Cedar Siding paint calculator
Cedar is beautiful and difficult. Tannins bleed through unprimed paint within months — you must use a stain-blocking primer first. Coverage on rough cedar is ~250 sqft/gal; smooth cedar runs ~350. Two coats minimum after a stain-blocking primer.
Estimates round up to the nearest quart and are based on Kompozit's published coverage. Buy slightly more for touch-ups and color changes.
Stain-blocking primer is mandatory
Cedar tannins are water-soluble and will leach through any standard primer or topcoat as yellow or brown stains. Use a stain-blocking primer (oil-based or specialty acrylic) on bare cedar — Kompozit PRIME handles cedar with one heavy coat.
Solid stain is often a better answer
Cedar wants to breathe. A solid-color stain penetrates and lasts 7–10 years; a paint film traps moisture against the wood and tends to peel sooner. If you love the cedar look, semi-transparent stain shows the grain. If you want a painted look, solid stain is more forgiving than paint.