Sealing Live Edge Siding

     Last post, i showed you some cedar logs i had cut. To get the slabs ready to hang the first thing you need to do is peel the bark off the edges. This can be quite a job on some, but others come off fairly easy. I use a box knife to get under the bark to peel i up. Also some scraping is needed to get all the fine pieces. This can be done with a box knife or pocket knife. Remember to keep your fingers out of the way. Next use a broom to remove all the sawdust from both sides that was left here by the sawmill. You want the wood clean so the sealer works better. 

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        Once the wood is clean and free of bark it is time to seal it. There are many products out there to do this, but i have found they all aren't as good as advertised. If you have favorite sealer that works for you then use it, but the one i like is Olympic Maximum clear waterproofing sealant. I have used it on name logs for a while now and it seems to last longer than anything else i have used.

         I apply the sealer to both sides for two reasons. First you want protection on the back as a precaution should water get behind the siding. You don't want it to rot from the back. The second reason is you never know which way you will hang the siding. There are four possible ways to hang it and you do have to flip it around to make it fit alongside the other pieces.

         To apply you can use a garden sprayer to wet the siding, but you still have to brush it in so you don't have streaks and to get the best penetration. Next time i will show how to cut and hang it.