When properly maintained and cared for, Hewn’s Exterior Cedar Siding is designed to last long into the future. As with all solid-wood siding, a minor amount of regular maintenance can greatly extend the lifetime of the product, and proper industry-standard procedure at the time of install can prevent many avoidable issues.
Cleaning
• Once construction on your home or building is complete, you will need to properly clean your siding to remove all dirt, dust and debris left over during construction. If not removed, dirt and dust can lead to mold, mildew, or other damage to your siding’s finish.
• We recommend simply using water to clean your siding. Using a garden hose or low-pressure sprayer will ensure that you do not damage the finish.
NOTE: If you choose to use a pressure washer to clean your siding, we recommend using the lowest available pressure setting, and maintaining a minimum of 4-6 ft distance from your siding.
WARNING: Using a pressure washer too close to your siding can, and will, result in damage to the finish, color, and wood fiber of your siding.
• We do not recommend using soap or other chemical cleaning products on your siding, as they may damage or cause discoloration to the finish.
• After initial cleaning, we recommend cleaning your siding at least once a year depending on local conditions.
TIP: Make sure to keep any landscaping at least 18”-24” from your home/building. This will help prevent water, dirt, and pollen from damaging your siding. Regularly trim trees, plants, bushes, etc. to ensure your siding is clean and well protected.
Weather Issues
Sun/UV Light
• Sun damage, or more specifically the UV light from the sun’s rays, is the most detrimental environmental factor to your siding’s finish. UV light causes any paint, stain or oil finish to degrade over time, most noticeably on the areas of your home/building which receive the most sun.
• Typically, the south, southwest, and west-facing sides of a building will receive the most sun. It’s important that you inspect and monitor the condition of your siding in those areas
every 12 months.
• In our experience, the south/southwest faces of a building might require refinishing every
12 months, while north/northeast faces might only require a fresh oil coating every 5-10 years.
• Siding should be closely inspected for “checking,” tiny fractures/cracks in the clear topcoat that protects the material. Sun damage will cause the finish to appear “dry,” which indicates your siding is ready to be refinished. If your siding no longer repels water, this indicates that your siding is past due for refinishing.
NOTE: Only reseal areas that NEED resealing. If you inspect areas of your siding (such as north/northeast facing), and the finish appears smooth/solid, you do not need to refinish. Adding unnecessary additional layers of oil coating will cause your siding to appear “shiny,” with a plastic-like façade.
IMPORTANT: New siding will experience minor “lightening” during the first two months of sun exposure. After this period, regular maintenance & care will ensure the integrity of your siding’s color finish for years to come.
Water
• All of Hewn’s exterior products are finished with three coats of Cabot’s oil as a sealant/protector against water penetration. However, water can still negatively affect your siding in other ways.
• Exterior siding must be properly installed, with all finish end cuts, rips, notches, or drilled holes sealed during construction/installation.
• Damage resulting from improperly sealed end cups, rips, notches, or drilled holes is not covered by Hewn’s material warranty. It is the responsibility of the installing party to properly follow industry-standard material installation procedures. These precautions are applicable to all sealed real-wood siding material, regardless of manufacturer.
NOTE: Not sealing these cuts, rips, holes, etc, will allow your siding to absorb water, and potentially cause the color/finish to fail and “bleed.”
For industry-standard installation instructions, please see: https://realcedar.com/siding/installation
Here are several additional tips to prevent water damage:
• Ensure all window flashings are installed and functioning properly.
• Make sure gutters are clean and working to prevent water from streaming down your siding.
• Check to make sure sprinklers are not spraying your siding.
• Check Hose Bibbs/spigots for leaks.
• Provide proper drainage around your home to prevent water from splashing onto your siding.
• In areas with heavy snowfall, shovel snow away from your siding as soon as you are able.
• In order to ensure minimal overall damage, it is imperative to address the root cause of any water damage as soon as it is first identified.
IMPORTANT: When siding is properly installed and maintained, water damage should not be an issue. If you’re seeing water damage, it’s a clear sign you haven’t refinished/resealed your siding recently enough, and a resealing is needed. Please refer to our “Resealing” instructions or contact us for more information.
Resealing
• We recommend using Cabot Semi Transparent Deck & Siding Stain/Sealer (Neutral Base). This oil-based stain will provide UV protection, as well as waterproofing/protecting your siding without altering the color.
• Please contact us with any questions before you get started. Our maintenance team is happy to provide additional advice regarding your project.
Note: For instructions on how to reseal your siding, please refer to the videos provided through this link.
IMPORTANT: If you are having a specific issue with color fading, discoloration, bleeding, etc, please contact us BEFORE resealing your siding. It is imperative that these issues are addressed before additional sealer is applied.