![]() Often wood rot is far worse than it appears on the outside. Need Help With Wood Siding Repairs?įor small wood siding repairs, going the DIY route will save you quite a bit.īut you should prepare yourself for the worst before you cut into the siding. New wood siding usually needs two coats of paint after the primer for full coverage. Once it's ready, give the siding a coat of primer. Remember to use your finger to coax the caulk into the seams.Īllow the caulk to cure fully. Use outdoor caulk to close all the seams around the replacement siding. To ensure water can't get in to rot the siding again, you have to seal it. Now you just need to make the new wood siding match the old, rotten wood siding. The good news is the hard part is finished. Don't go any higher or the siding won't attach to its neighbor correctly. Add a few reinforcement nails, just in case.Īlong the bottom half-inch of the new board, drive in a handful of nails. Use the old nail holes on the bottom of the board above it to secure the new siding. Make sure the board lays flat and fits under the board above it correctly. Slide the new piece of wood siding into place. On the miter saw, cut the replacement siding down to size. Use it as a template to mark your cuts for the replacement siding. With any luck, the siding board came off in one piece. Contact a siding replacement professional for help with complicated wood siding replacements. There's no use covering rotting supports. While the siding is off is a great time to check for deeper signs of wood rot. With the nails gone and caulk cut away, the board should slide free. Remember, you want to do as little damage to the surrounding boards as possible. Slide the hammer's claw under the nails and pull them free. The nail heads should pop up a little bit. If the wood rot is bad around the nail holes, be gentle. Grab the pry bar and wedge it into the gap between the boards. Now is the step when you want to practice patience. You might take a chunk out of some of the support systems. Following the vertical marks you made, cut through the damaged wood siding.ĭon't cut too deep. Make sure you put on your safety gear for this next part. Otherwise, you can't get the board off in one piece. Make sure you cut deep to break the bond. ![]() Using the utility knife, cut out the caulking and paint around the damaged board. Use the speed square to mark a straight vertical line. Measure each section you want to replace a foot wider than the damage. Go back to the marks you left on the siding. Taking the guesswork out of measuring makes the job go faster. If you are patient and ease the old siding board out, you can use it to help later. The key to making the patching process easy is patience. Until you remove some of the siding, you won't know the full extent of the wood rot. Keep in mind that what you think is a minor repair may end up being a big one. Don't want it to rain on your fresh siding before it's painted. Items you'll need to replace wood siding:Ĭheck the weather before you plan this project. To make the replacement job go smoothly, have all your tools and supplies ready to go. This will make the replacement job much easier. If it is soft, that's a sign the siding is damaged.Īs you test, mark where the siding needs replacement boards. Press it into a discolored spot on the siding. To test if a piece of siding has wood rot, all you need is a pen. It could signal that water runs behind the siding. Are there any cracks in the siding? Any mold?Īlso, make sure to note any areas with peeling paint. These pests not only exploit holes in the siding but destroy woodwork inside as well. Keep an eye out for unwanted guests like ants or termites. The earlier you catch wood rot, the less siding you need to replace. ![]() Wood rot often goes undetected until it is too late. A professional installation will ensure that happens. If installed correctly, wood siding will last decades. ![]() If you start working and think you're in over your head, stop. This guide will walk you through the basics. Then you just need to grab a few tools and get to work. Where do you even start with solving wood rot problems? First, identify the problem. ![]() Truth be told, you need to look forward to quite a bit of wood rot and work. It'd be nice if every time you replaced the wood siding, it was in decent condition. Homeowners with a little know-how about replacing wood siding can cut back on their budget.Įveryone loves to save a few bucks on home improvement plans. Your chore list and budget don't always mesh. ![]()
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