How can I best refinish the siding on my house this spring, particularly in the narrower areas that need sanding?
Asked by Mikael Wallo 
1 month ago
Last Updated: August 8, 2024
I’m thinking of redoing the siding on my house this spring. Any tips on the best way to go about it? And if sanding is the way to go, any advice on how to tackle those tight spots?
Power wash
How about trying a power washer up close to get the job done?
You can’t beat good old-fashioned elbow grease when it comes to revitalizing your siding.
I applied a stain directly on top of the existing stains. I’ll take a picture of the can for you later. The wood absorbed the stain well and still looks great after 5 years.
Is definitely interested in this!
Over here doesn’t receive a lot of direct sunlight
This area gets a lot of sun exposure, and the gutters drip on it, causing rough patches. Surprisingly, I’ve never sanded it. It’s cedar siding that’s 38 years old and was previously stained but started turning grey.
Consider hiring someone to do media blasting.
You should give power washing a shot. I’ve tried it and had good outcomes.
Mix one cup of an oxygenated cleaner like Oxyclean with 2 gallons of warm water in a pump sprayer. Spray the wood lightly and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing with a pressure washer. For quicker results, perform this process in warm, dry weather or reapply the spray to keep the surface wet.
That appears to be soft cedar. Avoid using media blast, sanding, or pressure washing it excessively. Overdoing it will result in fuzziness and make it look even worse. After letting it dry for a few days, consider applying a semi-transparent stain. You can use a pump sprayer for that and then back roll and back brush.
I totally agree with you about the soft cedar. It does seem quite brittle. Should I still follow your first step with the oxyclean?
Yeah, that’s a gentle and safe way to get rid of dirt, grime, mildew, and enhance the wood’s appearance. It won’t alter the current color, but it will definitely improve its condition before reapplying a stain.
And I realized we should have given more details about pre-misting. Just spray it with hose water first. Then apply the oxy solution.
Oh, so Oxyclean is like the powder you put in your laundry, right?
Be careful when power washing wood to avoid causing major damage.
Using soda blasting is both safe and fast.