Ways to Finish A Cedar Sale

IAEDAR'S ability to readily accept Va wide range of finishes can be an importantselling point for retailers.

Unfi nished, lacquered, varnished, oiled, stained, bleached or painted, cedar performs beautifully and well for many years. Because it is relatively free from pitch and has both dimensional stability and fine grain, the wood requires a minimum of maintenance. Retailers can recommend a variety of quality finishing products and be assured that the results will please their customers.

The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association has published guidelines for both interior and exterior finishing of products manufactured by its members. Incense cedar producers suggest that finish recommendations developed by the Western Wood Products Association be applied to their products.

Lacquer is the interior finish to recommend to customers who want to retain the natural look of cedar. Although it is not suitable for kitchens, bathrooms or other areas where the walls will be scrubbed, it works well in areas that require only a light dusting to keep them clean. A rich sheen can be obtained by waxing smooth wood which has received two coats of lacquer.

Flat or satin varnish is recommended for smooth cedar surfaces. The application willdarken the wood for added richness and depth. Varnishfinish can be used in the bathroom and kitchen areas if more than the two minimum coats are brushed on.

Danish oil is recommended for use on western red cedar in all areas except those with high humidity such as a poorly ventilated bathroom. Applied with a brush or cloth, it works especially well on a saw-tex- tured face. Oiled wood darkens slightly.

Pigmented stains add color to western red cedar while grain and appearance characteristics continue to show. Heavier body stains give more color. Brushed on, stains work on both smooth and saw-textured surfaces.

Western red cedar exteriors can be finished to suit a variety oftastes. Semi-transparent finishes will preserve a natural appearance with the bonus of additional water-repellency and mildew inhibition. All natural wood finishes recommended for exterior use must be penetrating, rather than film-forming. Penetrating stains are transparent, semitransparent or opaque, each working a little differently.

The transparent are water-repellent to protect the wood and slow the natural color change process. Semitransparent stains appear to be natural while slightly modifying the original color and characteristics. They are considered more durable than transparent stains. Opaque

Guidelines for cedar finishing...natural, oiled, stained or painted looks please customers. what samples, choice of merchandise and a well informed sales staff can do to increase add-on sales...

stains have high pigment content to hide the grain and color of the wood while retaining the surface texture. Although they do not penetrate the wood deeply, they are comparable to paint.

Painted cedar needs a water-repellent preservative undercoating plus a primer, best applied prior to applying the siding. Either an oil-based or alkyd-based primer is best, although some latex based primers are suitable for use with western red cedar. Two coats of either oil, oil alkyd or all-acrylic latex paint are applied over the primer.

The weathered effect preferred by some customers can be helped along with the addition of special bleaching agents. Particularly effective on rough-sawn or saw-textured cedar, this method is for use on new wood. A water-repellent or transparent penetrating stain added after the desired greying has been achieved will maintain the appearance.

Recommendations for incense cedar are similar. Alkyd, oil-base or latex paints are suggested with an alkyd primer being used for all but oil-base paints which require a zincfree primer. Two finish coats are recommended.

Heavy-body, oil-base, semi-transparent oil base, creosote or semitransparent resin stains are suggested for stain finishes. Commercial bleaches as weathering agents and water repellents to retain the natural look are additional recommendations for incense cedar.

Samples of various finishes on both types of cedar should be prepared and displayed in both the lumber and paint sales areas. It is important that the sales staffbe prepared to discuss finishing with customers. Add-on sales of materials and tools can be significant.