Keeping the “Natural Look” on Wood Siding

In siding as in much else, the “natural look” is in vogue these days, with many customers wanting to leave their cedar or redwood siding unpainted and unstained. Most customers, however, want their houses to retain this natural look, with all its honey-toned brightness, and without the natural graying that untreated wood sidings take on when exposed to sun and weather. In days past, heartwood from cedar and redwood had enough natural preservatives to discourage, or at least slow, this aging process. But quality wood is increasingly rare. Today, keeping the natural look requires some rather unnatural finishes to block or slow the action of moisture and sun. These products have become an increasingly important part of the paint and stain market. Though no