Authentic wood grain
Real texture and color variation that suits historic homes and modern Northwest architecture alike.
Cedar siding installation
Cedar siding in Seattle and the Puget Sound
Western red cedar is the original Northwest siding, and nothing else looks quite like it. Here is what cedar siding costs, which profiles suit which homes, and how to keep it healthy under our rain, shade and moss.
Natural Northwest character
Why homeowners still choose real cedar
Cedar siding in Seattle is part of the local look, from Craftsman bungalows in Wallingford to glassy Northwest-modern homes on the Eastside. Western red cedar is light, stable and naturally resistant to decay thanks to the oils in its heartwood. It takes stain beautifully, it can be repaired board by board, and it ages with a character that manufactured products imitate but do not fully match.
Cedar siding profiles
- Bevel lap siding — tapered boards installed horizontally; the classic profile for Craftsman and traditional homes.
- Tongue-and-groove and channel — tighter, flatter lines that suit mid-century and contemporary designs, horizontal or vertical.
- Shingles and shakes — ideal for gables, bays and cottage-style homes; sawn shingles give a neater pattern, split shakes a rougher texture.
- Board-and-batten — wide vertical boards with narrow battens over the joints, popular on modern farmhouse builds and accent walls.
Grade matters as much as profile. Clear, vertical-grain cedar has few knots and moves less; knotty grades cost less and read as more rustic. We help you pick a grade that fits both the look and the budget.
Stain or paint?
Semi-transparent stain shows the grain and color of the wood and is the most traditional finish; it needs renewing every three to five years on exposed walls. Solid-body stain hides the grain but lets texture show and lasts somewhat longer. Paint gives the longest interval between coats but can peel if moisture gets behind it, so the boards should be primed on all sides first. Whatever the finish, we back-prime or pre-finish boards before they go on the wall so they absorb less moisture from behind.
Installing cedar siding for rain, shade and moss
Cedar performs best when it can dry out. We install it over a weather-resistive barrier with a rain-screen gap where practical, use stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant fasteners that will not stain the wood, and keep boards well clear of soil and roofs. On shaded lots under firs and big-leaf maples, north walls stay damp and grow moss and mildew; trimming back vegetation and a gentle yearly clean do more for cedar than any product. If upkeep is a concern, compare LP SmartSide engineered wood or fiber cement siding with a cedar-grain texture, or read the siding materials guide.
Planning numbers
How this material compares on cost
Typical Puget Sound installed ranges per square foot of wall — removal of one layer, weather barrier and standard trim included.
- Vinyl $26.0k–$43.4k : $9 to $15 per square foot installed
- LP SmartSide $31.8k–$52.1k : $11 to $18 per square foot installed
- Fiber cement $37.6k–$60.8k : $13 to $21 per square foot installed
- Cedar $46.3k–$81.0k : $16 to $28 per square foot installed
Pros and what to know
The rewards and responsibilities of cedar
Natural decay resistance
Cedar heartwood contains oils that help it resist rot and insects better than most softwoods.
Repairable board by board
Damaged sections can be cut out and replaced with matching boards and blended in with stain.
Regular finish upkeep
Expect to restain or reseal every few years. Skipping it leads to graying, checking and cupping.
Shade and moss exposure
Walls that never dry grow moss and mildew. Airflow, clearances and yearly cleaning keep cedar healthy.
Highest installed cost
Premium material, slower installation and finishing labor put cedar at the top of the range.
Worked cost example
Cedar siding cost on a 2,000 sq ft Kirkland home
Kirkland has plenty of Northwest-contemporary and Craftsman-inspired homes where cedar fits. Here is the planning math for a two-story Kirkland home with 2,000 sq ft of living space.
- Wall area: 2,000 × 1.36 = 2,720 sq ft of wall.
- Installed rate: 2,720 × $16 = $43,520 low; 2,720 × $28 = $76,160 high.
- Kirkland factor: × 1.14.
That gives a planning range of about $49,600–$86,800. For a 1,900 sq ft two-story in Seattle (2,584 sq ft × $16–$28 × 1.12), the same method gives roughly $46,300–$81,000.
Why the range is so wide
Cedar has the widest spread of any material because grade and profile vary so much. Knotty bevel siding with a simple stain sits near the low end; clear vertical-grain boards, hand-laid shingles, rain-screen installation and factory pre-finishing on all sides push toward the top. A good compromise is cedar on the front elevation or gables and a lower-maintenance material elsewhere. These are planning figures, not quotes; see the siding cost estimator or our Kirkland siding page.
Is it right for you?
Cedar makes sense when…
Cedar is a commitment. It pays back in character if these fit your situation.
The architecture calls for wood
A Craftsman, a mid-century modern or a historic home where manufactured siding would look out of place.
You want stain, not paint
Only real wood gives the depth of a semi-transparent stain that shows grain and color.
You will keep up the finish
You are comfortable budgeting for a restain every few years, or hiring it out.
Consider a hybrid if…
Budget or upkeep is a stretch. Cedar accents with fiber cement or LP SmartSide walls deliver much of the look.
Examples
Cedar in the Northwest
Shingles, shakes and boards — cedar ages differently depending on stain, sun and shade.
How do I remove moss from cedar siding without damaging it?
Use a soft brush and a cleaner made for wood siding, then rinse gently with a garden hose. Avoid high-pressure washing, which raises the grain and forces water into joints. Cutting back branches so the wall gets sun and air is the best long-term fix.
Can I let cedar siding weather to a natural gray?
You can, and some modern designs do it on purpose. Unfinished cedar turns silver-gray, but in our damp climate it can also blotch, mildew and check faster. A clear or lightly pigmented water-repellent sealer slows that while keeping a natural look.
Why do cedar boards sometimes show dark streaks?
Dark streaks near nail heads usually come from the wrong fasteners reacting with the natural oils in cedar. Stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant nails prevent it. Streaks on the whole wall are more often mildew and can be cleaned.
Is cedar shingle siding a good choice for a whole house?
It can be beautiful on cottage and shingle-style homes, but it is labor intensive and costs more per square foot than lap siding. Many homeowners use shingles on gables and upper stories and bevel siding below.
How often should cedar siding be restained in Seattle?
Semi-transparent stain on sunny south and west walls often needs renewing every three to five years; protected walls can go longer. Solid-body stain and paint last somewhat longer. Watch for fading, water no longer beading and gray fibers as signs it is time.
Personalized pricing
Get a cedar siding estimate for your home.
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