If possible stain all sides of the siding before installation.
Staining cedar siding both sides.
This will allow you to coat all sides and edges with no obstacles before hammering up the siding to your home.
Prepare your cedar siding by washing it with soapy water to remove any dirt or dust if any has accumulated.
After you have washed it wait for it to dry before applying any stain to the cedar.
Allow the washed surface to dry before recoating and apply primer paint to areas of bare wood.
Solid body stain is like a paint stain whereby allows 50 of the stain to soak into the wood the other 50 lays on top as a paint mil thereby being referred to as a paint stain.
This will enable you to coat both faces the sides and the top and bottom edges with no trouble.
First remove any mill glaze a hard shiny surface on one side of the siding by sanding.
The stain helps to seal the siding and prevent moisture intrusion from the underside.
Stains dry rapidly and fresh stain applied over dried stain will show lap marks.
One of the most thorough methods when staining is to use a thick natural bristle brush.
After the primer has dried apply one or two topcoats of paint or solid color stain.
1 the rough surface will hold the stain better and 2 the brush will work the stain into the wood better than spraying will i wouldn t do the back side of it as like you and others have stated it will move and there s no.
Apply the stain front to back top to bottom and on all the edges because any areas of wood left exposed will be susceptible to water damage and chemical bleeding.
Two topcoats are always better over bare wood that has been primed.
Use a thick brush when staining.
The concave warping occurs whether or not the boards are painted coated on the top with a water repellent or deck stain coated on both sides left totally unfinished or if they are in the sun or shade.
According to paul mackie at the western red cedar lumber association wrcla red cedar siding that has been finished on all six sides with a stain blocking primer and top coated with 100 percent exterior acrylic latex paint has the longest expected service life of any coating system.
Start with the underside and then finish with the top side.
Staining cedar siding differs from application of paint and other finishes.
Apply stain to cedar siding before hanging in order to achieve the most effective coating apply the oil stain to the siding before you hammer it up on your home s exterior.
These may be applied to western red cedar by brush roller or pad.
After painting both the rough and smooth sides of that and similar siding i say to put on a stain the company i work for uses a product called flood see link below it s kind of like a hybrid of oil and latex and it lasts 15 year guarantee on the rough side using a brush.
If your cedar wood and siding already has this type of paint stain on it you are required to put something very similar for a new coating.
When the cupping stresses become great enough the boards check and split.