Sadolin Decking Stain and Protector Red Cedar 2.5 L

Product Information

When left untreated and exposed to the sun’s oxidising UV light, Western Red Cedar fades and bleaches to a beautiful silvery-grey finish. So if you’re after the weathered cedar look — perhaps some ‘silver fox’, distinguished weathered cedar cladding, for example — you simply don’t need to apply any treatment.

Bear in mind that, over time, the cedar will still weather to a grey colour, although this will happen more slowly and you’ll retain the wood’s beautiful, natural tones and patina. Do not apply more stain than the cedar will absorb because the excess stain will appear as a shiny area on the surface. Paints and solid-colour finishes allow you to take full control of appearance, adding a bit of excitement, colour or charm to a finished cedar project — but they’re not for the indecisive!After using a well known, moderately priced product on a correctly prepared surface, it flaked after 1 season. Whilst treated cedar cladding still looks great, letting your cedar go grey is actually somewhat of a trend. Amongst architects, there’s been a growing appreciation for leaving materials like timber in their natural, rustic state, with their inherent, untreated beauty on full show.

For longevity, you can't beat the natural silvery grey patina of oak or warm hues of cedar. Natural timber tones tend to work well anywhere. I know from mistakes of using the products I’ve helped design that this is a costly and flaking-well infuriating. Before starting your project, test penetration and absorbency by sprinkling water lightly onto the wood. If the water is absorbed rapidly, surface is free of contamination and ready for staining. If water is repelled, thorough preparation, as for new wood must be performed. Don't know where to start? Not sure what you need? Don't worry, the gardening experts at B&M HQ are here to help! Helpful TipsSemi-transparent stains are usually best applied with a brush, although this can be achieved with a roller, pad, spray or drip. A second layer can be added for extra protection, but only if the cedar will accept it. Treatments for cedar wood can be broadly placed into these groups: opaque, semi-transparent, transparent or untreated. Another thing that can affect the quality of finish uptake is how weathered the timber is. If your Western Red Cedar is showing signs of age, you’ll have to prepare the wood with a heavy-duty clean and restore. Skip the section below for more details on how to do this. Paint or solid-colour stain application Before starting application, test the colour choice on a small area and allow to dry to determine final colour.