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