Hi all, I recently purchased a charming 1940 farmhouse overlooking the water. I say charming,but not really. The home has cedar siding that is original from 1940. The horizontal siding is only 2.5" to the weather and has numerous layers of paint that are chipping and cracking. I would like to save the siding and try to restore it. I have a liscensed contractor that is going to properly remove the old paint using the lead abatement laws. I understand that sandblasting is not the preffered method due to damaging the wood ,but if you could see what I have to remove you would understand. I checked into soda blasting and had numerous people look at the project ,but nobody seemed interest. After it is sand blasted it will be left in a rough finish. I was going to repaint rather than stain. I am not a painter ,but need to know what kind of primer to use and what type of paint and how many coats? Hand brush or spray on? I think it will absorb alot of material with the rough finish and dont want to waste money on the wrong product?