Removing Sun-Damaged Wood

• 1). Mix a solution of wood cleaner in a plastic bucket. Wood cleaner is generally sold in concentrated form. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding dilution. You want to mix a solution strong enough to remove old coatings and damaged wood fiber.
  
  
• 2). Wet the wood with a garden hose and apply the wood cleaner to the wood surface. You can apply the wood cleaner with a paintbrush or roller or with a pump-up-style garden sprayer.
  
  
• 3). Allow the wood cleaner to sit on the wood surface for at least 30 minutes. The cleaner will continue to work as long as the cedar is wet. The cleaner can be left on as long as it takes to loosen the sun-damaged wood fiber.
  
  
• 4). Scrub the wood down with a nylon brush. The loosened, sun-damaged wood fiber should come off as you scrub, leaving behind the good-quality underlying wood grain. Rinse the wood thoroughly with water.
  
  
• 5). Apply wood brightener to the wood while it is still wet. Wood brightener neutralizes any tannins that may have risen to the surface of the wood during the cleaning process. Let the wood brightener sit on the wood for 45 minutes.
  
  
• 6). Rinse the cedar thoroughly with water.
  
  

Repairing Surface Damage

• 1). Clean the siding with a maintenance-strength solution of wood cleaner. Apply the cleaner, and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Then scrub the boards and rinse with water. This removes any dirt or residue from the boards. Allow the boards to dry for at least 24 hours.
  
  
• 2). Apply exterior wood filler with a putty knife. Use the putty knife to spread the putty over gouges, and work the putty into any holes.
  
  
• 3). Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding drying time. Putty usually dries over shallow or small holes in a couple of hours, while deeper gouges and holes may require 24 hours to dry completely.
  
  
• 4). Sand the dried putty with sandpaper. This creates a smooth, consistent surface over which you can apply protective stain or paint.
  
  

Repairing Cracks

• 1). Clean the cedar board with a good wood cleaning product. Scrub the board to remove any dirt or residue that might interfere with gluing. After cleaning, let the board dry for at least 24 hours.
  
  
• 2). Apply an exterior, waterproof wood glue to the crack. Use a liberal amount of glue to completely fill the crack.
  
  
• 3). Clamp the board with wood clamps to hold the board tightly while the glue dries. Follow the glue manufacturer's instructions, and keep the board clamped until the glue is completely cured.
  
  
• 4). Disengage the clamps and use sandpaper to clean any excess glue from the board's surface.