- Q.I want to lighten the color
of 15-year-old cedar paneling that has darkened with
age. The wall paneling consists of 3/8x6-inch
tongue-and-groove clear cedar installed over 1/2-inch
drywall. I took a sample of the interior cedar and
experimented with a bleaching method I often use
outdoors. I applied a solution of diluted household
bleach to the cedar, followed by flushing with ample
amounts of water. The results were quite satisfactory,
but the procedure obviously won’t work
indoors.
A . Corresponding
Editor Paul Fisette responds: I think that if
your normal bleaching procedure accomplished what
you want, then you should try to use a modified
version of the same procedure indoors. First,
wet-sponge the bleach solution (50/50 household
bleach and warm water) onto the boards, and wait
for the boards to lighten up. Then go over the
boards lightly with a sponge that has been dampened
with clean rinse water, instead of hosing the wall
down. It would be a good idea to test this
procedure in an inconspicuous corner of the room to
be sure the result is satisfactory.