Any tips on aging pine clapboards?

[GibsonGM]

Have a few spots were my original claps need to be replaced, and I'm using pine (certainly not going with cedar!).

The back side of the pine is TOO rough and would take a lot of work to sand down to the 'right' look...has anyone tried to distress new siding so it is similar to old weather-beaten stuff? Just curious. It's all going to be stained.

Thinking of trying a wire brush, maybe something that goes in a drill, a tiny plane I have to knock off sharp edges....

[Gothichome]

Gibson, I think you would be on the right track with a light wire brushing, sort of lifting a bit of the softer wood from between the grain. I think the trick will be, how much wire brushing and were to wire brush. Th wood closer to the eaves wold not be as weathered as say the wood closer to the ground, more exposed to the elements.

[GibsonGM]

Good point, Gothic! Yeah, I made the mistake of putting up 3' of new claps in one area, and now it is too smooth, doesn't go well with what's above.

I'll play in the shop and maybe report my findings if I can remember to take pix next time I go out there! I have to determine if it's better to distress them yourself or just suck it up and sand the rough side longer.....

[Mick_VT]

I wonder about some kind of media blast? I didnt have this issue with my old bords becasue the paint shaver and sander brought the wood finish a lot closer to new claps than it would otherwise. once in paint the odd patch here and there really did not notice. I also used a heavyweight primer (BM penetrating) and a 5 coat brush applied finish, so quite a thickness of paint all told

[phil]

I'd try the pressure washer. just hold it a little closer than you would normally dare to. You'll have to wait a bit for it to dry of course but it'll take out the softer wood and leave a worn sort of look without a huge amount of labor. the paint will stick better as well with the grain fluffed up a bit.

[GibsonGM]

Pretty novel idea, Phil! You'd think that would have come to me as I"m a painter...but the idea there is NEVER to scalp the claps, ha ha...

That would work for the ones on the house already. I have some 'loose' ones to 'prep', and am going to see what a wire brush does. Don't need anything dramatic, just a bit looser grain than the brand-new totally smooth surface...

[phil]

most new wood is planed in the mill and the blades create "mill glaze" you can rough it up in various ways or a common way is to just use the lumber, but dont' paint till next year. pressure washing can speed the process. I guess especially if the wood is not too green. I guess if the wood is green then it takes the normal year per inch or so to dry internally but I think when you pressure wash you don't necessarily drive the moisture in so it dries much faster than green lumber would.

I remember repainting my parent's porch and it had some loose paint so I took out the angle grinder with a cup brush and went over it. it pulled the soft parts of the wood out and left it with a sort of rustic look like old barn boards, when painted it actually looked quite nice, but I see Yea you dont' want anything too aggressive. you could still pressure wash but if you want to get it painted maybe you dont' want it wet or you have to delay the job.

I watched as my neighbor was out stripping the paint on her fence. in the morning I saw her with the hose washing it down and in the afternoon , painting already. I thought to myself wow that paint won't last long but three years later it is still stuck.

[Nicholas]

Some interesting techniques listed here as I have some smooth pine intermixed with the original cedar. Not too noticeable as the Valspar was laid on thick and filled in the rougher stuff.

[nhguy]

Here's a source for quarter sawn pine or spruce clapboards. I've used the #2 spruce with knots. The nice thing about the spruce is the knots don't need pre-priming. http://katahdinclapboardcompany.com/ There's not much to do to old sun damaged clapboards, you just need to replace them in my opinion. GL

[GibsonGM]

Thanks, NH, good resource! Unfortunately I already own the new pine...

I just want to match the weathering, a little. The new are absolutely smooth, and the back side has horizontal planer stripes that are TOO rough...sanding them out results in smoothness like the front.

Probably no point in worrying about it. My local stock yard had no spruce, so I just went with pine.

The ones I left on the house are original, and are spruce, quarter sawn like that, which is why the new looks so different. I'm probably the only one picking up on it, ha ha....