We are having some Red Cedar wood cladding fitted to an extension, and I would like the wood to retain it’s colour and not silver off. Reading around the Internet for advice and products, I have had conflicting advice, some saying treat immediately with a UV oil and others saying leave the wood to weather because it contains a lot of natural oils. I know from experience if I leave it , it will silver and then we have lost that lovely natural colour. The only way to get colour back into it is a coloured stain/oil, which is not what I want.

Has anyone had any experience of this?

IME it will weather and silver pretty much whatever you do and the only way to slow the process is to cover it entirely with something that prevents uv light getting to it, a sign for example.
Cedar does contain a lot of naturally occurring oils that do a very good job of preventing paints/stains/treatments sticking to it.
IMO just accept that it will go silver, if you really want it to stay the same colour as when it is installed your best bet is to use an alternative product.

FWIW I know of a cedar clad building that is 16 years old and the cladding is still in excellent condition even though it has had no treatment or repairs since it was installed.

Natural oils in cedar develop with tree age. Only first/old growth expensive and clear cedar will have any significant tannin content to be good enough self preserving. New growth of knotty cedar isn’t much better than other softwoods.
Cetol/Sikkens stain is what would be most frequently used here. Either single coat or 2 part systems if you are looking to have a protective clear coat.
sikkens
I would be finishing the siding before install in a controlled environment. Both sides and all edges as well as ensuring air gap behind.
Be prepared to refinish every several years also depending on exposure.

But the weathering is what makes it beautiful!

…in some eyes.

I always think it just really wants painting…

dirksdiggler – Member
Natural oils in cedar develop with tree age. Only first/old growth expensive and clear cedar will have any significant tannin content to be good enough self preserving. New growth of knotty cedar isn’t much better than other softwoods.
Cetol/Sikkens stain is what would be most frequently used here. Either single coat or 2 part systems if you are looking to have a protective clear coat.
sikkens
I would be finishing the siding before install in a controlled environment. Both sides and all edges as well as ensuring air gap behind.
Be prepared to refinish every several years also depending on exposure.

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Excellent post and contribution.

We used 2 coats of Osmo 420 on our summer house. We are pleased with how it looks but it will, apparently, only slow the silvering process down. As far as I am aware Cedar has decades of life even if left untreated (but I am not an expert).

I have western red cedar in an sunny but sheltered position, had one coat of a clear Sadolin finish (can’t remember what) has not greyed in 16 years. On the other hand, the Brazilian cedar used for the joinery work will not hold a finish at all (tried an older Cetol product too, will try the stuff Slackalice suggested though). Vallti goes bonkers if applied to oily wood, so beware!

But the weathering is what makes it beautiful!

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Quite!
The cedar feather edge on my old house was 60 years old, untreated and still in perfect nick, a stunning silver colour. Why anyone would prefer an artificial red colour to the natural patina defeats me…

Thanks for all the advice. I am still none the wiser. I will keep searching.