Mildew on Cabin Siding

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I am getting some mildew on my cabin siding (north side) and on the bottom-side of the roof that extends out over the porch (which is always in the shade). The siding is stained cedar and the underside of the porch roof is stained tongue & grooved pine. The cabin was stained with Valspar semi-transparent exterior stain immediately after construction, which was about four years ago. The mildew problem seems to have just appeared over this winter. It seems that whatever mildew preventative that might have been in the stain was only temporary.

Now I know that I can make a solution of bleach and water to kill the existing mildew spots. What I need are suggestions on what to do after that. Do I need to re-stain the cabin? The cabin really doesn't need re-staining from an appearance perspective. Is there some kind of mildew preventative that I can just spray on the siding to keep the mildew from coming back? Is there some type of dual-purpose spray that will both kill the existing mildew and prevent new mildew from growing?

Currently, all the mildew is just in random spots, but I know if I don't get after it, the spots will grow and all the siding will turn black. Any suggests and/or product recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

--Happy trails, Cabin Fever

-- Cabin Fever (cabinfever_MN@yahoo.com), March 18, 2002

Answers

.

CF,

Mildew can be tough to elimate unless you get it "by its roots" so I'd say; strip it, sand it, and restain it. Also, if the effected area is somewhat confined, I'd take measures to increase localized airflow -- that'll help prevent regrowth. At the same time though, I'm no expert.

Best of luck,

¥

-- Chris in Mich (chackbardt@industrialvac.com), March 19, 2002.


Might look under copper sulfate solutions in a home making cleraner site of some sort, copper sulfate (blue crystals) is used a lot in swimming pools to remove mildew. Don't know what it will do to your siding, stain or discolor it, might try on an out of the way spot.

If you can get it to soak into your siding, it might give you some long term protection.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), March 19, 2002.


After you use the bleach and water solution to get rid of the existing mildew try using a medium all purpose cleaner. Castrol inc. (the same company that makes the motor oil) has a cleaner called purple power. I believe I am correct on the name, these types of cleaners have some properties that will eliminate the base of mildew. If this still does not solve the problem then you will probably have to go to the strip,sand, and restain procedure. Mildew is a big pain in the neck, but it can be killed.

-- Brad Hardin (FIRE_RESCUE126@HOTMAIL.COM), March 20, 2002.

Colloidal silver is said to work on mildew. Buying it is expensive. If you have a machine to do it yourself, or have a friend to share some with you, it would be worth trying it to see if it works.

Evelyn

-- Evelyn T. Flesher (etflesher@netexas.net), March 21, 2002.


Hate to tell ya this, but mildew will most likely always be a recurring nuisance on your north side.

I fought mildew on the shadier side of buildings in Florida for some 30 years and never won the final round.

Every year, rent a pressure cleaner with a chemical pickup tube, mix 1 gallon of bleach to 4 gallons of water, drop the tube in it, start the engine, kill and blow off the mildew.

Next year, same routine. Cheaper and easier than replacing an otherwise perfectly good coat of expensive stain.

And when the stain finally goes, get your paint dealer to recommend a good mildewcide addititive to the new stain.

Sit back and relax for a few years until the additive goes dead, then get back to the annual pressure cleaner/bleach solution cycle.

If anybody's got a more permanent solution I, too, would like to hear it.

-- Hank in Oklahoma (hbaker@ipa.net), March 21, 2002.



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