Q. The cedar siding on our

modified A-frame house needs to be re-stained. But a neighbor suggests

that we paint the house. Can you paint a house that has been stained?

To add further confusion, a different neighbor says that painting the

house will stop the wood from expanding and contracting, leading to possible

structural damage. What would you do? - R.L., Lake Geneva, Wisc.

A. A high-quality paint or

an epoxy-fortified synthetic resin water repellent applied to the cedar

siding will stop water from entering the wood. Minimizing or eliminating

water penetration into the siding should be your primary goal. The aesthetic

look of your home should be secondary. A house that has strong curb appeal

does add value, but beware of making this your primary objective.

Water repellents and paint

are coatings. A paint is considered a film that lays on top of the surface.

Many water repellents soak into the wood and do not leave a film at the

surface. Some water repellents, however, do create a film or skin at the

surface, and you'll want to avoid these. The problem with films or

surface coatings is that they eventually peel. When this happens, you

are forced to scrape or strip the loose and peeling film off before you

can apply a second coat.

Penetrating water repellents

do not peel, but they wear out. The good news about using a penetrating

water repellent is that, when it is time to recoat the wood, you don't

have to scrape the wood. This can save a tremendous amount of work.

No matter which coating you

choose to use, you will still be faced with lots of other work. You will

still have to carefully and thoroughly wash the siding with soap and water,

and then do what is necessary to apply the coating of your choice.

If you really want to be confused,

just look at my home. It has redwood siding and is painted! My wife and

I love Victorian-style architecture, so I built a Queen Anne Victorian

home. But since these painted ladies just don't seem to look good

with semitransparent stains, I painted the house for my wife, Kathy.

Did I know I was going down

the high-maintenance highway when I popped the lid off the first can of

primer? You bet I did. But I also decided to use a paint that contained

a blend of water-based urethane and acrylic resins. These are very sticky,

and I am confident it will be many years before my paint film peels or

blisters.

Keep in mind that painting

your A-frame home may significantly change its appearance. Certain architecture

styles lend themselves to a certain look. When I think of a log cabin

and an A-frame house, I see in my mind a rustic wood look. When I think

of a two-story Colonial or Victorian, I imagine it painted. You have to

ask yourself if painting your A-frame will lower its value to a potential

buyer.

If you do decide to paint instead

of applying the epoxy-fortified synthetic resin water repellent, be sure

you hand wash the siding as you would your car. Avoid pressure washing

this delicate wood. You need the wood to be perfectly clean. Read the

label of the finish paint and follow the directions to the letter with

respect to any primer you're told to use. Never forget that paint

is simply a glue with color added to it. Both the primer and the finish

paint must be the best glues, and they stick best to clean surfaces.

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