How to Preserve a Wood House

A coating of wood stain or paint protects your wooden siding from weather damage.

Wood is a popular building material used both to frame and to side residential houses. Because the exterior wood on your house is constantly exposed to water and sunlight, it is important that the siding is preserved with an exterior coating. The coating you choose depends on the appearance you prefer and the amount of maintenance you are willing to perform. A transparent wood stain highlights the natural beauty of the wood, while solid color paint completely obscures the wood's grain. A stain needs to be maintained every few years; while paint should last 10 years or longer between refinishing.

Things You'll Need

• Wood cleaner
• Plastic bucket
• Wood brightener
• Nylon scrub brush
• Masking tape
• Spoon
• Wood primer
• Paint or stain
• Paint brush, roller or sprayer
• Utility knife

Instructions

Preparing the Siding

1. Mix a solution of wood cleaner in a plastic bucket. Wood cleaners are generally sold in concentrated form. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and mix a solution of wood cleaner suitable for a basic maintenance-strength cleaning.

2. Moisten the wood siding with water. Apply the mixed wood cleaner to the wet wood. Let the cleaner sit on the wood for 15 to 30 minutes. Mist the cleaner with water if it starts to dry out.

3. Scrub the wood siding with a nylon bristle scrub brush.

4. Rinse the siding thoroughly with water.

5. Brighten the wood with wood brightener if it darkens during the cleaning process. Apply the wood brightener to the wet wood and allow it to sit on the wood for 45 minutes. Then rinse the siding with water. You can skip this step if you are planning to paint the siding.

6. Let the wood dry for at least 24 hours before applying paint or stain.

Masking off the House

1. Tape newspaper over windows and doors and around vents or other fixtures where you don't want the stain or paint to cover. This is particularly important if you are planning to apply the stain or paint with a sprayer.

2. Burnish the edges of the masking tape. Run a regular kitchen spoon over the edges of the tape to make sure the tape is bound to the area being covered.

3. Lay plastic sheeting to protect landscaping around the house.

Staining Wood Siding

1. 

   Wood stain protects the wood while also highlighting its natural beauty.

   Use a paint brush, roller or sprayer to apply stain to the wood. If you are spraying use a nozzle that creates a spray pattern with the width of your siding boards. Adjust the sprayer to as low a pressure as possible to achieve a consistent spray pattern.

2. Start at one edge of the house and work your way along the length of each siding board. Maintain a wet edge as you stain the siding.

3. Apply as much stain as the wood will absorb. Typically a single coat is sufficient but if the wood looks dry after staining a second coat can be applied.

4. Wait about 15 minutes after the wood has been stained to give the stain a chance to soak in completely. Then use a dry paint brush or roller to remove any excess stain that is sitting on the surface of the wood.

5. Remove the masking tape from around the windows, doors, and other exterior fixtures shortly after dry brushing the house.

Applying Paint to Wood Siding

1. Use a paint brush, roller, or sprayer to apply primer and then paint to the wood siding. With a sprayer select a tip that matches the width of your siding boards. Adjust the pressure of the sprayer to the lowest pressure with which you can achieve a consistent spray pattern.

2. Apply a single coat of primer. Start at one edge of the house and work your way along the length of each siding board. Refer to the primer manufacturer's instructions and let the primer dry before you apply your first coat of paint.

3. Apply the first coat of paint. Follow the same pattern you used to apply the wood primer. Let the first coat dry and then apply a second coat of paint.

4. Remove your masking tape soon after applying the second coat of paint. Use a utility knife to cut through dried paint that has bonded to the masking tape. This prevents the paint from peeling up when you take off the masking tape.

References

• Home Tips: Preparing Exterior Siding for Painting
• US Department of Agriculture: Wood Staining: Installing, Finishing, and Maintaining
• House Painting Info: Proper Airless Sprayer Method

Resources

• This Old House