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It’s easy to get started maintaining your redwood structure in a few steps with just a little work.
There are few building materials more hassle-free, from a maintenance perspective, than Humboldt Redwood. It’s an unparalleled material for building redwood decks, redwood fences, and a host of other outdoor and indoor home improvement and landscaping projects. It’s also a very versatile material, accepting paints, stains, and other finishes very easily. To help you make the most of your do-it-yourself redwood project we have compiled helpful redwood finishing tips and instructions. You may also download and print our informative Humboldt Redwood Finishing Brochure.
When it comes to protection, it’s hard to beat finishes containing both a mildewcide and water-repellent, both of which go a long way to bolstering redwood’s natural resistance. If you so desire, you can always opt for a tinted stain or paint. Whatever you ultimately decide to go with, be sure to properly prep your redwood beforehand. Remove any debris (such as dirt, sawdust and leaves) in the area and the process will go much more smoothly.
Additional, redwood recommended finishing tips include:
- When selecting redwood, choose grades marked Certified Kiln Dried where possible. Redwood bearing this certification more readily accepts finishes.
- If the wood is unseasoned, make sure it stands exposed to the ambient air for at least a month before applying any finish.
- Opt for wind-free days with stable weather for your finishing project. The perfect temperature for applying a finish should be somewhere between 50 and 70 degrees.
- Clean the redwood prior to finishing. If you need to use water to clean the redwood, ensure that it dries thoroughly beforehand.
- Thoroughly ventilate the area prior to finishing application. Moisture is a frequent cause of ineffective finishes, so be sure the proper precautions against it are taken. This includes using air vents, vapor barriers, and flashing.
- If your project is outdoors, choose wood finishes recommended for outdoor use only.
- Avoid using abrasive, metal-based brushes, since they may react with the wood and stain it. Choose stiff-bristled brushes instead.
- Be sure any products you mix are meant to be used together. Mixing dissimilar finishes might result in an ineffective finish.
- Prime the wood prior to applying paints or other external finishes.
- Choose the finest hot-dipped galvanized nails available. Opting for lower-quality nails may result in stains. Alternately, opt for nails made from other metals, such as aluminum or stainless steel.
- After finishing, rinse the surface of your deck with a hose to remove surface grime.
- For a deeper cleaning job, scrub the affected area with a stiff-bristled brush dipped in warm water and a mild cleaning agent, then rinse.
- Always follow the manufacturer’s specific instructions for all products used.
