Best Exterior Stain for Cedar Siding

Looking for the best exterior stain for cedar siding? Then this guide is for you.

Staining your house’s cedar siding doesn’t enhance its natural beauty and make your house’s exterior look more aesthetically appealing.

Staining it also helps to protect and preserve the wood siding, thus prolonging its life in a way you can never imagine.

If you’re in a rush, check out these 7 best exterior wood stains that will look great on your cedar siding.

 

7 Best Exterior Stains for Cedar Siding at a Glance:

 

Things to Know Before Choosing an Exterior Stain for Cedar Siding

 

1. Deciding the Best Stain Color for Cedar Siding

Typically, the final color of your wood siding will ultimately depend on two things;

•   The natural color of your wood siding prior to staining
•   The stain used

 

For example, if your wood siding is made of red cedar, it’s more likely to exhibit a much darker and deeper color compared to a white cedar siding.

For these reasons, it’s important to choose a stain that best suits your wood siding.

The good news is that wood stains come in a wide range of colors. Just choose one that matches your siding.

 

2.Decide Whether to Choose a Solid, Semi-Transparent, or Clear Wood Stains

 

There are different types of stains that you can use on wood siding. They include;

•   Solid-color stains
•   Semi-transparent stains
•   Clear stains

 

Solid stains typically have an opaque finish and thus it hides the natural color of the wood and transforms it into more of a uniform, solid color. However, despite it being solid, it does allow the natural grain and other characteristics of the wood to show.

Semi-transparent stain on the other hand gives your wood siding a tint of color. Although the color does get richer and darker especially when more of this stain is applied, you can still actually clearly see the natural texture and grain of the wood compared to solid stains.

The other type of stain that you can apply on your cedar siding is the clear coat stain. The clear coat stain is an excellent option if you want to retain the natural color and texture of the wood.

Since it doesn’t actually change the color of wood, applying this stain will provide your wood with an extra layer of protection from water and UV rays damage.

 

That said, let’s have a look at the best exterior stains for cedar siding in 2020.

 

Best Exterior Stain for Cedar Siding 2020 (Our Top 9 Picks)

 

1. Ready Seal 512 5-Gallon Pail Natural Cedar-Best Semi-Transparent Stain for Cedar Siding

 

ReadySeal 512-5 is currently one of the best-selling wood stains in the market right now and an excellent choice for cedar siding.

This stain improves the natural beauty of your wood siding while protecting it from the damaging effects of the elements. It does a great job revealing the texture and natural grain of the wood.

As an oil-based wood stain, the Ready Seal 512-5 semi-transparent stain is not only long-lasting, but it also protects the siding from water and sun damage.

This simply means that it won’t rot, fade, or start stripping even after prolonged exposure.

Usually, the ReadySeal is darkest when it’s first applied. It actually reaches its true color in about 14 days.

It takes longer to dry as it’s an oil-based wood stain. Give it approximately 48-72 hours to dry. Of course, the drying time may be affected by the present weather conditions.

 

More Pros;

•   Ready Seal is easy to apply- you can use a brush, roller, staining rag, staining pad, or sprayer to apply
•   Does not require any back-brushing and won’t leave any streaks, runs, or laps
•   Does not require wet-line application
•   Can be applied in any temperature range
•   Stain does not require thinning or diluting prior to applying
•   Doubles as a sealant
•   Available in a variety of colors
•   Available in two sizes- 1-Gallon and 5-Gallons

 

2.  DEFY Extreme 1 Gallon Semi-Transparent Exterior Wood Cedar Stain

 

The DEFY Extreme 1-Gallon Semi-Transparent Exterior Wood Stain comes in second place as one of the best exterior wood stains for cedar siding.

It’s a semi-transparent wood stain that gives your wood siding a beautiful, natural look while protecting it from the elements.

The DEFY Extreme is a water-based wood stain that is made with the highest quality resins which provide the wood siding with better resistance to darkening and fading.

It’s fortified with Zinc Nano-Particle Technology that acts like a sunscreen for your wood siding. It’s able to block the damaging UV rays of the sun, thus preventing premature color loss and graying.

The DEFY Extreme wood stain is an excellent for wood siding, fences, wood decks, outdoor patio furniture, playsets, and other exterior wood projects.

Although it won’t last as long as an oil-based wood stain which is typically durable, the DEFY Extreme stain will surely last one or two seasons longer than most competitor brands.

The stain is quite easy to clean and maintain especially due to the fact that you don’t need to sand or strip the surface before doing a maintenance coat.

Just follow the right application instructions and give your wood siding a new, long-lasting look.

 

3. SaverSystems #1 Deck Premium Semi-Transparent Wood Cedar Stain

 

The SaverSystem #1 Deck Premium Semi-Transparent Wood Stain is a premium stain and sealer that adds color to your stain while preventing mold and mildew caused by water damage.

It’s an excellent choice for your wood siding and other exterior wood projects.

The SaverSystems semi-transparent wood stain can be used on most types of wood including cedar, redwood, fir, pressure-treated pine, and most softwoods.

If you want to use it on a hardwood siding, the manufacturer recommends applying more frequent maintenance coats.

Additionally;

•   The stain/sealer is available in a total of 5 different semi-transparent stain colors
•   It works great on damp wood
•   Its naturally mold and mildew-resistant- it won’t rot or strip after being exposed to water
•   Easy to clean- you just need water and soap
•   Easy to apply
•   Available in two sizes- 1 Gallon and 2.5 Gallons

 

Be sure to select the right color that best suits your wood siding.

 

4. Cabot 140.0019460.007 Australian Timber Oil Water Reducible Cedar Stain

The Cabot Australian Timber Oil Water Reducible Stain is a long-lasting oil-based stain that consists of a unique blend of oils.

These oils were originally formulated to protect the dense tallowwood, merbau, and cambara from the extreme weather exposures in Australia.

It’s an excellent wood stain for sidings, decks, railing, outdoor furniture, and other exterior wood furniture.

The oil-stain contains high-grade linseed oil that ensures longevity while the Tung oil makes the wood water-repellent while enhancing color depth.

In addition to enhancing your wood siding’s durability and natural beauty, the Cabot oil stain also protects the siding from the external elements such as rain, snow, and sun.

It makes it water-resistant and also UV-rays resistant as it contains some complex translucent iron oxide pigments that effectively absorb the damaging UV rays.

The oil stain also makes an excellent topcoat for indoor wood furniture.

The stain is available in 5 different wood toned colors and is reasonably priced.

 

5. Olympic Stain 56500-04 Maximum Waterproofing Sealant and Stain

The Olympic Waterproofing Stain and Sealant works both as a stain to enhance the natural look of your wood siding and as a sealer to prevent water penetration, thus reducing the risk of water damage.

The stain beautifies your wood siding, enhancing its natural look by making the wood texture and grain to become more visible.

This long-lasting formula also includes an advanced SunBlock UV defense that prevents color loss and fading on your wood siding. Your wood siding will remain beautiful and new for a very long time.

Additionally;

•   The Olympic Stain is highly durable- the stained siding will last for years before requiring a new stain coat
•   The stain is rain-ready in just 8 hours- even if its exposure to water after 8 hours, the sealant will ensure that no water will penetrate, thus giving you peace of mind
•   The stain can be applied in temperatures ranges between 35 degrees Fahrenheit-120 degrees Fahrenheit
•   The wood stain can be applied on damp wood
•   Backed by a 4-Year warranty on wood fences and 3-Year warranty on decks
•   The stain is budget-friendly

6. Ready Seal 125 1-Gallon Cedar Stain and Sealer for Wood

The Ready Seal 125-1 Gallon Stain and Sealer is yet another incredible exterior stain for your cedar siding.

It doubles as a stain and sealer, which means it enhances the natural beauty of your cedar siding while protecting its surface from the damaging effects of rain, sun, and snow.

Ready Seal improves the natural beauty of wood by making the grain and texture of wood more visible after application. Since its an oil-based stain and sealant, this formula penetrates deep into wood, making it mold, mildew, and UV rays resistant.

It won’t lose color, fade, or start rotting due to prolonged water exposure.

It therefore makes an excellent wood stain for all your exterior wood projects.

Additionally;

•   Ready Seal 125-1 takes at least 48-72 hours to dry completely. However, the drying times may vary depending on the present weather conditions
•   The stain is usually darker when it’s first applied. You should give it at least 14 hours to reach its true color
•   For best results, make sure the surface is clean before applying the stain. This means stripping off the previous stain and washing off any dust, oil, dirt, grease, mold, and mildew.
•   For best results, apply two light coats of the stain and allow at least 45 minutes in between the coats
•   ReadySeal will not stain your hands and does not contain any linseed oil
•   The stain is biodegradable when it comes into contact with water and soil
•   Meet the current VOC level requirements in almost all states in the U.S
•   Available in a wide range of wood-toned colors
•   The stain does not leave any streaks, runs, or laps- it provides a smooth and consistent finish

 

7. KILZ L832211 Exterior Waterproofing Wood Cedar Stain

And last but least, we have the KILZ Semi-Transparent Exterior Waterproofing Wood Stain.

The KILZ stain offers durable protection to your cedar siding by shielding it against water and UV rays damage.

The stain is made from 100 percent Acrylic which is specially formulated to protect your wood siding against rain, snow, and the sun. It won’t rot, fade, or gray due to prolonged exposure.

The manufacturer provides a 3-Year warranty on decks and up to 5-Years warranty on siding and fences. You can purchase the stain with great peace of mind.

The manufacturer recommends using it on new to moderately weathered or unsealed exterior wood surfaces including sidings, fences, railings, shingles, outdoor wood patio furniture, and for deck staining projects.

For best results, allows the wood siding to dry for at least 24 hours before applying the stain.

You can also sand the surface to remove any previous stain or wood fiber.

The KILZ stain is easy to apply and covers quite a large area. A one-Gallon stain will cover up to 250 sq.ft for the first coat and up to 500 sq.feet for the second coat.

Overall, this is a perfect wood stain for enhancing and maintaining a natural look on your cedar wood siding. It’s also budget-friendly and long-lasting.

 

Best Exterior Stain for Cedar Siding- Bottom Line

 

Staining your cedar siding provides it with additional protection against weather conditions and even wood eating insects.

Since the key to preserving any wood product is to reduce the moisture content, staining is a great way to offer the best of both- waterproofing and durability.

You will never go wrong with either of these 7 exterior stains for your wood siding.

Since you’re looking for the best exterior stain for cedar siding, we totally recommend the ReadySeal 512-1 Wood Stain and Sealer. It’s currently one of the best-selling and most durable wood stains in the market right now.