Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Revitalizing a Rather Old Cedar Fence
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thevolcanogod
09-17-03, 12:51 PM
We just moved into a house with a decent-sized back yard that is enclosed by a cedar privacy fence. It is somewhat old, however it is still sturdy. I don’t want to replace the fence just yet as I don’t see that much need since it is still structurally sound. However, I would like to clean it up and do some maintenance on it. It probably hasn’t been maintained in years if ever, and it shows – the fence is starting to get lichen and even some moss growing in spots and others shows mold and some of the post caps are spongy after it rains.
First off, I plan on replacing a few slats that are a little worse-for-wear than the others then buying new post caps to replace the spongy ones.
Then I was going to either borrow a power washer from my father-in-law (he has one of the small ones from Home Depot) and go to work on the fence. I heard a pressure of 1000 to 1500psi is good for cedar – is this correct? I would like to use a wood cleaner/brightener to make the fence look sharp – I am not exceedingly fond of the gray look – and heard that a cleaner with Oxalic Acid is what I need – again correct? Any brands to recommend that I could find at a normal home improvement store?
Next question – I am not particularly fond of the gray look, plus I want to treat the fence so it lasts longer and I can keep it maintained. How would a semi-opaque stain work with a fence that has already gone quite gray but has been cleaned? Would it look alright or just “muddy”? I don’t think an entirely opaque stain/paint is possible because of our neighborhood association rules. Any recommendation on what to use given what I want (a decent looking fence that has been protected and is easy to maintain in years to come) and based on the fact that the fence is rather old, fairly dirty/gray yet sturdy?
First off, I plan on replacing a few slats that are a little worse-for-wear than the others then buying new post caps to replace the spongy ones.
Then I was going to either borrow a power washer from my father-in-law (he has one of the small ones from Home Depot) and go to work on the fence. I heard a pressure of 1000 to 1500psi is good for cedar – is this correct? I would like to use a wood cleaner/brightener to make the fence look sharp – I am not exceedingly fond of the gray look – and heard that a cleaner with Oxalic Acid is what I need – again correct? Any brands to recommend that I could find at a normal home improvement store?
Next question – I am not particularly fond of the gray look, plus I want to treat the fence so it lasts longer and I can keep it maintained. How would a semi-opaque stain work with a fence that has already gone quite gray but has been cleaned? Would it look alright or just “muddy”? I don’t think an entirely opaque stain/paint is possible because of our neighborhood association rules. Any recommendation on what to use given what I want (a decent looking fence that has been protected and is easy to maintain in years to come) and based on the fact that the fence is rather old, fairly dirty/gray yet sturdy?
fewalt
09-17-03, 02:47 PM
thevolcanogod,
You are correct!!
Oxalic acid is the preferred cleaner/brightener for cedar or redwood. Check Lowes/HD for Flood's oxalic or Cabot's may be available in larger hardware or paint stores. Mix and spray on with a pump-up sprayer or you can 'mop' it on. Then PW at 800 to 1000 psi. Cedar is fairly soft and you may get some 'fuzzies' - but it's a fence and not a handrail or deck you'll be walking on.
Do it on an overcast day (or early morn or late pm) to prevent premature drying. You need a bit of dwell time prior to the pressure washing.
After cleaning and drying for at least two days, use a semi-transparent oil penetrating stian. One with UV inhibitors would be best: Cabots, Sikkens, Wolman F&P, Superdeck, Readyseal, TWP, or even CWF would be fine.
Actually, you're staining for aesthetics. The fence would last for 30 or 40 years if the posts wouldn't rot out first.
good luck,
fred
You are correct!!
Oxalic acid is the preferred cleaner/brightener for cedar or redwood. Check Lowes/HD for Flood's oxalic or Cabot's may be available in larger hardware or paint stores. Mix and spray on with a pump-up sprayer or you can 'mop' it on. Then PW at 800 to 1000 psi. Cedar is fairly soft and you may get some 'fuzzies' - but it's a fence and not a handrail or deck you'll be walking on.
Do it on an overcast day (or early morn or late pm) to prevent premature drying. You need a bit of dwell time prior to the pressure washing.
After cleaning and drying for at least two days, use a semi-transparent oil penetrating stian. One with UV inhibitors would be best: Cabots, Sikkens, Wolman F&P, Superdeck, Readyseal, TWP, or even CWF would be fine.
Actually, you're staining for aesthetics. The fence would last for 30 or 40 years if the posts wouldn't rot out first.
good luck,
fred