Actually Happening to Your Cedar
Weathered cedar can finish grey, brown-black or furry black from the exact same UV start - and each one means something different. A Wanaka painter's field guide to telling them apart and knowing what each one needs.
Restaining Cedar When You Don't Know What Was on It Before
Faded cedar, bare timber showing through, and no idea what the last painter used. A real Wānaka job, and the new Resene product that solved the guesswork.
Cedar Oil Refresh vs Full Restoration: How to Tell Which One Your Cedar Actually Needs
Real cedar jobs from Wānaka and Albert Town, side by side. When you can get away with a maintenance oil refresh, when you need a full sand-back-and-restore, and how to read the timber to tell the difference.
Restaining Cedar Over an Old Coating? Here's What Can Go Wrong (And How to Fix It)
Film-forming stain on your cedar cladding? Before you slap on a fresh coat, read this. A real job from the Queenstown Lakes district where coating compatibility turned a simple restain into a full strip-back.
About Us
Specialists in cedar restaining and restoration under the brutal UV and big temperature swings of Central Otago. Based in Wanaka.
