Staining the Exterior Shingle Siding

After a ton of research and tests, we finally decided on the finished materials.

We ran quite a few color tests on the stain and decided to go with Transparent Olympic Elite Mountain Cedar.

Olympic ELITE: A premium wood stain and sealer. This transparent wood stain adds color while still allowing the wood grain and texture to show. This super-premium exterior wood stain is formulated to protect and enhance the natural look of wood while providing protection and beauty through all seasons and provides a powerful mold, mildew, and algae-resistant finish. All backed by a lifetime guarantee.

After the house is washed we allow it to fully dry for a couple days. We'll be starting with the trim first and after that is complete, the stain will be applied. 

Below are photos of the exterior the day we purchased the home and the photo below that was taken the day before painting started.

Below is a before and after of the back of the house. You can see in the after shot that the awning is no longer there. We had to take it down in order to clean up the house, paint, and stain. Once everything is completed, it will go back up.

We also installed 12" flashing that runs the length of the awning, preventing any rain from running down the house wall. I've also thoroughly cleaned the awning and waterproofed it. 

You can really see the difference a new roof, deck, shingle replacement, and clean up has done. 

We also replaced the rotted, falling-apart bathroom door with a wood grain fiberglass door (not yet stained). We wanted to keep the stained glass, so we just inserted it into the new door. 

Painting the Trim and Facia

This dark black is perfect for the trim. It's not a generic black; it has a dusting of blue undertones and is a bit lighter than jet black.

The first thing to do now that all of the woodwork is complete is to give the house a good washing. No chemicals are being used, and a light setting on the pressure washer is perfect. It's enough to get rid of the grime but not too harsh to damage the wood. 

PAINT: BENJAMIN MOORE 'BLACK SATIN' IN FLAT FINISH

A collection of bold, saturated colors that brings spaces to life for those looking to illuminate their world with pure, extraordinary color. Rich and sleek, this classic black exudes effortless style.

We started with painting the trim and fascia. All of the windows still need to be painted and it needs a second coat, but it's looking exactly as we have imagined.

Staining the Siding

Now that the painting is complete, it's time for the stain. The stain goes on really dark. Not to worry though, because as it dries, it gets lighter, and as it cures, it gets even lighter. 

Below is the photo from the day we moved in. Under that is the mockup that I created in Photoshop. We used my mockup rendering as a blueprint of what we wanted the house to look like once it was finished.

This is a great example of the importance of knowing exactly what you want before you start. It makes the process a lot easier if you know what it's supposed to look like when it's done.

Below is the finished paint and stain after they have had the opportunity to fully dry.