Oil
Cedar Oiling in Wanaka
A refresh coat of penetrating oil before the cedar goes grey. The cheapest job you will ever do on your cladding.
Oiling is maintenance, not restoration
If your cedar has faded but the surface is still sound, you do not need a full restoration. You need a wash and a refresh coat. That is oiling, and it is the difference between a two day job and a two week one.
Get the timing right and cedar never has to look bad. Miss it by a couple of years and the surface starts to break down, at which point sanding enters the picture and the price roughly doubles.
How to tell if you are still in oiling territory
Run your hand across a north facing board. If it feels smooth and the colour has just gone flat and dry looking, you are fine. If it feels rough or leaves grey dust on your palm, the timber surface has started to degrade and it is a restoration conversation.
Not sure? Send us a photo. We would rather tell you it can wait another season than sell you work you do not need yet.
Fast turnaround
Most oil refreshes are two to four days on site rather than weeks.
No sanding needed
Sound cedar takes a fresh coat straight over the old one after a proper wash.
Colour matched
We match your existing tone so the refresh looks like the house always looked that good.
Half the cost
Oiling on time costs a fraction of restoring cedar you left too long.
How it runs
The cedar oiling process
The same person who quotes your job runs it, from the first walk around to the last one. No handovers, nothing lost in between.
- Step 01
Check the timber
We assess whether the surface is still sound, elevation by elevation. Sometimes one wall needs more than the rest.
- Step 02
Wash
Chemical wash to lift mould, dust and chalking, then dry out.
- Step 03
Mask
Joinery, gutters and gardens covered.
- Step 04
Oil
One or two coats of penetrating oil depending on how thirsty the timber is.
- Step 05
Diary the next one
We note when the house should be looked at again and give you a nudge closer to the time.
Seen it in the flesh
Cedar oil refresh in Northlake
Caught at exactly the right time. The cedar was dry and starting to grey but the surface was still sound, so this was a wash and refresh coat rather than a restoration.
- Chemical wash to cladding, soffits and joinery
- Three days drying before any oil went on
- Scaffold to the rear gable for safe access
- Single refresh coat of penetrating oil, two coats on the north wall
Reviews
What people say once we have left
Bradley and his partner were excellent to work with. So obliging and did such a fantastic job. So easy to recommend and I will be using for any further work I need done. They did exterior staining on my property.
Bradley and team were reliable, easy to communicate with, and did a great job.
Thanks to Brad for doing such an amazing job on our Wanaka house. The newly stained cedar looks beautiful and the whole house has had a lift. It was very easy to work with Brad as out-of-town home owners. Highly recommended!
Answers
Cedar Oiling questions
What is the difference between oiling and staining?
Not much, honestly. Both are penetrating oil products. Stain just carries more pigment, which gives more colour and more UV protection. Clear or lightly tinted oils look beautiful but need doing more often up here.
How long does a cedar oil refresh last?
Two to three years on sunny elevations, three to four on sheltered ones. Pigmented products last longer than clear.
Can I oil cedar myself?
On a single storey home with easy access, yes, plenty of people do. The two things that catch people out are lap marks from letting an edge dry, and going over cladding that was not properly washed first. Both show up badly on long boards.
Get in touch
Not sure what your cedar needs?
Send three photos: the whole house, the sunniest wall, and a close up of the worst boards. We will tell you straight whether it wants a wash, a recoat or the full job.