Weatherboard vs plaster vs cedar: painting guide

The three most common Auckland claddings

Cladding	Prep level	Paint life	Typical exterior cost (3-bed)
Weatherboard (timber)	High — scrape, sand, fill	7-10 years	$9,000 – $13,500
Plaster / stucco	Medium — crack repair	8-12 years	$8,000 – $12,000
Cedar	Medium — stain or paint	5-8 years (stain)	$8,000 – $14,000

Weatherboard

New Zealand's classic. Pine and cedar weatherboards are everywhere — villas, bungalows, post-war homes. The paint is doing a real job here: protecting timber from the weather.

• Prep is everything. Weatherboard needs washing, scraping of loose paint, sanding, filling of holes and gaps, and priming of bare wood. Skipping any step shortens the job's life.
• Watch the joints. The most common failure points are where boards overlap and around windows and corners.
• Two coats minimum. One coat on weatherboard never lasts — the film is too thin.
• Coastal homes: salt air attacks bare timber fast. If you see bare wood, it's already degrading — don't wait.

Plaster / stucco (fibre-cement or solid render)

Common on 90s and 2000s builds. Plaster is a textured surface that paints beautifully but has its own rules.

• Crack repair matters. Hairline cracks need to be cut out, filled and primed properly. Painting over cracks just hides them — until they come back.
• Rinse, don't over-scrub. Plaster is more delicate than timber. Pressure washing needs care to avoid damaging the surface.
• Good coverage needed. Textured surfaces drink paint. It's normal for plaster to need a full second coat.
• Check for moisture issues. If you see bubbling or dark patches, get the moisture checked before painting — paint over moisture problems just fails again.

Cedar

Cedar's gorgeous — the natural grain and warm tones make it a design feature. That also makes it special to paint.

• Stain vs paint is a real choice. Staining shows the grain and needs refreshing every 5-8 years. Paint hides the grain but lasts longer. We'll talk through which fits your home.
• Cedar bleeds tannins. Without proper priming, brown tannin stains can bleed through the paint. A quality stain-blocking primer is essential.
• Respect the grain. Over-sanding cedar can damage the surface. Prep needs care.
• Shady, damp sites: cedar in shade can get mossy and green. Keeping vegetation clear and surfaces clean helps the coating last.

Which is cheapest to paint?

Plaster is usually the most straightforward (fewer edges than weatherboard), but repairs can push the price up. Weatherboard is the most prep-hungry. Cedar sits in the middle but refreshes more often if stained. In practice, the biggest price driver is the house's condition — not the cladding itself.

How do I know what I've got?

Not sure if your walls are real timber or fibre-cement? Check the edge of a board near a corner or window — timber shows grain and dents, fibre-cement looks uniform and chalky. Or just ask us on a free site visit; we'll tell you what you have, what state it's in, and what it'll take to make it look right.