Can You Repaint 1970s and 1980s Wood Siding in Riverbend?

Yes, original 1970s and 1980s cedar and T1-11 plywood siding on Riverbend homes can absolutely be repainted, and done properly a full exterior repaint will deliver 8 to 10 years of protection before the next recoat. Riverbend was built out almost entirely between 1976 and 1995, and the cedar bevel siding and T1-11 plywood cladding common to Brander Gardens, Bulyea Heights, Brookside, and Falconer Heights is structurally sound on roughly 95 percent of the homes we inspect. Our process: a thorough power wash, full scrape and sand to a sound surface, targeted board replacement for rot, a stain-blocking oil primer, then two coats of 100 percent acrylic exterior topcoat. The result reads like fresh construction in a modern colour rather than a 45-year-old wood home.

Why Riverbend Wood Siding Can Still Be Repainted

Western red cedar bevel siding holds up remarkably well across Zone 3a freeze-thaw cycles because cedar contains natural thujaplicins that resist rot. Even after 45 years under brown and tan earth-tone stains, the substrate is usually sound. T1-11 plywood siding, common on Brookside and Ramsay Heights builds from the late 1970s, is more vulnerable at the horizontal joints and ground-contact edges, but 90 percent of the field surface is still paintable. The only boards that typically require replacement are bottom courses within 300 millimetres of grade, rake board ends, and any siding directly behind downspouts that failed.

The Riverbend Wood Siding Repaint Process

Step one is a full power wash at 1,500 to 2,500 PSI to remove 45 years of oxidized chalk, Whitemud Creek Ravine mildew, and road-salt spray from Terwillegar Drive and Rabbit Hill Road. Step two is hand-scraping all loose paint, feathering the edges with 80 and 120 grit, and spot-replacing any rotted cedar with kiln-dried western red cedar milled to match the original 8-inch bevel profile. Step three is a stain-blocking oil primer: Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Exterior or Zinsser Cover Stain is applied to every scraped board to seal cedar tannins that otherwise bleed through waterborne topcoats within 18 months. Step four is two coats of Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior at 400 square feet per gallon.

Colour Choices Riverbend Homeowners Pick

Most Riverbend repaints we complete are a full colour change away from the original 1970s browns and tans. The top palette for 2025 and 2026 reads: warm whites (Benjamin Moore White Dove, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster), soft greys (Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, Classic Gray), charcoals on Henderson Estates and Wolf Willow custom infills (Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal, Wrought Iron), sage greens on Falconer Heights and Bulyea Heights bungalows, and navy on Rhatigan Ridge two-storeys. We bring drawdowns, not chips, and we test every colour on the actual substrate in full sun before we commit. Historical Riverbend context is at Wikipedia's Riverbend, Edmonton entry.

When Wood Siding Should Be Replaced Instead

About five percent of Riverbend wood siding projects include substantial replacement or a switch to Hardie board. Triggers include: more than 20 percent of boards rotted, repeated moisture damage behind flashing, structural movement cracks at corners, or a client preference for 40-year siding. On those projects we coordinate with trusted local siding installers and paint the new cladding in-place. For deck, fence, and trim work that complements an exterior repaint, see our deck and fence staining page. For any surface repairs see our drywall and surface repairs service. To book a Riverbend wood-siding assessment, visit our Riverbend service area page or the parent exterior painting hub.