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How to use stains and clears on exteriors

From the Resene Paint Experts Q&A

Do you have a question about how to use stains, clears, whitewash or greywash on exteriors? Browse through this painting Q&A for help with your own projects.

Always make sure you read the product label and data sheet prior to application. If in doubt about any aspect of your project, please ask our Paint Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller.

 
 
 
 

Q&A


Q. I would like to put a sealer coat on a rough sawn ply and batten shed that I have built that doesn't change the appearance. I have a bit of mould on some of the ply - I assume I need to use your mould cleaner first?

A. Treat first using Resene Moss & Mould Killer. Resene Furniture and Decking Oil is the only finish that is exterior that would suit this project. This is not a watertight oil. We do not recommend fully clear finishes outside as they do not provide enough protection against UV light.

November 2023


Q. We bought a house with rusticated cedar cladding, built around 1989. It has been stained previously; we don't know with what. The stain and weatherboards on north facing side is still in very good condition but the rest has been left to deteriorate quite badly by the previous owners. There are no water tightness issues but some boards have cracked and cupped a bit. The exterior of the balcony needs some boards replaced as they have disintegrated at the edges.

Initially we wanted to stain using Resene Waterborne Woodsman but we are now considering painting it instead, given the state of some of the weatherboards.

Could you give some advice on the best option as well as which products we will need to use?

A. As you have said the timber (for the most part) is badly deteriorated and the stain is eroding away with the timber. If you were to paint, many cracks will appear as paint will split over the size of the gaps in some boards. This will lead to paint blistering and flaking away.

I recommend you re-stain using a similar or lighter colour. Consider using Resene Cool Colour technology.

You need to do very thorough preparation.

Old weathered timber and plywood will be moss, mould and possibly lichen infested and the surface will be degraded with dirt and other contaminants, including windblown salts. The timber will require treatment to kill the mould and mould spores before thorough cleaning. If badly degraded and greyed, thorough sanding to achieve a sound base is recommended.

Step 1: Treat moss and mould with Resene Moss & Mould Killer.

Note I: For heavy infestations, an additional application(s) may be needed.

Step 2: Thoroughly scrub down using a solution of Resene Timber and Deck Wash and water to remove all dirt, dust, grease, moss and mould residue, cobwebs and other contaminants.

Step 3: Thoroughly sand to remove any grey, weathered timber and to produce a smooth sound surface for painting. If timber is rough-sawn then scrubbing with a stiff nylon brush can be carefully employed for this purpose. Ensure any sharp arrisses are sanded to a rounded profile.

Note II: Remove any rusty nails and replace with galvanised or stainless steel nails as is appropriate.

Note III: Weathered timber, particularly cedar, is more porous and 'open' and will typically use more stain per square metre than new timber.

Once prepared, apply two coats of Resene Woodsman Oil stain.

The Resene Woodsman Oil is a solventborne oil stain. The stain takes longer to dry therefore allowing it to penetrate further into the timber for stronger binding.

You could use the Resene Waterborne Woodsman but I believe it will dry too fast to receive full benefit. However, the colour is stronger and will hide some potential colour variations of the existing.

November 2023


Q. Our cedar timber exterior cladding needs maintenance. It was previously treated with an oil stain and was hoping you would be able to advise the correct product to use for preparing and then re-staining/oiling it. It was probably last maintained three years ago with a different brand of stain.

A. Treat using Resene Moss and Mould Killer followed by washing down thoroughly using Resene Timber and Deck Wash to remove all dirt and debris. Using a stiff nylon brush is best – do not water blast. Best practise is to try and remove as much colour build up as possible when changing brands.

Once dry, apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman in your chosen colour. If choosing a darker colour, consider using Resene CoolColour technology. Application of a Resene CoolColour will reflect more heat than the same colour made using non-cool pigmentation and reduce heat related stress on the substrate; it will not make the stained surface cool to touch.

November 2023


Q. Our house is clad in Truwood. It’s currently stained with Naturetone Carbon which is no longer available. Is there a Resene waterborne stain that would be compatible to apply over the top?

A. After thorough preparation you could do a test patch using Resene Waterborne Woodsman (comes in a testpot size) to see if the product dries hard after a few days.

The Naturetone data sheet specifies that the product needs to be well sanded prior to the same product being applied for maintenance coats. From reading that, I suggest a thorough wash down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash to remove as much stain/colour as possible. The more you can remove, the better the new coating will penetrate. Then do the test.

November 2023


Q. I am getting a treated ply shed built I would like to either paint or stain it. What is the best way to do this?

A. You can either paint or stain dependant on your preference for the finish and maintenance. Painting requires three coats of paint and maintenance (depending on environment) is around seven years and is a uniform finish. Staining requires 2-3 coats, a maintenance coat every two years and gives a wood grain finish.

Stain: You can use either Resene Woodsman Waterborne oil stain or Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain. Both come in a range of colours. If using darker colours, I recommend you use a Resene CoolColour.

Paint: Apply one coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen or Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss. If choosing Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen as the topcoat you can skip the primer and paint three coats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen instead. If using darker colours, I recommend you use Resene CoolColour.

November 2023


Q. My house was painted a couple of years ago with Resene Forester Natural. I am getting the roof replaced and some of the Hardi cladding needs replacing when the roof is done. I want to paint these the same colour. Is Resene Forester Natural still available? I noticed the painter that did the job from memory had an undercoat that might have had a yellow tinge. Is there a specific undercoat needed for this?

A. Yes, Resene Forester is still an available product with the colour Natural.

Resene Sonyx 101 in the Forester base colour is used first. I have linked the data sheet below. You may need to prime the boards using Resene Concrete Primer before applying Resene Sonyx 101.

November 2023


Q. Is Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield a sacrificial or non-sacrificial coating?

A. Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield is a film forming product and ‘non-sacrificial’. We chose not to have sacrificial anti-graffiti coatings in our range.

November 2023


Q. I have a project that has some external timber girts, these were mistakenly installed as H1.2 timber. Is there a stain/oil/non-paint coating system that won't affect the colour while providing a similar level of protection as H3.2? Ideally, something that comes in a clear coat.

A. Stains, oils, clears and paints will not achieve a timber treatment rating.

November 2023


Q. My house was coated with Resene Woodsman CoolColour penetrating oil stain in Resene Crowshead. I am due to reapply and want to check do I use the same product. I have advised the painter to wash down the existing finish with hose and soft brush. Close to the ground some of the original cover coat appears to be gone most likely from the hose water on it, any advice on this?

A. For restaining, soft brush wash using Resene Timber and Deck Wash. Allow to dry and apply two full coats of Resene Woodsman in your chosen colour. You could use CoolColour to assist with heat stress on the timber.

For the area that has weathered more so, see if you can feather out the weathering using Resene Timber and Deck Wash and a bristle brush so when the new coating is applied there won't be shadowing.

November 2023


Q. My daughter has bought a house with weathered and dry cedar weatherboards. Can it be restored with oil-based stain or is it too far gone needs to be painted?

A. Preparation for both paint and stain is to wash down (light sand if needed) to remove all loose material. Timber should have no loose surface bits or 'fluffy' bits.

You have a few options.

  1. After thorough preparation, apply 2-3 coats of Resene Woodsman Oil Stain in desired colour. Opt for a mid to light shade as this will have less stress on the timber. The use of Resene CoolColour technology is beneficial for mid to dark colours. This system may need another coat after one year and then every two years.
  2. After thorough preparation, apply one full coat of Resene Wood Primer. Apply two full coats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen or Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss. Use Resene CoolColour technology if using a mid to dark colour.
  3. After thorough preparation, apply one full coat of Wood-X mineral oil. Wait six weeks and apply another full coat. Once you have used this product, you need to keep using this product as, being a mineral oil, it never completely dries.

September 2023


Q. I have some pre-lacquered birch ply that has become somewhat discoloured around the edges. I am wondering if you have a product that I could use to coat to conceal at all?

A. Is it possible that the discolouration is mould? If so, treating the mould will help with discoloration.

Sealing the ply would help to the protect the timber for longer. We have clear finishes available, but this won't camouflage the discoloration, you could sand the discolouration off then coat with a clear finish. If this is interior, I'd recommend Resene Aquaclear waterborne varnish.

Otherwise, you can stain the sheets first and then have the option to add a coat of varnish to the surface for cleanability. A medium depth colour should camouflage the discolouration. I'd still recommend sanding those areas to help remove it first.

If the edges have been cut it is likely moisture is the issue here as that the only ingress point. You can use a light diluted mix of Resene Moss and Mould Killer following instructions from the data sheet. This product does contain bleach so be careful not get on any area other than the one you are treating.

September 2023


Q. I am specifying a stain for Macrocarpa shiplap weatherboards, entry posts and an exposed truss. Can you help me with what product would suit. A stain that will enhance the natural features of the timber would be ideal.

A. We have Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain in a range of colours or Resene Furniture and Decking Oil if you wish to provide UV protection without adding a colour.

August 2023


Q. We have a 1950s brick house - the mortar between the bricks is failing and we have water coming inside the house. Our builder has recommended that we paint the exterior of our house - apparently you have a rubber texture-like paint that would seal the exterior and prevent water ingress?

A. It sounds like your builder is referring to Resene Water Lockout. This product can only provide weathertightness when all voids in the blockwork are filled and are at the correct film thickness.

August 2023


Q. We need to apply a clear waterproofing barrier to some bare concrete block walls. Are you able to advise please if you have a suitable product for this application – outdoors?

A. Resene XC-700 is our only exterior clear weathertight option. This product will require a professional approved applicator. We have a free 'Find A Painter' service that can assist with finding a qualified painter.

August 2023


Q. We are renovating our old garage cladding with Shadowclad band sawn board and batten. We would like a very light grey stain colour. Could you please recommend a Resene paint system? Do need a primer first? Do I need a clear finish on top?

A. We recommend the following - wash the bare exterior timber with Resene Timber and Deck Wash and treat any moss and mould present with Resene Moss & Mould Killer.

Once thoroughly dry, apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman, the most popular light grey colours being Resene Tiri and Resene Riverstone. We recommend trying a testpot first.

Resene Waterborne Woodsman is a fully penetrating stain that is designed to erode for easy reapplication. A maintenance coat is required every two summers.

Being penetrating and semi-transparent no primer is needed. These stains cannot be overcoated with a clear finish and will not leave a shine on the surface once applied.

August 2023


Q. I am writing about an exterior staircase, made of treated timber. I would like to put a water-based stain on it. However, it's a bit dirty. Is ok to wash the treated timber with timber washing product? Or are you not meant to use these products on treated timber? If suitable, which one of your products should I use?

A. The treated timber is fine to wash. We recommend Resene Timber and Deck Wash. This also helps to open the grain so the stain can penetrate in. Please treat any moss and mould that may be present at this time with Resene Moss & Mould Killer.

Then apply Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain, a hybrid fully penetrating stain. The timber goes need to be weathered to allow the stain to penetrate, as it's not intended to be surface forming.

Alternatively, we have a solventborne Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain available. Being solventborne, it will penetrate the timber slightly easier.

August 2023


Q. I have an untreated wood cabin. I am looking for recommendations for products to use on the interior floor and walls. Could you please recommend what to use for best longevity? Should I use Resene TimberLock followed by a stain or paint, or just the penetrating stain?

A. Resene TimberLock is only recommended for exterior work and needs to be overcoated with paint rather than stain.

We do have an interior stain option for interior – Resene Colorwood. This is a waterbased fully penetrating stain that sinks into the surface of the timber. You then you have the option to varnish over the top for added cleanability and to add some lustre. We have many examples in all Resene ColorShops on our woodcare displays.

We have many interior varnish options depending on the look you want or the sheen level you like. Resene Aquaclear or Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K are our most popular options as they are waterbased. We do have oil and solventbased options to choose from too, we call these Resene Qristal Clear and Resene Polythane.

August 2023


Q. I am purchasing a cabin with a rough sawn pine plywood cladding and wondered if a Resene stain (like Resene Woodsman) or paint would be best to preserve it. I know it is thirsty but would like to use the best product on it at the start.

A. Resene Woodsman stain and paint are both options for your project. It depends what look you are going for and how much maintenance you are happy with.

For stain I would recommend solventborne Resene Woodsman, this is a fully penetrating stain that is designed to erode for reapplication. Maintenance is required in the form of one coat every two summers.

For paint, I recommend one coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat, followed by two coats of either.

Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen or Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss. Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen is the most popular choice. We do recommend the use of CoolColour technology if you are choosing a dark coloured paint or stain.

July 2023


Q. I'm in the process of buying a Log Home, the logs used on the home are known as pole pine, but the real name is Pinus Contorta Var Latifolia. They have previously been treated with mineral wood oil but not recently. Do you have a product you could recommend, and what kind of preparation would be needed?

A. Mineral oils can only be overcoated with themselves, and can never be overcoated with paint or normal wood stains.

Resene sells a product called WoodX, which you could use.

July 2023


Q. We stained our new pine rusticated weatherboards with Resene Waterborne Woodsman Nutmeg five years ago. Can we now apply solventborne Resene Woodsman? We are hoping it might penetrate more into the timber.

A. Yes, it is fine to now apply the solventborne Resene Woodsman over the existing stain. Solvent or oil-based stains do penetrate slightly further than waterborne.

To give the timber an even better helping hand, wash it down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash. This helps to remove any contaminants and open the grain, helping the stain to sink in. Treat any moss and mould present at this time also, with Resene Moss & Mould Killer.

July 2023


Q. We are looking at using dressed and sanded western red cedar weatherboards. They coat the weatherboards in mineral oil stain. Is your Resene Woodsman whitewash waterborne stain compatible to be used over the mineral oil stain?

A. No, Resene Woodsman water-based or solvent-based is not compatible with mineral wood oil.

Mineral oils, can only be overcoated with a mineral oil like itself, such as WoodX. It is also important to note that mineral oil is not paintable either – so if you use mineral oil you will need to continue with that finish.

July 2023


Q. We are about to have new cedar vertical shiplap weatherboards replaced on our home. What is the best 'clear' stain to protect the cedar, but make as little change to the colour as possible? Additionally, I assume it best to coat the back side prior to fixing?

A. We recommend Resene Furniture and Decking Oil, this is a solventbased fully penetrating oil that is designed to erode for easy recoating.

Where possible, envelope sealing the underside and the cut ends is the best possible practice.

July 2023


Q. Is Resene Woodsman Whitewash stain safe and compatible with a butynol roofing membrane, aluminium window joinery and other building products? What is it not compatible or safe to contact?

A. Resene Woodsman is a penetrating stain that needs to sink into the grain of the timber. It is not compatible with roofing, metal as it cannot penetrate and will float on the surface. If this is accidentally in contact with a surface it is not intended for, use a wet rag to remove it from the surface before it dries.

July 2023


Q. If using an oil based stain on new timber, how dry must the timber be before application? Only three sides of the timber is to be stained.

A. Resene Woodsman is tolerant of slightly damp surfaces. Dry is best and this helps guard against variables such as timber shrinkage as it dries out.

May 2023


Q. Our club is replacing the boards around the bowling green banks with H4 treated pine (wet gauged). The new timber has been undercover outside for three weeks and we want to stain it. The timber is still dampish and we want to stain it prior to installation asap. The boards will be walked on.

A. We recommend Resene Woodsman Wood Oil stain (solventbased) for your project. Resene Woodsman is tolerant of a slightly damp surface. The dryer the better as there are fewer variables with dry timber rather than wet, for example, timber shrinkage.

May 2023


Q. My partner and I have just bought a cedar house and wanted to know about an affordable option to apply paint over a weathered stain finish (if any). We have had it quoted to re-stain and he says that it is most likely a film forming stain on the surface. We were wondering if this is the case, will the paint pull the stain away from the timber? There is some flaking already.

A. If we work on the assumption that the quote was correct, and the stain present is surface forming.

We would recommend removing the existing stain completely. Wash down the exterior and treat any moss and mould at this time too, apply one coat of Resene Wood Primer followed by two topcoats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen.

Painting over the existing stain comes with many variables. As this stain is flaking already it shows this is compromised and is losing adhesion to the cedar cladding. Painting over this will likely fail as the strain will pull off the existing stain and the stain is acting as the main point of adhesion for your paint system. If you decide to paint over the stain, we will not be able to offer any long-term assurances on the longevity of the paint system.

Please consider using Resene CoolColour technology if you are choosing a medium to dark colour, to help reduce the risk of heat-related issues.

May 2023


Q. We want to find a clear coat paint system (non-yellowing) for over cement board (Eterpan) for installation on a residential dwelling in a coastal location. Can you please advise what product and application/maintenance?

A. We recommend the following system:

Apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel, one coat of Resene Concrete Clear Gloss and two coats of Resene Concrete Clear Satin. This clear system will not render the coated surface weathertight.

If a flat finish is required, replace the Resene Concrete Clear Satin with Resene Concrete Clear Flat.

If a gloss finish is required, replace the Resene Concrete Clear Satin with Resene Concrete Clear Gloss.

This system should last approx 7- 8 years, as long as the spec is followed and the correct coverage rates and amount of coats are applied.

May 2023


Q. I have a Shadowclad/ply and batten home which is looking very weathered and grey. I don't want to paint it a colour or stain just feed/protect it ideally with an oil.

A. Resene Furniture and Decking Oil is the way to go. This is a clear UV protection and anti-fungal fully penetrating oil. Apply three coats. Then apply one maintenance coat every second summer.

May 2023


Q. I was planning on using Norski epoxy timber sealer to treat some rotten macrocarpa that I want to stain with your Resene Woodsman penetrating solventborne wood oil stain (as recommended for macrocarpa). Can I do this and if so epoxy timber sealer before or after stain? Anything else I should know?

A. The Norski Epoxy Timber Sealer is film forming meaning it creates a hard impenetrable surface for any stain to go over the top therefore using Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain would not work. We don’t recommend sealing after staining as our stains are not to be overcoated with a film forming product.

The specs for that product say it can be painted directly over – we would suggest to apply a test area of Resene Quick Dry Primer Undercoat to see if there is good adhesion before applying any topcoat. As the timber sealer is heavy in solvent, you would need to wait a few days before applying any further paint products.

May 2023


Q. Does Resene have an exterior concrete block sealer which is transparent and allows to keep the natural concrete block look?

A. Resene Aquapel is a great option for you, it is a waterborne water repellent.

See this video for how it works.

March 2023


Q. Can I put Resene Woodsman oil stain (turps based) over Resene Waterborne Woodsman waterbased stain?

A. Yes you can, ideally the original Resene Waterborne Woodsman stain would be weathered (three months or more) or washed with Resene Timber and Deck Wash first.

March 2023


Q. I have been preparing to restain our house and I wondered if you can shed any light on why the stain on our house has gone like it has. The stain has been on for five years and some the area in the photo receives a lot of sun. I was able to brush one area and it just came off. Areas that don’t get as much sun are haven’t gone the same way.

A. All of Resene’s stains are designed to erode from the surface, making additional maintenance coats easier.

This seems normal in some cases, where the house may not have had a regular wash each year, and if the timber was brand new when the stain was first applied.

If the timber hasn’t been able to weather, the grain remains shut and the stain cannot properly penetrate into the surface, any excess will sit on the surface and over time will become eroded and will come off like chalk on your hand.

The eave area is adding protection to the upper boards and is preventing the weather from washing away the eroded stain as it has below.

February 2023


Q. I have used furniture and decking oil on my plywood soffits as the first ever coating on H3.1 ecoply. It has been up two years and has now formed black mould which I am about to remove. Once I have removed the mould is there a Resene product or marine grade product I can use that will penetrate over the furniture oil and protect it from mould?

A. Resene Furniture and Decking Oil contains fungicides - as do all our oils. In your case however, the mould has grasped on. We do not currently have another clear oil on the market that could achieve the same look.

Once treated and removed I suggest to apply Resene Deep Clean every 6 months or so to prevent the mould growth. Waiting at least once month after any new application of the oil.

January 2023


Q. Can you paint or apply a dark hybrid stain over Resene Woodsman Whitewash? We’ve painted an area but have had a change of heart.

A. If the timber is not for furniture or decking you will need to use Resene Waterborne Woodsman not the hybrid stain. You will need to thoroughly wash down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash to remove any topical oils left behind from the original whitewash.

If the area is a decking or furniture, unfortunately you will have to wait at least one year before thinking of using the Hybrid Decking Stain as they are made from different resins and binders so their compatibility isn’t great when fresh.

Resene Woodsman Whitewash has special waxes to give it long term performance but makes it very tricky to paint. If you were to paint, you would need to sand to remove as much as possible, should be almost all removed (if the timber has tread then use a paint stripper), wash down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash, apply one coat of Resene Wood Primer (oil based) followed by two coats of Resene Walk-on or Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen.

January 2023


Q. I bought a 4L tin of Waterborne Woodsman Pitch Black (WD039) in April last year. I used some of the stain at the time and again this week. The wood needed two coats to get a decent finish. I then bought a new 1L tin. The paint is thicker and gives a good darker finish after the first coat.

A. We haven't changed the formulation of Resene Waterborne Woodsman in this time. I suspect the existing 4L may have tint settlement at the bottom of the can which can cause a lighter shade of the colour. Give it a very good stir using a wooden stirrer and see if there is any settlement at the bottom.

January 2023


Q. Please advise how long Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield needs to cure.

A. Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield needs minimum 48 hours before it can be first cleaned using Resene Graffiti Cleaner to remove graffiti.

January 2023


Q. I have concrete stone cladding around my home. The concrete top surface has weathered significantly. I want to treat the top layer with a clear water repellent satin finish product. What should I use?

A. Ensure the concrete is clean and free of bio growth, if present treat areas of moss/mould infestation with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions. For heavy infestations more applications may be needed. Apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel, then a coat of Resene Concrete Clear Gloss and finish with two coats of Concrete Clear Satin.

This system can be used if water splashed onto the concrete is immediately absorbed and the concrete darkens.

June 2022


Q. When Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield is painted on concrete does this also provide some waterproofing to the concrete surface?

A. It will depend upon the porosity/density of the concrete. To boost this, we would recommend applying a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel then three coats of Resene GraffitiShield, using gloss for the first coat. We do not say that this system will render the substrate weather tight.

June 2022


Q. We want to re-stain pine cladding. The first coats were with Dryden Wood Oil but we’d like to use something else.

A. This is based on a mineral oil system, this stain type can only be overcoated with the same stain type.

Treat areas of moss/mould infestation with Resene Moss and Mould Killer diluted and used to label/data sheet instructions. For heavy infestations more applications may be needed. Thoroughly scrub down using Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label/data sheet. Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

Allow the surface to dry put then apply two coats of Wood-X colour.

June 2022


Q. We have some concrete block walls on the exterior of our house which we need to seal/protect. In the past we’ve used a clear sealer but I’d really like to stain these blocks a bit darker while we’re at it. I’m getting a bit of conflicting info as to whether it’s possible to order some sort of tinted sealer that would provide enough protection from the elements. I’d like to end up with something like a deep grey finish.

A. Our Resene Concrete Stain is formulated for application to a flat substrate not a vertical substrate. Achieving a uniform colour is challenging when applying to a vertical substrate. The substrate must have a degree of porosity if already fully sealed then we would not recommend the product be applied. The stain colours contain a low level of pigmentation. Areas of overlap will dry a more intense colour.

June 2022


Q. Do you have a product suitable for bamboo outdoor screens? I am looking for a clear sealer/stain or something to protect it from fading in the future.

A. Sorry but we have no system for this application. Bamboo is not a timber but a grass so timber systems are not always suitable for this substrate.

June 2022


Q. Can I apply Resene Concrete Clear to my concrete tile roof. I am only wanting to freshen them up. We have cleaned them and are looking to spray product on if possible.

A. While Resene Concrete Clear in principle can be applied to clean, non-glazed concrete tiles, the clear does not contain any additives to inhibit future bio growth. If you do decide to use the product the recommendation is for the first coat to be the gloss version thinned 10% with water, and for the second/third coat either gloss or satin.

June 2022


Q. How do I prepare and paint over a lime wash on an interior wall. We want to apply a flat finish in a lounge area.

A. Apply a coat of Resene Sureseal and finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat.

April 2022


Q. We would like to use Resene Pitch Black stain on our shed we are building to stain the Shadowclad. The council require an LRV for consent but there is no LRV given in the specs. Do you have this? also is there a paint equivalent colour as we will eventually want to paint our house the same?

A. Unlike a solid paint colour the LRV of a semi-transparent stain colour cannot be measured. So, to arrive at an LRV estimate for a stain colour we select the closest solid paint colour to the stain colour and use the LRV of the solid colour as an estimate for the stain LRV. The solid colour equivalent for Resene Pitch Black is Resene Nero which has an LRV of 5. There is no difference in the LRV values between the non-cool and CoolColour version of a colour as LRV is a measurement of reflectance of visible light, colour only.

It is our recommendation to check with the cladding supplier re LRV cut-offs that may apply to their substrate.

April 2022


Q. We are about to stain our house in Resene Woodsman English Walnut. The weatherboards are cedar in average condition that is a mix of previously stained and some natural weathered. There are a few cracks and holes that we need to fill before staining. Could you please recommend an exterior filler that can be stained over?

A. Exterior stains are semi-transparent and given this filled areas will show through the stain coating. There is no way around this. The stain needs porosity, stains will not necessarily penetrate a filler.

April 2022


Q. My brick house is faded. Is there any product like brick stain that I could use to rejuvenate the colour?

A. The only stain we have that may be suitable is Resene Concrete Stain. It’s available in limited colours and formulated for application to a horizontal not a vertical surface.

April 2022


Q. I am looking to clad my house is 'Siberian Larch' (vertical shiplap). I am in a marine environment. What paint (stain or other) would you recommend to protect the timber ?

A. For a solid colour paint system, apply a primer coat of Resene Wood Primer, followed by three coats of Resene Sonyx 101 or Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen. We would not recommend applying dark topcoat colours.

Or to stain you could use two coats of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain. Regular maintenance will be required Again avoid dark stain colours.

April 2022


Q. Can I change the colour of a previously stained cedar house?

A. You can stain to a darker colour, however stains are semi-transparent so the new stain colour will be influenced by the existing stain colour. You may be able to change to a solid paint system but this depends upon what the existing stain type/brand is.

April 2022


Q. I want a black stain on new cedar shiplap weatherboards, so I was looking at Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain, which has some blackish swatches. I'm mindful that dark colours draw heat, which in turn can deteriorate timber faster than lighter colours. Is this the case with stains as well as paints? There have been issues with houses painted dark colours not getting Code of Compliance so I want to be sure of using a safe product.

A. Some projects may not get code of compliance due to specific substrates and different areas around New Zealand that have different rules.

Stain uptake into new hardwood is low, to improve this we recommend leaving the timber to weather for a few months or scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions. This will open up the timber surface to improve stain penetration. We recommend staining with Resene Waterborne Woodsman or Resene Woodsman Oil tinted to the Resene CoolColour version of the stain. The CoolColour stain versions are not cool to touch but reflect more heat than the same colour made using non cool pigmentation. Wiping stain off the nail heads will be a time consuming practice but can be done if you wipe the stain immediately after application.

Stains require more regular maintenance than paint.

April 2022


Q. Our house has a limited extent of exterior vertical shiplap, uncoated for 11 years and is looking a bit ‘dry’. I presume the natural preservative has been exhausted. Can I ‘feed it’ with oil? It has weathered light grey.

A. Once timber is felled the natural course of events is for nature to try to compost the timber to return nutrients to the soil. The term feed is unfortunately an incorrect description, what we try to do is to delay the decay of the timber. Radiation from the sun's ultraviolet rays breaks down the lignin in the cellulose causing photochemical degradation, and it occurs in any wood exposed to sunlight. The result is a change in the wood's appearance from its original colour to a gradual silvery grey sheen. Often with weathering comers mould growth.

The easiest recommendation is to apply a wood stain, firstly treat areas of moss/mould with Resene Moss & Mould Killer to label instructions. For heavy infestations more applications may be needed. Then thoroughly scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label instructions. Do not allow the wash solution to dry out on the surface (this includes window glass and joinery). Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

Allow to dry then apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman or Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain in your selected colour. In my opinion the Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain gives a more traditional stained look, Resene Waterborne Woodsman gives a more painted look.

Stains are semi-transparent so variations in the base timber colour may possibly not give a uniform stain colour.

April 2022


Q. Some years ago I purchased a litre tin of Altex Timbercote Exterior Varnish. The tine has a stuck on label with a code number and the date is 6 years old. I have not had the opportunity to do the job I bought it for until now. The tin has never been opened, can you tell me if the varnish is still viable?

A. The only way to see if it is viable is to open it. The product should have a very thin consistency and a strong solvent smell. No corrosion should be present inside the tin. If the product has thickened you could add a small amount of turpentine to a sample to see if that assists with flow. You need to do this for the first coat of application anyway.

April 2022


Q. I want to paint over treated (3.2) exterior ply – but it is fixed indoors. Can I paint Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen directly over this ply?

A. It’s best to apply a primer coat of Resene Wood Primer to be sure that the treatment chemicals in the timber are locked in before applying Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen.

March 2022


Q. I am restoring a place on the West Coast (so wet at times) and have rimu external cladding I’d like to avoid painting if possible. Do you have a product that would seal and protect it?

A. We do not have anything that is suitable long term, a stain or clear finish will require maintenance every two years and oil in particular in a wet environment can inhibit mould growth. Unfortunately, paint is the best long-term solution, the primer will need to be oil-based (Resene Wood Primer one coat) to block the tannins that cause staining in the Rimu. Apply two coats of Resene waterbased topcoat coats directly over this primer.

February 2022


Q. I have timber stained boards on the upper level of my house. During the recent cyclone the rain was hitting the house, with force side on. We had quite a bit of water coming through the wall. Initially it appeared to be just coming in around the window, but later in the day we had water coming from multiple areas. Most of the ingress appeared around the framing, suggesting possibly that the water was coming through the fixings, but I don’t really know. We have only owned the house for about 18 months, when we bought it the stain looked in good condition. The ingress issue is recent, so either it’s just started, or the previous owners maintenance kept it dry. However, now it looks a bit sun damaged. I want to retain the stain look, but apply a product over to ensure weathertightness. Do you have a product that would be suited for this application?

A. If we work on the assumption that it was an exterior stain, then re-application of a Resene stain is easy. I recommend Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain (solventborne) as this penetrates further.

Being a fully penetrating semi-transparent, maintenance is required, and an additional coat is needed every two summers.

No stain on the market will give you ‘weathertightness’. A specialist paint system can be used by an approved applicator to add a weathertight paint coating, though I think this is unneeded at this point. Perhaps engaging with a builder could help discover where the water is getting in, to make repairs.

February 2022


Q. I have an Oamaru stone house and it is starting to get a patchy look. I think I need to clean it and apply a mild bleach or mould killer and then seal it. Does Resene have a sealer suitable for Oamaru stain. Do I just brush it on or should it be sprayed on with maybe a backpack solo sprayer?

A. The surface of Oamaru Stone is weak and friable, it is for this reason we only have one recommendation to help seal and reduce mould growth. The product we recommend is called Resene Solventborne Aquapel, it can be sprayed on with a garden sprayer and is a clear finish that penetrates the stone and acts as a water repellent .

February 2022


Q. How should I stain teak outside?

A. Teak is a very hard oily timber and difficult to get stains to penetrate. For this reason, we recommend allowing this type of timber to weather for 2-3 months before staining. Then you can stain with Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain (deck), Resene Woodsman (furniture and walls/weatherboards) or Resene Waterborne Woodsman (walls/weatherboards).

October 2021


Q. What paint would be best to paint a plywood half pipe? It will be outside, uncovered year round.

A. Most paint systems would not stand up to this application, suggest you look at a stain such as Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain and accept regular maintenance will be needed.

August 2021


Q. Can I tint Resene Furniture and Decking Oil with a Resene Woodsman stain oil to make a desired darker shade; are the chemical compounds similar enough?

A. Sorry but a definite no.

August 2021


Q. We are currently in the process of building our house and we need to note down our exterior paint colours. We are mostly using weatherboard. In one section, we are looking to have a cedar look but do not wish to use cedar. We were wondering if there is a weatherboard exterior paint that can achieve a similar look to cedar.

A. Have you considered using a fibre cement cladding option with a wood effect? The Resene Forester system will then enable you to achieve a faux stained cedar look.

August 2021


Q. We are currently specifying a clear coat system for the honed concrete block exterior wall for a new dwelling (Corrosion zone D/sea spray zone). Can you please let us know which Resene clear coat system we could use?

A. The only system we have is Resene XC-700.

August 2021


Q. What system do you recommend for a clear coat on the external walls of precast concrete panels? It is new construction and it needs to be weathertight.

A. The only exterior weathertight clear system we have is Resene XC-700. We would recommend delaying application until the concrete can achieve near through dryness.

August 2021


Q. We are looking at replacing 1980s HardiPlank with about 500ms of 24mm x 150. It is vertical shiplap in Siberian Larch and we are after an appropriate oils/stain to add a nice finish and easily recoat as required.

A. Resene exterior timber stains can be used for most timbers. In this case I would recommend Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain, two coats, but suggest that you contact the timber supplier to determine if they recommend the stain.

June 2021


Q. Could you please advise me on which would be the best product to seal an existing precast concrete wall? Ideally, we’ll be applying a clear coat only in a flat or satin finish.

A. Any release agents or form oils will need to be removed from the concrete.

Then apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel and leave to cure with ventilation for at least 48 hours. Curing is essential and this must involve removal of solvents released for the coating to an exterior location. Then apply a coat of Resene Concrete Clear Gloss thinned 10% with water and finish with two coats of Resene Concrete Clear Satin.

June 2021


Q. Do I need to apply a clear finish over Resene FX Metallic on exterior plywood?

A. When used for exterior exposure we recommend a coat of Resene Clearcoat UVS is applied over the metallic base colour as metallic colours are prone to much faster UV fade.

June 2021


Q. I am looking at a Resene Aquapel clear finish to blockwork: Can this be installed on damp blockwork or does it need to be dry requiring summer time application?

A. We have a solventborne and waterborne version of Resene Aquapel. For most Resene specifications we call up Resene Solventborne Aquapel. The aim is to achieve maximise penetration. This cannot be achieved if the substrate is damp.

June 2021


Q. I'm looking at your clear finishes page and can't see F10 listed. Can you please send me the description of it and what it's applications are please. Is it just for concrete?

A. Resene has discontinued Resene F10 Glaze, the glaze was an acrylic resin in a mineral turps solvent. It was used for concrete and also as a glaze coat of Resene acrylic colours. The product has been replaced with Resene Concrete Clear.

May 2021


Q. I am looking for some clear sealer to seal a limestone (Oamaru Stone) sculpture from the rain etc.

A. Due to the soft nature of the stone clear coating is not an option. The only suggestion would be to apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel, this will produce water repellence but not against wind driven rain.

May 2021


Q. We have been recommended to use Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield for one of our projects. Is it compatible with GRC (glass reinforced concrete)?

A. GRC requires an adhesion primer as part of a painting system, we have no clear version of the adhesion primer so we cannot recommend clear coating using the Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield system.

March 2021


Q. I am using Resene Waterborne Woodsman on my 23 year old cedar for another coat after three years. Should I use another coat or wait another three years? It looks good with one coat.

A. If the existing stain coating has not undergone extensive weathering than reapplication would not be required. Suggest that you check each year and then make the recoating decision. Recoating is to maintain the stain integrity.

March 2021


Q. Can you please suggest which product to use on macrocarpa sleepers? We are thinking of an oil, natural colour, with all the preserving ‘goodies’ in it. We would like to avoid them going grey over time, and we would like to highlight their natural grain/colour. Our macrocarpa sleepers are standing vertical at the entrance to our driveway (for letter box, intercom, house number).

A. I recommend two coats of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain is a colour close to the timber colour.

February 2021


Q. I want to stain 1970s dark brown clinker type bricks a lighter light grey colour. Would Resene Concrete Stain be effective for this? I don't want a solid painted look finish, more a muted effect with a variance of colour still showing through in keeping with the variation in colour on the original brick.

A. While there is no technical reason why not, the challenge is to achieve a uniform appearance. It would be best if you can find a few bricks to trial application of the Resene Concrete Stain. This won’t give you any insight into the application but may give you an indication of what the appearance will be post application of the stain.

February 2021


Q. What is the best product to use on the ends of my vertical cedar boards? Ideally clear.

A. Sorry, there is no water white sealer for this application. Our normal recommendation is to apply 2-3 coats of the stain to be used.

February 2021


Q. How can I overcoat Abodo protector waterborne penetrating exterior wood oil used inside and outside my home?

A. On an exterior, Resene Waterborne Woodsman can go directly over the top. For an interior, Resene Aquaclear should work as a clear finish – but best to test it on an offcut first.

February 2021


Q. I have a cedar beach home which is blackening, showing signs of movement on the boards and starting to have small splits. I am looking for a suitable cedar clean product and then a penetration oil.

A. The developing black colouration is probably mould growth. Treat areas of moss/mould infestation with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions. For heavy infestations more applications may be needed. Then scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions. Rinse clean or hose down with fresh water ensuring all salts are also removed. Do not allow the wash solution to dry out on the surface. The development of cracks is not unexpected with Cedar. I suggest Herm Pac Wood X cedar oil may be the best product for your situation, once you oil using this product all future oiling will require application of a mineral oil stain (not paint or normal penetrating stain).

February 2021


Q. Could you recommend a product to apply to the weather exposed split-stone wall cladding wall on the side of our house? Just wanting something to prevent algae and lichen growth and limit its sponge-like property when it rains. Due to nearby plants and being a second storey, applying deep clean is quite a big job to do regularly.

Would something like Resene Waterborne Aquapel or Resene Solventborne Aquapel be suitable for the split-stone concrete veneer on the side of the house to limit its sponge-like properties and prevent mould and algae? Or is this not suitable for the veneer concrete?

A. You could apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel to the cleaned surface. This would give a degree of water repellence to the substrate but not a sealing as the reaction is with the surface of the matrix and is not film forming.

The waterborne version is more difficult to apply to achieve saturation. Over application will result in an oily patchy finish which cannot get repaired to achieve uniformity.

The aim is to apply to achieve saturation best done in a single application if possible. Saturation is when the substrate will not accept any more of the coating.

The 2.5 sqm/L is for a single application and is what we have determined to achieve saturation, but there may be some difference with different block suppliers. The coverage is for a standard grey block finish, not ground or polished blocks.

February 2021


Q. I need a stain system recommendation for H3 treated White Pine, vertical timber weatherboarding, in a corrosion zone D area in Greymouth (subject to windblown salts).

A. A CoolColour version of Resene Waterborne Woodsman, two coats would be our stain option. Application of a Resene CoolColour will reflect more heat than the same colour made using non-cool pigmentation and reduce heat related stress on the substrate; it will not make the painted surface cool to touch.

Stains are high maintenance so this will need to be taken into consideration before a final decision to use a stain is made.

January 2021


Q. What is the longevity of Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield in the sun?

A. As long as the Resene Uracryl topcoat system is applied to an appropriately prepared and primed substrate there should be no peeling of flaking for at least 10 years. There will be surface chalking, the higher the gloss level the longer the time till the onset of chalking.

There can also be a degree colour fade but this is dependent upon the colour formulation. To address colour fade and chalking of the pigmented Resene Uracryl base colour we advise applying a coat of Resene Uracryl UVS Clear over the pigmented Resene Uracryl base colour.

December 2020


Q. How long should an exterior wood stain last on a house?

A. Semi-transparent stains are designed to erode, so as not to build up a film that can peel and need maintenance every two summers especially on exposed areas.

At two years the patchy/grey (silver) areas seen on exposed timber would be erosion areas and ready for re-staining. On sheltered areas (from weather, wind and sun) the stain lasts longer.

BRANZ also covers this off on their website and in publications.

To maintain our exterior wood stains regular maintenance is required.

While stained elevations subject to reduced weathering may well not require maintenance at the average time, the time is an average and may well be shorter for elevations such as the northern elevations due to increased level of weathering intensity.

December 2020


Q. We are looking to re-do the exterior of our cedar board house. The current stain is overdue for a tidy up and we would like to know what options we have to change the colour or what prep we need to do to maintain the current colour. We’re unsure when the last stain was done on the house.

A. There are a few traps going forward if the existing stain type cannot be identified. Resene stains cannot be applied over a film forming or mineral oil-based stain.

A peeling and flaking stain suggest that the existing stain is film forming. If this is the existing stain will need to be stripped before restaining with a Resene stain.

There is no easy way to identify an existing mineral oil stain, if this is the case you need to use a mineral oil stain like Wood X.

If it is a penetrating stain it can be finished in Resene Woodsman stain.

December 2020


Q. The clients have a cedar weatherboard house that is approximately 20 years old and has not had any coatings on it what is your recommended practice to prep and stain this? What products should we use?

A. Scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label instructions. Then apply two coats of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil stain.

December 2020


Q.I’ve been asked to repolyurethane a ten year old Lockwood soffit. It’s gone a bit black but generally in good condition which is impressive considering it’s right on a Kapiti beach. I remember we used to use an anti-fungal side polyurethane that you could only buy in bulk.

A.Suggest that you first treat the surface with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions to see if the black mould can be treated. The mould may be growing under the polyurethane film and, if this is the case, stripping is the only way to address the mould.

The only system would be to sand the existing clear polyurethane to profile for recoating and apply three coats of Resene Qristal semi-gloss with fungicide added to each coat.

November 2020


Q.We are looking at a house stained in an oil base red. We would like to stain much lighter.

A.Stains are semi-transparent which means that when re coated the final colour will be influenced by the base stain colour. You cannot go from a dark coloured stain to a lighter stain colour and achieve the lighter stain colour. You can choose a darker option though.

September 2020


Q. We have a few outdoor projects to complete. We are wondering what is the best stain to use on a playhouse?

A. For exterior surfaces use Resene Waterborne Woodsman.

September 2020


Q. Do you have a product that leaves a wet look on brick? We recently had paint blasted off a brick wall and it has left it dull.

A. Apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel and leave to cure for at least 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on Clear Wet Look. While developed for a foot trafficable surface it can be used for vertical surfaces.

August 2020


Q. We have macrocarpa weatherboards on our house that were sealed with a natural oil. It looked great for a start but black mould has badly discoloured the surface. We have cleaned it once with an oxygen cleaner and re-oiled it, only to have the mould return within a few months. We would like to retain the look of macrocarpa, but the ongoing issues with black mould are causing us to reconsider. Do you have any suggestions? Either for oil with a mould inhibitor, or a stain with an inhibitor?

A. Some oils are a natural food source for mould. Treat the boards with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions to kill the black mould. Depending upon the level of mould infestation more than one application may be required. Then apply Resene Woodsman Wood Oil in a colour that is close to the original macrocarpa colour.

August 2020


Q. I have a feature brick wall that runs from exterior through to interior and I'm looking for a clear gloss finish to use that doesn't have a full on smell - which products should I use?

A. Based on the assumption that the bricks are unglazed, apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel and leave to cure for at least two days then apply a coat of Resene Concrete Clear Gloss thinned 10% with water then follow with two unthinned coats.

August 2020


Q. I have recently purchased a cedar weatherboard house. I’m unsure when it was last oiled/stained so I have just applied two coats of Resene Woodsman solventborne. Can I ask when is the best time to do another coat? I've heard mixed things, some say within six months, others say one year. There is very minor cupping/warping on the western facing side on one or two boards that get a lot of sun.

A. On average, the stain will need reapplication every third summer, exposed elevations such as the northern elevation may require maintenance sooner.

Warping/cupping is a colour related issue, once it has occurred the dimensional changes cannot be reversed.

June 2020


Q. Can solventborne Resene Concrete Stain be used over fibre cement facades?

A. While there is no technical reason why Resene Concrete Stain can't be used on fibre cement, the product has not been designed for application to vertical surfaces. Where there is overlap, there will be a darker colour.

May 2020


Q. I used a light grey grout-cement but I should have chosen a darker grey because the resulting colour is too light, almost a white-grey. The situation is two long strips approx. 60mm wide with very dark river pebbles as a decorative strip in light concrete pavers. I need to stain the grout around the pebbles a darker grey. I do not want it to look like paint, it must soak into the cement so that it looks like the cement was a dark colour originally.

A. The only concrete stain we have is Resene Concrete Stain, but the only dark stain colour is black. However the stain is semi-transparent so, when applied over grey concrete, it will not necessarily look black.

May 2020


Q. I have a shed on our farm which I want to smarten up. It is on view from parts of the garden. It is clad with a cheap grooved marine ply. It was originally stained (8-10 years ago) to match the cedar house using Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain exterior colour. The surface has been scratched by foliage and snail tracks. I started to coat it using the 'house' stain but quickly realised that this product is too transparent to adequately cover the greyed damaged areas. Several coats on a trail area do not solve the problem. What product would you recommend? This is an old shed and I had hoped to quickly coat it simply to improve its appearance. I like using stains because they retain the old rough look without sheen.

A. When it comes to very old timbers staining is a better option to application of a solid colour paint system. Treat the timber with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions. Then scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label instructions, using a stiff nylon brush/broom. This should give a clean sound surface for restaining with Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain. Alternatively you could use Resene Waterborne Woodsman stain, this does give a more painted look but is easy to use and is water clean-up.

May 2020


Q. I have an existing cedar weatherboard house. It needs repainting and there are some green mossy bits. I believe it was previously oiled.

A. Treat areas of mould/algae with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions, then scrub down the whole area to be restained using Resene Timber and Deck Wash (do not allow the wash solution to dry out on any surface) again to label instructions. Then apply two coats of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain.

May 2020


Q. I am staining my old cedar cladding in Resene Waterborne Woodsman Pitch Black. After two coats I’m still seeing some brown hues of the cedar. Are there any risks/issues of applying a third coat?

The cedar cladding is in good condition for its age. The cedar board are a mix of grades including dressed, rough sawn, and a mix of the two. The stain looks great where the cedar is dressed, but it's the rough sawn (particularly where the grain lines run deep) that the brown is still showing.

A. There is no technical reason why you cannot apply a third coat. Stains are semi-transparent so the base timber colour is expected to ‘grin’ through the coats of stain colour.

April 2020


Q. I have a painter who has just fully sanded a cedar garage door back to the bare wood. I believe it was a varnish of sorts. I am unsure whether to specify an oil based stain or a water based one.

A. Unless the existing clear coat is completely removed by sanding staining may not be 100% successful as the stain penetration will possibly be compromised. If the removal can be achieved I would recommend using Resene Woodsman Wood Oil for staining.

February 2020


Q. We have just bought a house that is clad in rusticated weatherboard and has previously been stained black with creosote several times. From what I can find on the internet I seem to have no option but to keep applying creosote. Nasty stuff that it is! Is that the case or can I stain over the creosote? It was last stained over 10 years ago I believe.

A. Resene Waterborne Woodsman may be applied to an old weathered creosote stain.

February 2020


Q. Can I apply Resene Waterborne Woodsman CoolColour stain to a house using a sprayer?

A. In principle yes but care is required to avoid runs. The other advantage of brush application is that the force of brushing assists in penetration of the first coat of stain. Spray application on the other hand gently deposits the wet stain on the surface.

January 2020


Q. Am I able to stain two different coloured Resene Woodsman penetrating oil stains on top of each other?

A. There is no technical reason why you cannot apply two different stain colours of the same stain. However stains are semi-transparent which means the colour you get after the second coat is influenced by the underlying stain colour.

December 2019


Q. What do I use to get a stained finish on the woodgrained vertical cement cladding of new extension Axon by James Hardie?

A. The Resene Forester system is application of a solid base colour followed by two coats of the Resene Forester glaze colour. It will give you the stained timber look.

December 2019


Q. My two year old oil stained cedar is fading and dirty black. Please advise remedy.

A. The black areas are mould growth, treat using Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions, then apply two coats of Resene Woodsman wood oil stain. If the existing stain is a mineral oil based stain then you would need to use a mineral oil based stain for restaining.

December 2019


Q. We'd like to change the colour of the exterior bricks on our home but don't want to paint them. Is Resene Concrete Stain suitable for this application?

A. Resene Concrete Stain was developed for application to a horizontal surface. While you can apply to a vertical surface it may be difficult to achieve an even colour. The stain is semi-transparent which means that areas of overlap will have a more intense colour. The stain is usually reapplied every third summer to maintain aesthetics on a horizontal surface. On a vertical surface this may extend to 4-5 years. The northern elevation which receives more intense weathering may require maintenance earlier than the other elevations.

December 2019


Q. I am replacing the cedar weather boards beneath my kitchen windows (north facing). My builder has suggested that I stain the inside of the boards first. Should I do this?

A. Envelope sealing is a sound idea for new weatherboards as this helps to control changes in the moisture level of the timber.

December 2019


Q. I need some quick ways to improve my home for resale but I don’t have the time or money to do a full exterior repaint. What do you recommend for some quick improvements?

A. The key is to make a good first impression so people aren’t turned off when they drive by for a look or before they get in the front door.

  • Front door – paint in a bold colour, update the handle potentially. Generally only 1-2 litres of paint is needed.
  • Stain/paint letterbox if needed. Often you can use up leftover paint or else use the same paint you plan to use elsewhere on your home exterior. Paint needed would be 500ml or less – cost would be under $50 – best done when using the paint for other projects also so you don’t end up with leftovers.
  • Wash down pathways etc leading to front door – e.g. with products like Resene Paint Prep and Housewash or Resene Deep Clean – if you are not selling for a while, as Resene Deep Clean works over a longer period of time.
  • Wash your exterior paintwork down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash.
  • Paint exterior planters or similar to decorate entranceway/deck areas. Can seal terracotta pots with Resene Terracotta Sealer then paint with Resene Testpots. Generally best to do multiple pots at one time (to avoid too much leftover paint). Good thing is that they add colour without being permanent.
  • Stain decks – generally most decks take 4L-10L only. Prep is normally easy and just requires a wash down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash. You can also stain outdoor furniture – in most cases using the same product as on the deck (depending on what is chosen).
  • If your garage door is prominent re-stain or paint it. Generally needs up to 2L of paint or stain. Often can use the same stain as the deck (e.g. Resene Kwila Timber Stain can be used) depending on what is being used.

December 2019


Q. It is time to paint external thin pine cladding that previously had linseed oil applied five years ago so it is well dried out and needing paint. I want to do a dark brown stain and am wondering which stains would be suited?  Also what pre-application preparation I might need to do?

A. Treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions then scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions.  Then apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman wood stain.

November 2019

Q. I want to clear seal a sand/cement plastered concrete block wall. Should I use one coat Resene Solventborne Aquapel and two coats Resene XC-700?

A. The Resene XC-700 system was developed for concrete masonry walls.

This is not to say that it cannot be used for solid plaster, based on the analogy with Resene XC-700, two coats of Resene XC-700 applied over the plaster system to which Resene Solventborne Aquapel has been applied should be sufficient coating.

However I would apply a final coat (three coats of Resene XC-700) to be safe. Apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel and leave to cure for at least 48 hours before overcoating.

November 2019

Q. I am currently doing the design for a Firth brick veneer cladding house and it is advised that we clear seal the cladding, I was just wondering what product/system you would recommend?

A. We recommend Resene Concrete Clear as a clear seal coat option. The first coat must be the gloss.

November 2019

Q. Looking online I found a product perfect for what I need – it’s called Resene Sun Defier, however it is nowhere to be found? Any possibility Resene have any in stock? If all else fails, what would be the next best thing? I have some carvings that will be painted and it wouldn’t hurt to add extra protection particularly from UV damage.

A. Resene Sun Defier has been replaced by Resene Clearcoat UVS. This product has the same function but uses a different resin system.

October 2019


Q. We are seeking advice to specify a clear sealer for the exposed concrete block and tilt-up concrete walls, for our proposed new build in a sea spray zone.

A. The only system we would offer would be Resene XC-700.

October 2019


Q. We have a 7 year old house that has board and batten, with dark stain (Resene Sheer Black) as the dominant colour. It’s due for a second re-stain this coming summer but we are considering going down the paint route for ease of maintenance. The wood is in good condition.

What would we need to do to change from stain to paint?

A. The standard Resene system for conversion of a Resene stain to a solid colour system is as follows: treat areas of mould/algae with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions. Then scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash, diluted and used to label instructions. Allow the timber to dry.

Apply as full coat of Resene Wood Primer followed by two coats of a Resene exterior waterborne tinted topcoat, for dark colours the CoolColour version of the topcoat colour is recommended.

A Resene CoolColour system will not render the painted surface cool to touch, but the CoolColour system will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool pigment technology.

Dark colours may cause the rapid drying of damp timber with the ensuing danger of warping, though this effect will be lessened when a CoolColour is selected in place of a standard colour. The CoolColour system will reduce but not eliminate heat related stress on the substrate.

The success of the conversion will really depend upon how much residual stain remains after the clean down steps.

October 2019


Q. Could you please recommend a suitable stain for hardwood decking? Preferably for Accoya wood.

A. Stain penetration into dense hardwoods can be an issue. We recommend washing the timber using Resene Timber and Deck Wash before staining.

I would recommend Resene Woodsman Wood Oil for this application.

October 2019


Q. We've recently bought a 1990 house with cedar weatherboards which were stained, but maintenance wasn't kept up and a few boards are quite worn and cupped.

I cleaned the house with Resene Timber and Deck Wash, which removed some of the old stain. The staff at my local Resene ColorShop said I'd have to sand the boards down, which I've started.

My questions are:

  1. With weathered boards such as mine, would it matter whether I stained or painted?
  2. How do you think paint would look on weathered boards such as ours?
  3. Would I need to apply anything before staining?

A. There will be significant weathering of the original stain and the cedar. Stains are high maintenance, the maintenance interval depends upon the degree of weather exposure that hits the stained substrate.

While application of a solid paint finish would extend the maintenance time application to weathered cedar it would carry a risk of paint failure.

The easiest option would be to restain, scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash following label instructions then apply two coats of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain.

October 2019


Q. What can the lowest daily temperature be when painting oil based wood stain on a deck?

A. Application must be above the dew point conditions: the atmospheric temperature (varying according to pressure and humidity) below which water droplets begin to condense and dew can form.

Dew point is not easy to determine without access to a set of specific equipment.

The dew point requirements can presumed to be satisfied if a thin, clearly defined film of water applied to a surface with a damp cloth evaporates within 15 minutes. This can be a bit tricky on timber as the water film will be absorbed. Recommend application if the air temperature is above 5 degrees and rising.

October 2019


Q. My house is partially clad with cedar and the last owner told me he used tung oil on the timber but the timber has a darker finish.  Can you add stain after tung oil has been added to cedar?

A. The application of the tung oil (and there may have been multiple applications) will cross link seal the timber to an extent which can compromise stain adhesion/penetration. The darkness may be due to mould growth so as a first suggestion wash down the oiled areas using Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions.

October 2019

Q. We built our house in 2002 and used Resene products throughout, however we have dressed macrocarpa external fascia and barge boards which were coated with a different wood oil stain. I have recoated the fascia and barge boards with this product every 2 years since 2002 to retain the protection and look of these timber features. In the last 3-4 years the stain has started to bubble and peel on areas of the barge boards which are most exposed to the sun and the problem is becoming worse. While I realise it is necessary to sand back to the original timber, I am reluctant to reapply the stain because there will be a mismatch between the colour of the re-stained barge boards and the fascia, as the multiple coats of stain over the years have made the timber a rich dark brown colour.

Do you have a suitable stain or other product which can be colour matched to the fascia which do not require recoating?

Alternatively, I am considering sanding back and painting the affected areas and note that your Resene Brown Pod colour is a close match. Would you recommend this and if so, which products and application would you suggest? Do you have any other recommendations?

A. We regard all stains as high maintenance, in most exposure conditions, a Resene exterior wood stain on average will require recoating every third summer.

When recoating stains, there will be a build-up of colour over time to the extent that the stain colour is no longer semi-transparent and resembles a solid colour. This is the issue you have been seeing.

A complete strip of the existing stain coating and application of a solid colour system is the only way to achieve a long term system that does not require regular maintenance.

Strip the existing stain and sand areas of weathered timber to restore the original timber colour. Apply a full coat of Resene Wood Primer and follow with a full coat of Resene Quick Dry primer. Undercoat then finish with two coats of Resene Sonyx 101 tinted to the Resene CoolColour™ version of the topcoat colour.

October 2019

Q. I have recently bought a cedar clad house and I'm not sure which product has been used on the cedar previously, water/oil/Wood-x based. I understand that I need to use the same product as has been used previously. How do I tell which product it has previously been treated with?

A. It is a huge challenge to definitively differentiate between different stain types.

We see that there are three main stain types, non-film forming, film forming and mineral oil stains (Resene exterior stains are non-film forming). Often film forming stains will peel or flake as their failure mode and this can be used to come to a conclusion on stain type or at least differentiate between a non-film and film forming stain.

Mineral oil stains are the tricky one; they do have excellent penetration into timber and while non film forming they cannot be overcoated with either of the alternative stain types. Despite our best technical efforts we have been unable to develop a method to verify the presence of a mineral oil stain.

Given all of these challenges we have to rely on a can of stain remaining on site in the garage or shed to enable stain identification beyond reasonable doubt.

October 2019

Q. Can a Resene Woodsman solventborne stain be applied over a 5 year old Resene Waterborne Woodsman stain?

A. Yes, treat areas of mould/algae using Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Then apply Resene Timber and Deck Wash again diluted and used to label directions and scrub down using a stiff nylon scrubbing brush or broom, then rinse clean.

Allow to dry then apply the new Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain.

October 2019

Q. We are cladding our house with woodgrain effect fibre cement (BGC Stratum Woodgrain product) which we would like to stain in Heartwood or Light Oak colour to imitate timber. I understand that the best products are Resene Sureseal first, then using Resene Sonyx 101 and finally Resene Forester. I was not able to find Sonyx in either Heartwood or Light Oak colour. Would you please advise whether I am missing something?  Also will using this system cover off any surface imperfections of the fibre cement (i.e. marks, fillers, white prime coat marks, pencil marks etc.)?

A. There is a specific Resene Sonyx 101 base colour to be used in conjunction with the Resene Forester glaze coats to achieve the required topcoat colour effect.

If you apply the full Resene Forester system including the tinted basecoat colour, this should cover most of the defects you describe, however bare fibre cement and filled areas will need to be primed with Resene Concrete Primer before applying the Resene Forester basecoat colour.

October 2019

Q. I wish to paint the exterior of a two storey house, clad with Shadowclad grooved ply and originally coated with what I believe to be water based exterior wood stain. Can you please give advice on the different coat types and number of coats I will need? If it needs to be sealed, is that available in conjunction with an undercoat? I am thinking white for the top storey at this stage.

The stain is old and the timber definitely needs repainting. I would guess it was the original coating which would have been done mid to late 2002. There are no signs of mound or algae, just various sections exposed to the elements fading more than other sections. Apart from that, the cladding is in good condition and weatherproof.

A. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions.

Apply a full coat of Resene Wood Primer and finish with two coats of Resene Lumbersider. If selecting a dark colour, we recommend application of the Resene CoolColour™ version of the topcoat colour. A Resene CoolColour system will not render the painted surface cool to touch, but the CoolColour system will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool pigment technology.

Dark colours may cause the rapid drying of damp timber with the ensuing danger of warping, though this effect will be lessened when a CoolColour is selected in place of a standard colour. The CoolColour system will reduce but not eliminate heat related stress on the substrate.

October 2019

Q. I would like to apply stain to repair concrete – what do you recommend?

A. Application of a stain to concrete that has repairs is a challenge to achieve a finish that does not highlight the concrete repairs, due to the fact that stains are semi-transparent. If the repair material is an exact match to the concrete colour then the differences are reduced.

October 2019

Q. I am currently trying out a Resene wood stain on the exterior of our house which is a solventborne one. When we next stain in a couple of seasons, are we able to stain over the top with the Resene waterborne stain?

A. Yes, as long as the existing stain has undergone weathering for at least 12 months.

June 2019

Q. I have a house with board and batten exterior. It has been stained with Resene Woodsman oil based. It is in good condition and was applied 2 years ago. Can I repaint in acrylic paint? If so, what would the undercoat need to be?

A. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions.

Apply a full coat of Resene Wood Primer and finish with two coats of Resene Sonyx 101 or Resene Lumbersider. Use the Resene CoolColour™ version of the topcoat colour if available. The CoolColour topcoat will not render the painted surface cool to touch but the CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool technology.

June 2019

Q. In the past 20 years we have painted our wooden Fraemohs house three times with an oil-based Resene wood stain (colour light oak). I have just mistakenly bought 10 litres of the water-based version of this stain. Can I apply this on top of the oil-based stain? What preparation do I need to do? It's too large an area to sand and I'm worried about 'peeling'. I've been very happy with the 20 year results of the oil-based stain and wonder whether I have wasted my money and should just go back to buy the oil-based one, although my budget really would make that difficult.

A. Applying the waterborne version of Resene Woodsman over the oil based version is fine and you will achieve a good finish. A normal clean down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash prior to staining is all that's required prior to applying the new stain. Take care not to apply too much as staining is better applied in thinner coats.

May 2019

Q. I would really love some expert advice on our cedar. We built our house about 12 years ago and stained our cedar Resene Natural using your Resene Woodsman range. We gave it another coat about 5 years ago. We live by the sea and over time it appears to have gone darker and really orange! I want to now stain it black but I'm worried if I go over the stain the orange/red tint will still come through? Or do you think it would be ok?

A. You are correct stains being semi-transparent will always reflect the base colour. Given the age of the existing stain there may be reduced amounts of the stain colour remaining after a scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions.

Apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman in the colour you are looking to use. We do sell testpots of the Resene Waterborne Woodsman stain colours so you can apply to a small test area to see what the outcome will be.

March 2019

Q. Is it possible to stain grooved Villa board? The look she is trying to achieve is a wood grain look and while she was looking at the samples of the stains she liked seeing the brushstrokes and the grain.

A. We recommend the Resene Forester system.

March 2019

Q. We are looking to restain our cedar home which currently has Resene Sheer Black on it.  As we have purchased this recently we don't know whether it has been stained with the Resene Woodsman water based or oil based stain.  Thinking it might be water based but not sure. Can we use either, and what is the difference?  Also thinking we should use the CoolColour option? 

A. As long as the existing stain is a Resene Woodsman stain you can use either Resene Woodsman stain version for restaining. Scrub down the existing stain with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions before staining.

February 2019

Q. I am restaining a house and plan on using Resene Waterborne Woodsman CoolColour™ in a black colour. The existing house was stained around five years ago with Resene Waterborne Woodsman but is in very good condition and still has a solid black stain. I plan on using a timber cleaner to wash down and prepare the wood before I stain, but my question is how many coats do I need to apply? It recommends two, however with the existing stain, I'm afraid the second coat won't absorb or am I worrying about nothing?

A. It's difficult to say how many coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman will be required, if the existing stain has not undergone weathering to the extent that a significant amount of the stain has eroded, then only a single coat may be needed. See how much stain remains after the scrub down with the Timber and Deck Wash, as there may be eroded pigment on the surface.

February 2019

Q. My mother has an unstained cedar house built in the 1980s. The boards are looking very dry and are beginning to split in some places. There is mould/algal growth on the south facing wall. It is an orange colour. Part of that wall needs some boards replaced. What products do you suggest to help?

A. Treat areas showing mould/algal growth with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions.

Given the length of time the cladding has been left unprotected, we recommend staining with Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain.

February 2019

Q. We are looking to re-stain our cedar home which currently has Resene Sheer Black on it. As we have purchased this recently we don't know whether it has been stained with the Resene Woodsman waterbased or oil-based stain. Can we use either, and what is the difference? Also thinking we should use the Resene CoolColour option?

A. As long as the existing stain is a Resene Woodsman stain you can use either Resene Woodsman stain version for restaining. Scrub down the existing stain with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions.

January 2019

Q. I would like to get some advice on how to restore our cedar cladding. This would include preparation and coating materials and whether it would be stains or oils.

A. Restoration of the original cedar colour is almost impossible now. Prep involves treating all surfaces with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Then thoroughly scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash, again diluted and used to label directions. Then apply two coats of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain. Staining is higher maintenance but given the degree of weathering, I suggest staining rather than application of a solid paint finish.

January 2019

Q. If I buy a solventborne wood stain or mineral oil stain will it look exactly like the colour chart when stained?

A. The wood colour will effect how the colour looks due to the semi-transparent nature of the products.  All cedar will slowly silver off under semi-transparent stains or oils, and the true colour only comes about after 6-12 months.  This means the colour will usually start darker and then gradually lighten as the timber lightens.
December 2018

Q. If I buy a solventborne wood stain or mineral oil stain will it look exactly like the colour chart when stained?

A. The wood colour will effect how the colour looks due to the semi-transparent nature of the products. All cedar will slowly silver off under semi-transparent stains or oils, and the true colour only comes about after 6-12 months. This means the colour will usually start darker and then gradually lighten as the timber lightens.

December 2018

Q. I am cladding the three posts holding up my front porch in macrocarpa and using macrocarpa sleepers as edging for my garden landscaping. What product should I use to highlight the uniqueness of the macrocarpa? The macrocarpa is top grade, selected from a mill.

A. Our only suggestion is Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain, there are no water white clear systems for exterior timbers so choose a stain colour that is as close to the timber colour as possible. Staining is high maintenance.

December 2018

Q. We are building a new house using band-sawn ply with battens (AlpineClad). We would like to retain a natural timber look that will not require continual maintenance. The site is only 100 metres from the sea.

A. Staining would be the closest to a 'natural' look but given your proximity to the sea and requirement for a low maintenance system, I would not go with staining but a solid colour finish.

November 2018

Q. I am about to clad a house with shadowclad, ply and batten, H3.1 LOSP treated. I want to stain in a Resene Crowshead colour, but looking at stain details am confused which is best. Oil based for timber penetration or waterborne as its film forming and likely to last longer?

A. There is no difference in the maintenance requirements between the two Woodsman versions. Resene Woodsman Wood Oil gives a more traditional stain look.

November 2018

Q. I am looking for some advice on whitewashing cedar exterior cladding. Can you achieve a pale whitewash look with cedar wood or is the pigment too dark/yellow to get this look? I am looking at using the Resene Woodsman Whitewash or would the wood require bleaching?

A. You can use Resene Woodsman Whitewash for exterior cedar but there is the possibility of tannin bleed if the cedar is new. There is more chance of tannin bleed on flat sawn cedar (the more patterned cedar profile). Tannin bleed is an orange brown stain that is extracted from the cedar when a waterborne paint/stain is applied. The staining only occurs with the initial application to new cedar and does weather off as the stain weathers.

November 2018

Q. Can exterior plywood, board and batten be stained black? Do you have the correct product to use and appropriate instructions?

A. Yes to staining, as long as the cladding does not constitute a bracing element. Use Resene Waterborne Woodsman in a Resene CoolColour™.

November 2018

Q. The weatherboards on the house are creosote stained. Does that have to be stripped off if a different stain is used? The creosote weatherboards date back to 1949, with creosote having been reapplied at intervals since. I cannot remember the last time it was done, but I would guess at least 20 years ago so it is now very much in need of being redone. Some moss and mould needs to be cleaned off parts, other parts are still quite good in appearance.

We would prefer to keep to creosote, but it is not easy to source and painters are not keen!

A. Scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions, and then if you want to stay with a stained finish, apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman. For a paint option, two coats of Resene Lumbersider CoolColour if you are looking to stay with a dark colour. The Resene CoolColour™ topcoat will not render the painted surface cool to touch, but the Resene CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool technology. This will reduce heat related stress on the existing creosote stain.

September 2018

Q. On the exterior of our home we have painted cement board horizontal panels with wood grain effect: can I make them look more like they are cedar or like timber by painting over them with Resene Forester? They have been painted in the past with Resene Lustacryl White Pointer.

A. Yes this is possible. You will need to apply a Resene Sonyx 101 tinted base coat colour for the Resene Forester system first then apply the two coats of Resene Forester.

April 2018

Q. Which of the Resene wood stain products are suitable for use on hardwood flooring? We've got a 1930s bungalow and under the carpet is tongue-in-groove hardwood flooring. We're DIY novices but would like to sand back this flooring, apply a stain, and then seal. Which products would you suggest?

A. Resene Colorwood stain is the only interior stain we recommend, then topcoat with three coats of Resene Aquaclear.

February 2018

Q. Could you please advise if you have a clear coating system that could be used for exposed, in-situ concrete walls in residential construction to ensure water-tightness?

A. We recommend Resene XC-700.

The concrete surface to be painted really needs to be of a uniform finish, especially free of bug holes. The Resene XC-700 System is a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel and then three coats of XC-700 applied to data sheet coverage rates. The system should not need recoating until year 10 and as long as there is no water ingress issues, the coating can be recoated either with Resene XC-700 or Resene Concrete Clear.

An annual wash-down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash used to label directions is recommended.

January 2018

Q. I was wondering how often a stain finish would need to be applied if staining cedar weatherboards a dark grey colour. Would this be a year, two or five year sort of thing?

A. The stain colour has only a minimal effect upon recoat interval. We recommend applying the Resene CoolColour™ version of the stain colour if dark stain colours are used.

Resene exterior stains are designed to erode upon weathering; the higher the degree of weathering such as would occur on a northern elevation the faster the erosion.

On average a maintenance coat is required every third summer but this can be shorter due to environment.

December 2017

Q. We are needing to restain our house which has cedar weatherboards (using Resene Waterborne Woodsman stain), and I am wondering if there is a better approach (quality of finish and time it takes) than the good old paint brush approach? For example I have heard of people using airless spray guns.

What is your recommendation on the best method of application?

A. The stain as supplied is at a low viscosity. Airless spray delivers a large volume of liquid to the surface, so there may be a propensity for runs to develop.

December 2017

Q. I have a new build home, made of brick and dressed shiplap cedar. The cedar areas were covered with Wood-X Haast. While cleaning my aluminium garage door, I have noticed that the surrounding cedar’s Wood-X finish is also ‘rubbing off’. A rinse and light brush with a soft bristled broom takes the cedar back to bare wood. Has this been an application error? Is this normal?

A. I have discussed this with our Wood X technical contact at Herman Pacific and they have advised:

Depending upon how much was applied, 20 months is around the time that you would look at applying a maintenance coat/s depending on facing, timber finish and grain type etc. The rubbing off is the fibres and the pigment on the surface. The oil component has continued to soak into the timber.

The correct application is to apply a coat and leave for 6 weeks plus to allow the oil to fully penetrate into the timber then apply a second coat.

December 2017

Q. I have a Hardiplank woodgrain weatherboard that I have been staining over the years with a primer and a film forming finish. This product has been discontinued and I am looking for another product to continue with. What do you recommend?

A. Resene Forester is the only product we offer for this application.

December 2017

Q. Do you have a sealant suitable for a clear finish for existing block paving, including a moss deterrent?

A. We recommend Resene Walk-on Clear or Resene Walk-on Concrete Clear Wet Look. These are the two clear products we have, neither contain a moss deterrent. We recommend an annual or biannual treatment with Resene Deep Clean diluted and used to label instructions to control bio growth on a painted surface.

December 2017

Q. Can you tell me what steps I should take to apply paint over Wood-X successfully, rather than keep using Wood-X?

A. Sorry but once a Wood-X type stain has been used it cannot be painted over or stained with a different product. The product is based on a non-drying penetrative mineral oil and a waterborne product will not adhere to the surface properly and solventborne products reactivate the oil.

December 2017

Q. I need some advice for staining my house please. It’s cedar and hasn’t be done for 15 years. Very faded and dry,

A. Apply Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Then scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash again diluted and used to label directions then apply two coats of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil stain.

December 2017

Q. I am looking at a product to go over natural Shadowclad®. I want to achieve a flat look that resembles the appearance of a stain to show natural wood textures. What should I use? I want to use a charcoal black.

A. Resene Woodsman Pitch Black CoolColour™ would be our recommendation; two coats are required. Note that while the strain is semi-transparent from a distance the colour may well look like a solid colour.

November 2017

Q. Our house was completed four years ago. It has 109 sq m of Shadowclad. Resene Woodsman Iroko, penetrating oil stain was used. The colour has faded quite a lot and I suspect that workmanship may be the cause. I have recoated one elevation of 13.5 sq m using Resene Iroko bought last year. The colour is noticeably different from the product used by the original painters, even though it is the same code from the same shop. The elevation that I painted, took approximately 4 litres and I applied it by brush using horizontal and vertical strokes to ensure good coverage. We wish to continue to repaint the entire house and wonder if the product we have used is the correct product, or should we use a paint system. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

A. All wood stains, including Resene Woodsman, are considered high maintenance vs a paint.

The maintenance interval is determined by exposure conditions, the stain is designed to weather/erode from the surface and typically the northern elevation, has a greater erosion rate than other elevations.

Depending upon the underlying timber colour and remaining stain colour and the thickness of the new stain, there may well be colour differences between old and newly stained colours.

October 2017

Q. Our home has Oamaru Stone as a cladding, can you recommend a product to kill moss and a sealer?

A. Use Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions to kill moss. Then apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel. To help control bio grow, apply Resene Deep Clean at the beginning of spring each year.

August 2017

Q. Can timber stained with a similar mineral oil stain, be overcoated with a waterborne or solventborne wood stain?

A. Unfortunately mineral oil stains by definition do not dry or cure as traditional wood stains do: so if you subsequently apply a coat of solventborne or waterborne stain there is a likelihood of bubbling and flaking. You can only apply “like for like’, so mineral oil can be applied over itself and other mineral oil stains.

July 2017

Q. We have a previously stained weatherboard house. We would like to paint the house a lighter colour using Resene Woodsman. Can you please advise us if this is possible or would we have to put a darker colour on?

A. Stains are semi-transparent which means that the final stain colour will always be moderated changed by the existing colour to which the stain is applied; this can be timber or an existing stain colour. Given this, it is difficult using a stain to lighten an existing stain colour. Dark over light does work but not light over dark.

July 2017

Q. Can I put a waterborne stain over a solventborne stain on exterior woodwork?

A. If both are Resene Woodsman stains, then yes, the existing stain will need to have weathered for two years before recoating with the waterborne version.

July 2017

Q. I am planning to paint my Shadowclad® Ultra with Resene Forester timber stain. Can you tell me if I have to coat both sides of the Shadowclad Ultra?

A. As with all exterior timber substrates it should be envelope sealed. Cut edges will need to be primed, as will the back of the Shadowclad Ultra if it does not come preprimed. You would not need to apply Resene Forester timber stain coating to the back of the Shadowclad Ultra.

June 2017

Q. I am building a house and am looking for a product to paint over the exterior walls which are timber look Hardiplank®. I am after a stained timber look as opposed to painted finish. Hardiplank® says that using a wood stain will instantly void the warranty. I have heard you have a product that looks like a stain that won't void the warranty.

A. We recommend Resene Forester.

June 2017

Q. Our painters have asked me if we want the cedar shingles painter or stained. These were installed 20 years ago and are now a dark brown to black. They have never been painted or stained. If I agree to paint, what steps do I need to tell the painters to take prior to painting or staining? And, what stain or paint should we use? They have a stain chart of yours and have asked what colour I want and I just don't know whether to go ahead or not.

A. The black colour is without a doubt, mould growth and will need to be treated with Resene Moss & Mould Killer before staining or painting. Given the age of the shingles, I would go for staining rather than painting with a film forming pigmented paint system.

May 2017

Q. Can Resene Forester, be used on CHH Shadowclad Ultra (which has a type of powder coat primer)?

A Yes, as long as the primer colour is the one to use under the Resene Forester system.

May 2017

Q. I have cedar cladding that looks in an ok condition - no obvious cupping etc. We have water and wind leaking through the south wall in a strong storm. The cedar has not been maintained and left to grey off naturally. Will stain help, or would painting give us a better ‘seal’?

A. Correctly installed cedar weatherboards should provide a weathertight cladding, even over an extended period. Unless there is cracking of the weatherboard face, to allow water ingress, there should be no water ingress. The best idea is to investigate the reason for the moisture first.

May 2017

Q. I have a cedar house that was stained with a dark brown oil stain, I don’t know what type. I want to paint it but I am concerned that going from dark to light will not have the best finish. Will it show through?

A. A fully pigmented paint system will cover the old stain colour. Scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions. Then apply a full coat of Resene Wood Primer and finish with two coats of any Resene exterior waterborne topcoat paint. If using a dark coloured topcoat, then use the Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour. CoolColours are not cool to touch but reflect more heat than the same colour made using non cool pigments. There remains a degree of risk given that we cannot establish the existing stain type.

May 2017

Q. I am after some advice on a concrete sealer. Our house is built of concrete block and tilt slab - it is almost 6 years old and needs resealing and waterproofing. What is the best product to use for a clear finish?

A. Resene XC-700 System Treatment with Resene SB Aquapel will give a water repellent system, but not a weathertight system. The Resene XC-700 can be applied to both masonry and tilt slab. To function as a weathertight system, a saturation coat of Resene SB Aquapel needs to be first applied and if there is a sealer present then this cannot be achieved.

April 2017

Q. I am after some advice on concrete sealer. Our house is built of concrete block and tilt slab. It is almost six years old and needs resealing and waterproofing. What is the best product to use for a clear finish?

A. We recommend a Resene XC-700 system treatment with Resene Solventborne Aquapel, which will give a water repellant system but not weathertight system.

April 2017

Q. CHH Wood products recommend the use of Shadowclad® Ultra where suitable paint or film forming stains are being used.

It goes on to say, Shadowclad® Ultra is not suitable for use with penetrating stains. The selection, application and maintenance of coatings are the responsibility of the building owners and the professionals that they engage. For advice on specific coating systems and their suitability for use with Shadowclad® Ultra, always refer to the coating manufacturer.

Can you please advise what would be the recommended stain we would use from Resene for the Shadowclad® Ultra product?

A. This comes from the ShadowClad® Ultra installation guide: Penetrating Stains - Penetrating stains show the natural texture and character of timber and are widely used on Shadowclad® exterior cladding.

Penetrating stains offer less protection for panels from exterior weathering than paints and film forming stains which are considerably thicker in surface film build. Due to their translucency, penetrating stains are likely to require additional coating maintenance during the panel’s life to maintain an acceptable visual appearance.

Penetrating stains should only be used on Shadowclad® Natural and are not recommended for use on Shadowclad® Ultra.

CHH Woodproducts does not recommend the use of linseed oil based coatings, which have the potential to promote mould growth in this product. However, if you want a film forming stain finish then you can use Resene Forester.

April 2017

Q. We have recently looked over a log construction residence which is for sale. The timber is Canadian oregon and cedar. The property is located on the West Coast of the South Island. Despite the wet climate the timber looked parched and lifeless, if we were to purchase this property, what would you suggest using to bring life back to the timber? The property is 28 years old and the timber is in its natural look.

A. Oregon (Douglas-fir) heartwood is rated as Class 3 durability and can be used for above-ground purposes, but the sapwood is non-durable. The timber cannot be pressure treated with copper, chromium and arsenic (CCA), but can be boron treated to Hazard Classes H3.1 and H1.2. If the Oregon timbers are exterior and the age of the construction, then there is a high degree of possibility in the West Coast climate, that the timber may be at the end of or exceeded the recognised durability for this timber species. To slow the rate of timber breakdown we recommend you stain it using Resene Woodsman Wood Oil but all stains require regular maintenance to maintain performance.

April 2017

Q. I stained my macrocarpa cladding with Resene oil stain three years ago. I now want to paint over this. Can I paint right over it, or will it blister if I do not use an undercoat first? The stain is still in a pretty good condition.

A. Scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions then apply a full coat of Resene Wood Primer and finish with two coats of any Resene exterior waterborne topcoat. We suggest that if using a dark coloured topcoat that the Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour is used. The CoolColour paint will not make the painted surface cool to touch but will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool pigmentation.

March 2017

Q. Can you just clear coat weatherboard if you want a natural wood look as a feature or is it meant to be painted?

A. No we don't recommend clear coating as it doesn't protect the timber. Pick a Resene Woodsman stain colour close to your existing timber colour - that will then provide some extra protection without too much colour change.

February 2017

Q. In regards to your Resene GraffitiShield product, is it worth recoating a surface that has had the surface coated, say a year prior?

A. The clear coats correctly applied in the correct manner are stable, recoating is only required if the surface has been regularly cleaned using a graffiti cleaner.

February 2017

Q. I am looking at cladding my whole house with kwila and staining it with Resene Waterborne Woodsman. Is it a good idea to bulk Resene Timber and Deck Wash and pressure wash, then apply two coats before nailing up (to allow for shrinkage)? Also can I bulk apply using an airless spray gun? If so what tip should I use?

A. Kwila is a very dense timber and when new does not allow stains to achieve penetration into the timber surface. Kwila also has a water soluble tannin extract that when the timber is new and then wetted will run off and discolour concrete and the like. Our recommendation for staining Kwila is to leave the timber to weather for 2-3 months to open up the timber surface then stain, or alternatively scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions (this will wash out tannins) then stain. To get the best outcome recommend both.

January 2017

Q. I have applied a Resene Pitch Black stain and it looks thicker, more ‘paint like’, than expected.

A. Stain uptake is a function of timber porosity, within a section of timber there are early and late wood sections, the latter are denser and stain uptake is less than other areas. Waterborne stains do tend to give a more painted look compared to a solvent borne stain.

January 2017

Q. Could you please advise me what product to use to seal unpainted concrete blocks? They have been laid for 10 years so are quite dirty with salt stain from mortar and mould etc. I want to leave them natural but would like to tidy them up and seal them to keep looking good.

A. We would normally recommend a solid paint finish for this situation. The only suggestion which will retain a natural look is to remove all loose efflorescence by power wire brushing then apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel.

January 2017

Q. What is the difference between the Wood-X stain and the Resene Woodsman oil? I want to paint cedar in Queenstown and like the Heartwood (Woodsman) stain but have heard maybe it's not as good quality as Wood-X range?

A. The key differences are the binder (resin system) and the mode of failure. Wood-X is based on a non-drying mineral oil that penetrates into the substrate. Woodsman is also based on a vegetable oil and does not achieve the same depth of timber impregnation that Wood-X does. Resene Woodsman is designed to fail by erosion of the stain off the coated substrate and is easy to restain or you can change to another product type in the future. Wood-X does not erode off the surface and once coated with Wood-X you will need to use the same product for future maintenance.

December 2016

Q. I wonder if you could give me some tips about exterior stains. We have light coloured bare timber weatherboards that we would like to retain their colour - i.e. we don't want to change the colour with a stain. Is there a Resene product that acts like a clear stain?

A. Sorry no clear water white exterior coating, this type of clear gives no protection to the timber and the bond between the clear and timber would break resulting in flaking of the clear layer. We recommend you choose a stain colour close to your timber colour.

December 2016

Q. The house I am hoping to buy is early 70s, vertical redwood on exterior with a brown stain which I find most unattractive. I do love a mid-century look though, and wondered if the wood can be re-stained in black maybe...

A. Semi-transparent stains will always allow the basecoat to show through and this will affect the colour of the topcoat stain. You can re-stain but you would need to test colours to see how the base colour affects the new colour.

December 2016

Q. We have plastered walls with painted stone externally. As the house is pre 1900 it does not have a dampproof course. To prevent wicking of ground moisture we need to paint internally with a breathable paint so that the walls remain porous. Can you advise us what to use. We are reluctant to use Resene Sureseal to prevent wicking? It is Oamaru stone.

A. We have had a long standing position re application of a film forming paint system to this substrate. The stone is weak cohesively and while we can reinforce the surface the reinforcement does not extend deep into the stone surface and there is a great potential for cohesive failure of the stone to occur within solid paint systems. Our only recommendation is to apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel which is a water repellent treatment.

December 2016

Q. How do I identify what stains are film and non-film forming? Also the oil mineral binding type of stain is that just an oil based stain?

A. If the stain was film forming there is usually signs of flaking or detachment, apart from that it is very difficult to ID the stain type. There is no easy way to identify mineral oil stains. Often the best way to identify it is to see what cans of paint and stain have been left in a garage by the previous owner or painter.

December 2016

Q. Given I am looking at cladding my whole house with Kwila and staining it with Resene Waterborne Woodsman, is it a good idea to bulk Resene Timber and Deck Wash and pressure wash, then apply two coats before nailing up (to allow for shrinkage)? Also can I bulk apply using an airless spray gun? If so what tip should I use?

A. Kwila is a very dense timber and when new does not allow stains to achieve penetration into the timber surface. Kwila also has a water soluble tannin extract that when the timber is new and then wetted it will run off and discolour concrete and the like.

Our recommendation for staining Kwila is to leave the timber to weather for 2-3 months to open up the timber surface then stain, or alternatively scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions (this will wash out tannins) then stain. To get the best outcome you can do both.

December 2016

Q. How can you keep the rustic look on metals i.e. doors or sheets of metal without it rusting further but providing a clear coating to protect against the elements?

A. Our best recommendation is applying Resene Waterborne Aquapel which should give good water beading for up to a year. Repeat as necessary. A sealer of any kind tends to change the look of the surface though so always best to try a sample area first in an inconspicuous area to make sure the finish is ok before proceeding.

October 2016

Q. What is the best system to recommend for a clear coat to protect exterior brick/plaster/concrete but keep the natural look?

A. Use Resene Solventborne Aquapel followed by Resene Concrete Clear.

October 2016

Q. Which product adheres better to stone aggregate? Resene Concrete Wax, Resene Uracryl 400 series or Resene Concrete Clear?

A. Resene Concrete Wax and Resene Concrete Clear.

October 2016

Q. I have cedar weatherboards and am looking for as natural as possible a finish.

A. We don't recommend clear finishes for exterior timber as it does not provide enough protection to the timber. Many customers use the Woodsman ‘Natural’ finish. Another option is to choose the Resene wood stain colour closest to the timber colour you have so that once applied it enhances the existing colour of the timber. E.g. We have a colour Cedar which might suit better if you want the more redder look of cedar. As timber varies so greatly in the way it accepts the stain, the best way to judge whether you like it is with a testpot.

October 2016

Q. I want to clear seal unpainted Hardiplank®. What should I use, and how long can I expect it to last before needing to recoat it? The cladding has been in place approx. 25 years and has never been painted. I was going to wash it down with bleach as it has slight mildew patches. I would like to seal it without painting to keep the slightly rustic look.

A. The only possibility is to apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel.

This is not technically a sealer but does give water repellence in all but driving rain. It will not dramatically change the look of the cladding

October 2016

Q. I have a cedar bach that we are currently extending. The existing cedar hasn't been treated for years and is dry and showing various shades of colour. What products and techniques can I use to protect both the new and the old cedar? I prefer the natural coloured look of cedar. I understand the two cedars will always be different but is there any way they can be made more alike and weather together?

A. The dark cedar colour is due to mould infestation. Treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Then scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions. Then apply two coats of Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain.

September 2016

Q. We are looking to build in the near future and we will have ply exterior cladding. We would really like to paint or stain this black. Some people have advised us against this. Is it possible to achieve this and if so what would be the best way to do this?

A. You can stain using Resene Waterborne Woodsman CoolColour™; this will give increased heat reflection but not render the surface cool to touch. Black absorbs almost all of the incoming infra-red radiation (heat) from the sun and this can place stress on the cladding system. Resene CoolColour technology reduces this but does not guarantee there will be no heat related issues. Selection of black as the finish colour will almost certainly see a more frequent re application of the stain on the north and westerly elevations.

September 2016

Q. I want to stain woodgrain Hardiplank®. What should I use?

A. Resene Forester.

August 2016

Q. We're building a new house with dressed pine cladding which we want to leave unpainted to develop a grey weathered look. On the north face some areas of weatherboard will be shaded by verandas in summer, so to avoid a patchy effect we're interested in CoolColourResene Waterborne Woodsman oil stain in Resene Riverstone for a temporary overall grey colour while we wait for the sun to do it naturally. We don't want to be restaining every few years. Will there be any adverse effects using this product?

A. Our climate conditions will always see mould growth appear on uncoated timber. This can be controlled by a biannual application of Resene Deep Clean but this will only be effective on areas that receive regular rain washing. Application of the Resene Woodsman stain will give an effect similar to natural weathering but if the stained areas are not subject to direct weathering then the stained effect will remain essentially unchanged and this may result in a visual difference between the stained and weathered sections.

June 2016

Q. Can I stain/colour house bricks with a mix of mineral turps and oxide?

A. Sorry but no you need a resin binder to hold the pigment as a film. You could use Resene Concrete Stain.

June 2016

Q. We have a Cedar home which has been previously coated with a wood stain. However, I am not sure exactly which was used as we have left over tins of both oil based and water based wood stains. Which Resene products can we use for re-staining and what is the best way to prep the surface? Areas which have had the most sun exposure appear very weathered but areas in the shade are still in very good condition.

A. Scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and used to label directions then apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman. It will be difficult to achieve a uniform colour on all elevations as the colour after application of the Woodsman stain will be influenced by the existing residual colour.

June 2016

Q. Is a U.V. protection coating advised on the painted cement and plaster of an exposed statue made of cement bricks? This is a new structure and due to constraints in access, because of its height, we are exploring the possibilities for less frequent repainting.

A. If the topcoat paint is an exterior waterborne coating then probably not. However a coat of Resene Clearcoat UVS will protect the pigmented paint from erosion and U.V.

June 2016

Q. We have just bought an old red brick house and were advised by the builder inspector that the old bricks need to be 'sealed' to make them more weathertight. What product would you recommend for this? I searched your Q&A's, one answer to a similar question was that Resene Aquapel would not be the right product as it is only a water repellent and wouldn't provide a weathertight seal. So what would the right product be?

A. Assuming the bricks are not glazed I would still apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel, then apply a coat of Resene Sureseal and three coats of Resene X-200 to give the best outcome re weathertightness. You will need to check the pointing (plaster that holds the bricks in place) to ensure that it is sound. Also any flashings must be checked to ensure that they are functioning as intended.

May 2016

Q. We are about to build in Alexandra. The cladding will be Shadowclad®. The window frames are Ironsand. We want to use Resene Waterborne Woodsman Tiri on the Shadowclad®. Would you recommend this for the Central Otago climate?

A. If you want to stain then Resene Waterborne Woodsman would be our recommendation; if using a dark colour then use the CoolColour™ version of the stain (does not make the surface cool to touch but does reflect more heat than the same colour made using non cool technology). Cannot predict maintenance time but for north and west elevations we expect a maintenance coat will be required on average every third summer.

April 2016

Q. Can Resene Uracryl 404 be used on exterior board-formed precast concrete panels as an exterior clear sealer to protect against graffiti attack? The surface of the concrete will be slightly rough. There is no requirement for waterproofing, only anti-graffiti protection.

A. Yes but there are a few rules to follow; Apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel and allow to cure for at least 48 hours before clear coating. Then apply a coat of Resene Uracryl 403 Gloss as the first coat and then follow with two coats of Resene Uracryl 404 Clear. The Resene Solventborne Aquapel helps to control the possibility of efflorescence and the first coat of Resene Uracryl Clear must be Gloss. This system will give a wet look to the surface. If this is not wanted then after the Resene Solventborne Aquapel treatment apply a full coat of Resene Concrete Clear Gloss and leave to cure for 48 hours before clear coating as above.

April 2016

Q. Is the wood stain Resene Pickled Bean a penetrating stain or a film forming stain and would it be suitable to use on a Shadowclad® Ultra Groove ply external cladding?

A. Resene Woodsman is non film forming and suited to stain Shadowclad® provided that the material is not used as a bracing element but as a cladding.

April 2016

Q. Do you have a waterbased product to paint woodgrain Hardiplank® to give it the appearance of timber?

A. We would recommend Resene Forester.

April 2016

Q. Does Resene have products to rejuvenate unpainted and weathered wood shingles and/or to seal shingles?

A. We have no system to restore the original shingle colour. The only option is to treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer following label instructions then apply two coats of a Resene Woodsman exterior stain colour.

March 2016

Q. I am looking for a clear, or as clear as possible, coating system for a Tasmanian Oak timber soffit with no exposure to direct sunlight or weather. Do you have a coating system that would work in this application?

A. The only recommendation we would have is to apply a solventborne clear varnish such as Resene Qristal Clear with added fungicide. However this will not result in a water white clear film and the varnish will yellow further over time.

March 2016

Q. Can Resene Colorwood Whitewash be used on raw cedar (kiln dried)? I want to find a suitable product to limewash some cedar plantation shutters.

A. Not for exterior exposure. For exterior exposer use Resene Woodsman Whitewash. With both products there will be the possibility of tannin bleed, orange brown discolouration. However this will disappear if the exterior product is used. For interior you will have to apply a seal coat of Resene Qristal Polygloss (solventborne varnish) then the whitewash.

March 2016

Q. I was wondering if your Resene Hot Weather Additive is suitable to add to your Resene Woodsman Decking Stain.

A. Yes, it can be used. The product is naturally relatively thin so the addition of Resene Hot Weather Additive will reduce the viscosity so the application thickness will potentially be reduced.

February 2016

Q. I have a 25 year old cedar house. It has never been stained and the cedar varies between its original warm brown and a beautiful silver. One wall has no eave to protect it and some of the short boards are cupped and cracked. I have replaced them. I think this summer I might recoat that and the rest of the house with more oil. Is Resene Furniture and Decking Oil suitable for this or am I better to use another product like Wood-X?

A. Resene Furniture and Decking Oil contains a yellow UV absorber which can impact on the timber colour. Wood X is based on a no drying mineral oil and once used you will be committed to this oil type going forward and painting at a future time with a solid paint finish is not possible. My suggestion is Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain.

December 2015

Q. I am wanting to clad my house in vertical ship lap cedar. My architect had suggested I get the supplier to coat the cedar with Resene Whitewash. I've heard through a couple of builders that have used whitewash on cedar that the cedar colour bleeds through the whitewash so the cladding needs to be recoated every six months. Have you heard of this issue?

A. Cedar contains tannins and these can bleed through a waterborne paint system. The level of tannin bleed depends upon the timber cut. Flat sawn cedar is more likely to show tannin bleed than quarter sawn. We have had customers use our Resene Waterborne Woodsman Whitewash on cedar with good results. The initial orange undertone due to tannin bleed seems to disappear after a few months of weathering.

October 2015

Q. I just bought a home that is clad with Western red cedar. The cladding looks old and varies in colour and looks very uneven and gross.

I'm wondering what my options are with trying to create a consistent finish. I'm thinking of staining the cladding and wondering if I can get a consistent aged western red cedar look (a silvery colour)? Or should I just paint it?

A. It is possible to get a consistent stained look but any substrate stained with an exterior Resene stain would require regular maintenance, on average every third summer. Our stains can only be applied over a non-film forming stain and the existing stain cannot be a mineral type stain.

October 2015

Q. Is Resene Concrete Stain suitable for staining concrete block retaining walls? Also, does it just stain or stain and seal? That is, can water still penetrate through the stain once cured?

A. Resene Concrete Stain is a stain. It can be applied to any sound cementitious substrate but application to a concrete block wall will not make the wall weathertight.

October 2015

Q. I'm looking for a clear coating for Hardiflex® in an exterior situation that will provide equivalent protection to a standard paint system.

A. Assuming we are dealing with new, apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel then three coats of Resene Concrete Clear. The first coat must be Gloss.

October 2015

Q. Our new house was stained with Resene Waterborne Woodsman which has started to wear off after a couple of years.

A. Resene exterior wood stains are designed to erode from the surface upon weathering, the rate of erosion is depend upon the amount of direct weathering received by the exposed surfaces. Typically the north and western elevations wear away at a faster rate than the other elevations as these elevations receive the mist intense weathering.

On average a maintenance coat will be required every 3 years. If it is weathering a lot faster there may be an issue with the timber. If they have been coated with a mineral oil this can cause problems with stained or painted finishes.

October 2015

Q. I am asking about staining exterior timber wall claddings and whether or not it can deteriorate and the reason for this? Is there any way we can prevent this from happening?

A. Resene exterior wood stains are designed to erode away with weathering. On average the stain will need a maintenance coat every third summer to maintain aesthetics and protection.

September 2015

Q. Can I apply your Woodsman stain to vertical cedar with a roller?

A. Yes, you can roll Resene Woodsman onto vertical cedar; however care is needed to avoid runs and splashes of the product to surrounding areas as it has water-like viscosity. It's best to use a PAL No.15 High Solids roller sleeve. Gloves are always a good option also for splashes onto hands etc. You'll likely need a brush handy to get into hard to reach areas (use a cheap throwaway brush).

July 2015

Q. I have had a new house built that has cedar wood on the gable and front fascia. The colour was to be Resene Iroko but the painters have used a brown stain in error. I have been told that this cannot be painted over but I would have to wait 12 months until it is ready for repainting again. Is this correct? It has taken the excitement of the new house away as I do not like the brown. The house is Rockcote done in the colour of Resene Pavlova.

A. Stains must undergo weathering to allow painting with a solid paint finish. The time is dependent upon the degree of weathering (related to elevation). To be safe we say 12 months - this is on average halfway to the recommended stain maintenance.

June 2015

Q. Am I right in my understanding that wood stains don't have a true LRV value placed against the colour, because obviously they are a stain and not a film forming paint? Hence neither can they be tested for a TSR value, although we know CC (Resene CoolColour™) stains are effective.

A. You're right that stains don't have LRV values as we only have that for solid colour paints. The timber affects the light reflectance of a stain because the stain is semi-transparent. TSR is still measurable to some degree but only as a comparative figure using a test model which may not resemble the real life project.

June 2015

Q. Is it possible to paint Resene Touch Wood on wood painted a brown colour?

A. Resene Touch Wood is a Resene Woodsman stain colour; we do not recommend application of our stain colours over a solid paint colour.

May 2015

Q. We are planning a new house with Cedar cladding. We are wanting to stain the cedar to look like the Woodsman Oiled Cedar. Can you use this on exterior cladding?

A. We recommend Resene Waterborne Woodsman.

May 2015

Q. We have tried various products on our Cedar weatherboards but the UV light breaks the coating down rather quickly. We are trying to keep some of the natural cedar effect without it silvering.

A. A stained finish is by nature semi-transparent which will then require a higher frequency of maintenance coats to maintain the stain finish. Under the same exposure conditions (more severe exposure on north and western elevations) a solid paint finish will require maintenance on average from year 8 onwards. On contrast stain finishes may require a maintenance coat every third summer.

Resene Woodsman stains are designed to erode from the surface upon weathering which avoids film delamination and makes recoating easier as the stain only needs to be clean and free of surface breakdown products.

Silvering occurs when the cedar is exposed to direct UV without any intervening layer of UV protection. If an applied stain is allowed to fully erode from the timber then silvering will occur.

Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain or Resene Waterborne Woodsman would give a natural look on Cedar and protect it from silvering. You will need to test colour/s on a piece of the Cedar to check it achieves the look you are after. We normally recommend choosing a colour as close as possible to the Cedar colour if you want a natural Cedar look.

April 2015

Q. I have cedar weatherboards stained with waterborne stain. I want to change to oil based stain. Is it possible to put the oil based stain on top of the waterborne stain (5 years old now) and what preparation would this require?

A. Scrub the surface down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash following the label instructions. Then you can apply the two coats of Resene Woodsman wood oil stain.

April 2015

Q. We are moving to a new home in South Canterbury with an entranceway sided by cedar sidings. We would prefer to keep the cedar's honey brown colouring - is there a suitable stain/oil to maintain this colouring/protection of?

A. Suggest that you choose as close a colour match from the Resene Woodsman Wood Oil colours.

April 2015

Q. What do you recommend for a clear natural finish on exterior ply?

A. For a natural look outside on ply most people would use a wood stain, like Resene Waterborne Woodsman. It's available in a range of colours including a Natural colour. We don't recommend completely clear finishes outside as they don't provide enough protection to the substrate.

April 2015

Q. I wonder if you have a clear/translucent paint that can go on corrugated polycarbonate panels to provide extra UV protection?

A. We recommend Resene Clearcoat UVS.

April 2015

Q. We are putting Western Red Cedar shingles under the eaves of our bungalow. Finding it hard to get a clear view on how to treat/stain. Leaving them natural is an option as they are durable and weather to a silvery grey but I have also seen them weather very unevenly and go quite black which we don't want. Would either prefer to retain the wood colour or ensure a more even weathering to the more silvery end of the spectrum.

A. The development of a black colour is due to mould growth. There are no clear finishes that will maintain the colour of the shingles and stop mould growth. My suggestion is to stain using Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain in a colour that matches or is close to the fresh timber colour.

March 2015

Q. I have cedar weatherboards stained with Resene Waterborne Woodsman (around 5 years old). Can I recoat it with Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain?

A. Yes it is possible. Scrub down the previously stained areas with Resene Timber and Deck Wash following label directions taking care not to allow the diluted wash solution to dry out on glass or aluminum joinery. If there are any areas of moss or mould growth treat these first with Resene Moss & Mould Killer following label directions. After thorough rinsing with water allow the cleaned surface to dry then apply two coats of the Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain.

March 2015

Q. We are looking at using Resene Waterborne Woodsman on a Shadowclad® product. We are using Shadowclad® Textured and wondering whether we should order a natural or primed finish for best use with Resene Waterborne Woodsman.

A. If you are staining you will have to use the unprimed Shadowclad®. The best way to check colours is to use a Resene Waterborne Woodsman testpot and apply two coats to an offcut.

March 2015

Q. We are in the process of building a new house and have cedar wood cladding on part of our house. Could you please advise if the Resene Furniture and Decking Oil exterior would be suitable for the cladding to protect the timber? Also does this product contain a colour stain and what type of oil is in it?

A. I would suggest that you use Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain. The Resene Furniture and Decking Oil is not available in colours and can change the colour of the timber.

February 2015

Q. Can the Resene Woodsman stains be colour matched to an existing finish? Or is it limited strictly to the 41 colours on the chart?

A. Yes if you have a wet sample our Colour Lab could create a colour match in a wood stain.

February 2015

Q. We are wanting to restain a building that has had linseed oil stain on the board and battens. What product would Resene advise which is similar?

A. We do not have a linseed oil based stain as we believe that the presence of the oil can contribute to mould growth and the amount of anti-mould additive required to control this is not advisable. We would recommend Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain.

December 2014

Q. A client wants to apply a white paint/stain to some external spotted gum timber post framing. I would like to use an external paint like a stain, then apply a clear finish suitable for external timber over the top.

A. We have Resene Woodsman Whitewash as an exterior wash stain but this cannot be overcoated with clears.

December 2014

Q. The cladding on our home is either cedar or white pine, 25 years old and requires restaining. What is the best Resene product for this? Woodsman? Waterborne or oil based? Which of the two give the best performance in terms of durability and protection?

A. I would use the Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain for this application. The recoat interval is the same for both Woodsman versions. Scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash following the label directions as the prep.

December 2014

Q. The stain on my house is deteriorating and needs maintenance. Also, a number of weatherboards show signs of cupping. If I re-coat with Resene Woodsman stain, what preparation is required to remove the old finish that is breaking down? Would it be practical to switch to a penetrating stain such as Wood-X? What surface preparation would be required?

A. Scrub down using Resene Timber and Deck Wash following label instructions.

Wood X is based on a mineral oil and does not match Resene colours. If you converted to Wood X you will be committed to this stain type for future maintenance as mineral oil based stains can only be over coated with the same stain type.

Once cupping/warping has developed it cannot be reversed.

December 2014

Q. I am trying to find the light reflectance value for Resene Riverstone (Woodsman stain on pine). Required to satisfy resource consent requirements. I need a colour that is less than 35%. I would like something quite light and Resene Riverstone was my choice for staining Shadowclad®.

A. Despite the 'belief' that has endured for many years an LRV value can only be measured for a solid colour, not a semi-transparent stain such as Resene Woodsman. The closest Resene solid colour to Resene Riverstone is Resene Stonehenge which has an LRV of 29.

October 2014

Q. Is there any benefit to applying Resene Clearcoat UVS over dark greys?

A. While giving UV protection to minimise UV induced colour change is the main selling feature of the product it also does give a clear layer on top of a pigmented basecoat which does protect the pigmented base paint from weathering.

October 2014

Q. I have applied a testpot of Resene Waterborne Woodsman exterior stain onto a patch of grooved side up pine decking timber. Paint has been removed from the timber before applying the stain. It is still not completely dry after 48 hours, though is touch dry.

A. Resene Waterborne Woodsman retains a surface tack until the stain has weathered for a time; the stain is dry but what you are seeing is the residual surface tack.

October 2014

Q. We are building a board and batten house and are looking to have the exterior stained with Resene Woodsman. At the moment looking at Resene Jacaranda (but might be a bit too brave for us). We were told that dark colours will void the warranty on ply cladding, but understand that our colour choice can be formulated in a Resene CoolColour. I would like to know if the formulation would change the colour somewhat, and also if the choice of colour and Resene CoolColour formulation would not compromise the integrity of the exterior cladding?

A. While there are Resene CoolColours for stains we cannot derive a true LRV (light reflectance value) or TSR (total solar reflectance value). The LRV limitation placed on claddings always applies to solid colours. Generally for ply if the cladding element is not a bracing element we understand that no LRV colour restriction applies.

September 2014

Q. With your product Resene Concrete Clear can you tell me if I put it on fibre cement sheeting will it deepen the colour as though you have poured water on it?

A. We recommend application of the gloss as the first coat then additional coats of any gloss level can be applied. Resene Concrete Clear is a waterborne clear and does not have the wetting features of a solventborne clear. While there will be some colour change it is difficult to say how much but it will be much less than a solventborne system.

August 2014

Q. We have on old red brick house. We want to waterproof the bricks to stop any damp. We have found a tin of Resene Aquapel in the shed with a very small amount in. Is this what you use? Do you dilute it with water?

A. There are two versions of Resene Aquapel, a waterborne and a solventborne version. Application of either of these will not result in a weathertight finish as the products are water repellent treatments and do not form a film which is required for weathertightness.

June 2014

Q. I am adding a bedroom to an existing (4 year old) cedar home. The current building is waterbased stained and has faded quite a lot and needs restaining. Should I use prestained cedar cladding on the new extension and then stain the rest of the house, or is it better to wait until the new timber has gone silver/grey and then stain the lot?

A. Allowing cedar to weather will allow mould growth to occur, this is avoided if the cedar to stained as soon as possible after installation. There may always be a colour difference between the old and new sections even if they are stained unless you are using dark coloured stains.

April 2014

Q. How do I find out the LRV (light reflectance value) for wood stains?

A. Wood stains don’t have LRV as they are semi-transparent. LRV is only used for solid finishes.

March 2014

Q. We are going to reclad our house with cedar wood and have a Resene testpot called Woodsman Treehouse. We are comparing it with oil based stains. What is the difference between oil based and water based stains in terms of appearance, maintenance, heat, etc? What is a cold stain and how can we achieve this? We understand putting cedar in a dark stain attracts heat and this ultimately makes the wood age/appear scruffy faster?

A. Resene has two versions of Woodsman – Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain is a solventborne and Resene Waterborne Woodsman which is waterbone. There is no difference in the recommended recoat times of either version. The waterborne version is available in CoolColour™ formulations, which reflect more heat (the difference is relative) than the same colour made using non CoolColour technology. The increased heat reflectance of the CoolColour technology does reduce the risk of dimensional changes in the boards which is an added benefit.

February 2014

Q. We are building a new house and are cladding the exterior in rough-sawn plywood with battens. We are currently staining them prior to putting them up. We are using Resene Woodsman waterborne stain. Can we do both coats on the pieces of plywood prior to putting them up? Or do you recommend leaving the second coat until the cladding is up?

A. Standard practice is to apply one coat prior to installation and then a second coat after installation of the weatherboards.

January 2014

Q. I have a cedar home that was stained 4 years ago. I want to know how to best identify when/whether it needs restaining. Are there any visible signs I should look for? It has been stained a greyish colour and on the North and Western walls the stain is definitely fading and it almost has a whitish chalky appearance.

A. Usual triggers for restaining are stain erosion, appearance of areas of bare or greyed timber particularly on elevations that receive the highest exposure to weathering, north and northwest elevations. Most manufacturers of semi-transparent stains do have a recommendation for application to maintain the stain and this is an average time. It is not prudent to wait until the stain is at or close to stain failure. Resene Woodsman stains are designed to erode upon weathering and on average will need a maintenance coat every third summer but this is subject to exposure conditions and does vary with elevation.

The appearance is consistent with breakdown of the stain. Before restaining, scrub down the existing stain using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash, rinse off with fresh water and allow to dry then check that the prepared surface is chalk free and sound. If not repeat the wash down procedure then apply two coats of Resene Woodsman stain.

If there is mould/moss/algae present treat these with Resene Moss & Mould Killer.

November 2013

Q. Can you please advise what the difference is between Resene Woodsman and Wood-X when used on cedar? Is Wood-X a water or solventborne product?

A. Wood-X is a mineral oil (with a small amount of solvent, fungicide and resin - to help hold any colour pigments to the timber) also commonly known as a 'wood oil'. These types of oil treatments for timber never dry as opposed to vegetable/plant based oil types, which do dry, though slowly, due to the oxidation process. The mineral oil type products (Wood-X) penetrate into the cell structure of the timber and thereby reduces the potential for cellular space water uptake providing some dimensional stability to the timber. It also continues to move in the timber and as more is added it fills the air voids in the cells of the timber. It can migrate out if dark colours or sun exposure is high on a wall area. This is not seen as normal for wood-oils. Wood-X could be classified as a ‘solventborne product', though it is NOT classified as Flammable under Class 3.

Resene Woodsman stain comes in solventborne and waterborne options and is a stain. Stains, though based on many different types, are generally based on vegetable/plant based oils that do dry over time. The advantage of these stain type materials is that they are very easy to recoat and if in the future you decide that you want to paint your boards, once suitably prepared you can, as opposed to if your timber had been coated with a ‘mineral oil’ which never dries and therefore can not be painted over due to the potential of it to migrate and lift off any paint coatings that have been applied.

Both are semi-transparent finishes that aim to give the timber a coloured natural look and are both easy to recoat as they break down by weathering.

It comes down to the owner to which ‘look’ they like best, an oil or stain, and each differs only very slightly. So then it is how easy to recoat (both are similar) and whether they may change their mind in the future and want to paint.

Mineral oils have been around for decades, and have been mainly used by architects to give a natural finish and better dimensional stability to the timber.

One is not better than the other, it is purely an informed choice that the homeowner or building owner needs to make.

October 2013

Q. Can I apply waterborne Resene Woodsman to an existing oil based stain on roughsawn cladding? What is the best primer for painting anodised aluminium window frames?

A. If the oil based stain is Resene, then yes you can apply Resene Waterborne Woodsman over it provided the oil based stain has weathered for at least six months. To prepare anodised aluminium window frames, scrub down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash, rinse off with clean water allow to dry and then prime with Resene Vinyl Etch.

September 2013

Q. Wondering if after putting on wood stain it is still possible to paint at a later stage if we wanted to?

A. The answer is generally yes. If a Resene wood stain has been used then painting with a standard paint system can be undertaken. Stains that are film forming are more difficult to paint over with a solid paint finish as the adhesion of this stain type to the substrate is often poor and the best way is to remove these before painting with a solid paint finish. Removal of the film forming stain from rough sawn cladding is always difficult. Resene exterior wood stains are designed to 'fail' by erosion - the applied stain erodes off the cladding as a result of exposure to the weather.

Painting over our wood stains cannot be done until the stain has weathered usually for at least 12 months. Then stained cladding is best scrubbed down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash to remove unbound pigments then primed with Resene Wood Primer and then overcoated with two coats of any Resene exterior acrylic paint. If dark colours are chosen then we recommend using the CoolColour™ version of the colour.

If the stained cladding has undergone extended weathering or is showing signs of greying of the timber, which occurs due to prolonged U.V. exposure of bare timber, then an additional coating step is required. After the wash down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash the cladding needs to be pretreated with Resene TimberLock prior to application of the Resene Wood Primer. Resene TimberLock reinforces the weathered timber to ensure adhesion of the subsequent paint system. In general the Resene TimberLock step is usually required for the most exposed elevations such as the north facing elevation.

May 2013

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