Something For Everyone

Is it silver? 

Is it grey? 

Is it some combination of both?

Like teak, ipe,  and a handful of other durable wood species,  Eastern Red Cedar lumber will eventually weather from bright shades of pink, red, or even purple, to the iconic silver color that’s so easily recognized in raised garden beds, pergolas, arbors, benches, and cedar-framed greenhouses. 

And the weathered silver/grey is an iconic look, that has certainly stood the test of time. 

In fact, the large majority of our customers very strongly prefer the silver/grey color that our red cedar projects will soon show. Some customers are even so averse to the bright red color of their new cedar garden beds, that it’s with visible consternation that they ask, “So..the color won’t stay red like that, right? How fast will it change from red to silver/grey?” 

 

It’s in times like these, we’re extra thankful to that nearby, life-giving star - our Sun - and its variety of rays. Relief, sometimes tinged with joy, replaces that consternation as we explain that the UV rays from sun will not fail in their work to turn the pink color of those new cedar garden beds to silver/grey. Perhaps in only a matter of days.

Now, personally, we love the bright color of red cedar lumber as it comes right off the sawmill. After all, that red color is what instantly sets this special tree apart from other wood varieties.

And some few customers do heartily agree with us. They’re just as enamored with those lovely shades of pink, red, and purple, as we are. Not to mention the powerfully aromatic fragrance of newly-milled Eastern red cedar. 

So, instead of asking how soon the bright red color will turn to silver, these red cedar fans seem disappointed to learn that the color will eventually fade with exposure to sunlight - little comforted that, even though the color fades, the wood will still retain every bit of its powerful, resistance to decay and insects, for many, many years.  

“Is there a way to keep the red color?”, they ask ( ironically, with the very similar consternation as the ‘silver/grey fans’ just noted above). 

“Is there something we can apply to preserve the red color - some sort of exterior wood sealer that will prevent the cedar from turning silver/grey?” 

“Sort of.” is our answer. 

And we can apply clear wood sealers that contain UV blocking agents to the exterior of our cedar raised beds. Many of these clear exterior wood sealers are effective in mitigating the change in color, for only for a while. Even with UV-blocking ingredients, products like clear spar urethane wood sealer simply slow down the color fading process ; they won’t entirely prevent the eventual fading of the red cedar color to silver/grey. 

 

But to be fair, clear exterior wood sealers, like spar urethane, certainly do protect the exterior of the wood, help it age more gracefully, and give the exterior of cedar garden beds a cleaner, more polished look. 

But, again,  even the very best clear sealers, with the strongest UV-blocking ingredients, won’t prevent the fresh red cedar color from eventually fading to silver gray from exposure to sunlight ( something that we’ve carefully made sure that the raised beds will get plenty of.)

So what’s the answer in cases like this? 

How do we prevent the inevitable fading of our cedar garden beds from red to silver/grey.

By applying three coats of a pigmented, semi-solid exterior stain.

And it’s a pretty good Plan B, too. 

 

It usually only takes a quick glance around the garden site to find an existing color that can be closely matched or complemented - A deck that’s already been stained, or the trim on the nearby guest house, fence, or detached garage. Whatever the case, the customer simply chooses the color that will replace silver/grey for the raised beds. Sometimes a customer even has a fresh can of stain leftover from a recent project that we can apply to the garden bed - ensuring an identical color match. 

Or we can work with the customer to select the right stain color from scratch. We’ve done it many times. And if we are choosing a brand new stain color, we recommend one of the Sherwin Williams SuperDeck Semi-Solid Exterior stain colors. Through experience, we’ve found that three coats of this premium-quality, waterborne exterior stain delivers even coverage of the selected color, while still showing the beauty of the rough sawn cedar wood grain. Plus, three coats of exterior stain helps protect and substantially extend the life of the cedar planter. 

Now, remember that the amount of color pigment varies depending on the type of exterior stain. We’ve found that semi-solid stain is the best choice for our rustic outdoor cedar projects because it has just enough pigment to deliver even color coverage, while still showing the natural wood grain. Solid exterior stain has the most color pigment, but is essentially like an exterior paint that won’t ever crack or peel. Solid stain actually tends to conceal natural wood grain, and three coats of solid stain would render a rough sawn cedar board as smooth as a sheet of cabinet grade oak plywood. 

 

And semi-transparent stain? it just doesn’t have enough pigment to give the desired results in this case. With experience, we’ve found that three coats of semi-transparent exterior stain - or even more coats - just doesn’t have enough pigment to cover the natural cedar color: ( remember, that bright red color that will tragically fade to silver/grey? )

And so... the old adage “There’s something out there for everyone”  seems the most fitting way to wind down this story.  Are you appalled with the silver/grey color of weathered cedar? For goodness sake, don’t come unhinged - simply shop for the right stain color.

Is the silver/grey of naturally-weathered red cedar the look you’ve always wanted? Your first and only choice? Your ‘jam’, as they say?

No action required. 

Just sit back, relax, and let those UV rays go to work.