New homeowner needs advice painting over red cedar!!

70B5Cuda

I like red cedar in the right setting, but the foreclosure I just bought is way out of place in its neighborhood so I have decided to paint it. The house is 12 years old and has cedar lap siding with about a 6" reveal; it was last stained 3-4 years ago and the cedar looks pretty dry. I was planning on priming and painting with a roller, but I have seen conflicting info on what to use for a primer coat. Since it was stained before, I have been told that the oils will continually seep out so I need an oil based primer to seal the stain in. I have also been told that a good latex primer will siffice. I really want to do this right the FIRST time!!! I would greatly appreciate your input! For what it's worth, I plan to prime, then caulk all gaps, then paint with a premium latex topcoat.

More background info:the builder used Tyvek behind it and sealed the gaps with a clear silicone sealant that has mostly detached and peeled. I am a little concerned about how much moisture is behind the lap siding but we have had intense heat (70 days over 100 deg) and very little moisture over the past 2 years.

I will try post a few pictures tomorrow.

Gymschu

Based on what you posted, DO NOT use a water-based primer.........the tannins and oils in the cedar will leach/wick to the surface leaving stains in your paint job. CoverStain primer from Zinsser is a stain blocking/bonding primer that would be better suited for your project although I have seen stains wick through it from time to time as well. Then topcoat with a quality paint such as SW's SuperPaint Satin.

P.S. If the stain looks decent, why not just restain it? That would be the easiest and least expensive option.