Do-It-Yourself Cedar Installation Tips

Preparing for installation

For any red cedar product, you must properly clean the installation area with rubbing alcohol to remove any dirt or impurities that may hinder the binding action of the adhesive. You must also wipe the clean backside of the paneling or trim with rubbing alcohol to remove any oils or impurities that may have been collected during handling. Please allow both the wall and cedar paneling time to dry prior to installation.

All material needs to be laid out 48 hours before installation to bring the temperature and humidity of the wood to the environment its going to be installed.

To successfully incorporate cedar into a room, you will need to cover at least 50% to 100% of the total area.

Red Cedar wood is all natural. No sealers, paint, or stain are meant to be used if you wish to keep the natural aroma of the wood. Years later, the scent of red cedar can be restored by lightly sanding it.

If you desire to have your board ripped or cut specifically to an odd length, we will do this at no additional cost but you must buy the extra length needed. Just specify at check out in the special instructions what you need, or call after your order is placed.

When doing any type of woodworking, take precautions to protect your eyes from wood particles and dust by wearing safety glasses or goggles. In addition, wear a dust mask to prevent the inhalation of the same. Always provide adequate ventilation when working with adhesive, and read product label instructions for additional precautions and warnings.

When determining the amount of wood required, the last panel placed on a side wall of the room or closet must be 1/2″ narrower on both sides. (If you’re going up against a door or window leave 3/4″.) to accommodate the adjoining panel on the other wall, and if panels are used vertically, each panel should be one-quarter inch shorter than necessary to cover the entire height of the room or closet from ceiling to floor.

In other words, a 1/2 gap will remain along the floor as well as near the ceiling (If you’re going up against a door or window leave 3/4″.) Chair rail trim can be applied next to the ceiling to fill in the gap, and baseboard trim can be reinstalled or replaced to cover the gap along the floor.

Cedar Shake Application

Adhesive Application

Start from the edge of the board about 2″ in and add a perpendicular 1 1/2″ line of caulk, and every 6″ add another 1 1/2″ line of caulk from tongue to groove all the way down the board. (1 Tube of adhesive will cover 1660″ of product if you use 1/4″ beads.) As example: 1 ft of caulk will adhere a 4 foot board.

Due to weight limitations of adhesive before dry, if you are paneling a 8 ft wall and have larger than a 40″ board, you need nail one course halfway through before you continue and allow the adhesive to dry. It is also preferred to pre-drill the hole before nailing to prevent any splitting.

Other Installation Tips

Nail only Lap Siding should be nailed between 12 and 16 inches apart for best results. Coverage with a 1″ lap is 4 3/4″. If you are installing Lap siding to your interior, you may use a standard nail. If you are installing it on the exterior of your home you need to use a galvanized nail.