How To Repair Siding Leaking Wood

How to Replace and Repair Wood Siding

Updated: Mar. 31, 2022

Refresh your house's exterior past replacing damaged siding

FH98SEP_REPROT_01-2 how to repair wood siding Family Handyman

Has some of your siding begun to rot while the residual is even so good? Don't replace all the boards. Follow these easy steps and just replace the boards that are rotted.

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How to Repair Wood Siding: Replace rotted siding

Evaluate the boards

Decide which boards need replacing and where to make your cuts. Stagger barrel joints if you're replacing multiple courses. Apply a foursquare to mark the cutting lines, centered on a stud. The nailheads on existing siding will indicate stud positions.

Cut the nails

Cutting the nails at the bottom of the row above the boards you're replacing. Utilize a modest hacksaw with a sharp blade. Cutting the nails volition allow you remove rotted boards without damaging those your'eastward saving. To get at the nails, carefully wedge out the bottom of the siding 1/8 to three/sixteen in. with wooden shims.

Brand the start cut with a circular saw

Cutting out bad sections with a round saw or even a precipitous utility knife. Exist sure to stagger the joints (see Photo 1). Most hardboard siding is 7/16 in. thick, so set up your blade depth carefully to avoid cutting into other courses. Use shims to lift the boards and then you can hands go at the one you're cutting.

Finish the cut with a sharp utility knife

You won't exist able to complete the cuts with the circular saw, and so finish the cuts with a sharp utility pocketknife or a keyhole saw.

how to repair wood siding

Pry off the rotted boards

To learn how to repair forest siding, remove rotted boards with a flat pry bar. Protect sound siding with a scrap piece of 1/iv-in. plywood. Later on you remove the rotted courses, use a small hacksaw to cut whatsoever protruding nail shanks, or if you take a very strong grip, use a good pair of wire cutters.

how to repair wood siding

Install the new boards

When you supervene upon the boards, use a bootleg "reveal set" jig to lucifer the reveal of the existing siding. The courses should overlap by at least 1 in. Supersede siding past working from the bottom upward (you might need a helper here). Adhere the siding with 10d galvanized box nails driven into the overlap at to the lowest degree 1/2 in. above the bottom edge. If yous accept insulated sheathing, predrill the nail holes to avert crushing the insulation.

How to Repair Woods Siding

When hardboard siding is installed and maintained correctly, it can hold up for 30 or 40 years. But without proper attention, isolated areas tin begin rotting in but a few years, specially near the foundation. Water splashes upwards from the basis, oftentimes soaking the vulnerable lesser edges. The paper face so flakes off, exposing the dark brown inner layers, and each soaking accelerates the rotting.

Replacing these rotted areas takes merely a few bones tools and a few materials, simply it can brand a huge improvement in your home'south appearance. Hardboard siding doesn't toll that much, so it's often worth it to replace an unabridged course. Doing this helps you avoid unnecessary butt joints.

Brand your repair last

Painting wood siding helps it final. Prime the dorsum and edges of the new siding. Thoroughly paint all exposed edges and grooves.
Do not drive the nails flush or countersink them. The heads volition break the paper face, allowing water to soak in and deteriorate the siding. Caulk whatsoever nailheads that break the paper face.
Go out a 1/viii-in. gap at corner and butt joints. Seal these joints with a 35-yr, paintable acrylic caulk.
Forbid water from splashing on the siding by installing gutters or repairing leaky ones. Besides, arrange backyard sprinklers so they don't hit the siding.
Where siding meets a roof, it will rot if the siding touches the shingles. When y'all supplant these boards, make sure you accept adept flashing forth the joint. Install the new siding and so in that location's a 1-in. gap betwixt siding and shingles.
Consider replacing rotted areas with cobweb-cement siding. Information technology'southward 1/8 in. thinner than well-nigh hardboard, but it works in many cases, has a comparable price, is highly rot resistant, and carries a fifty-year warranty. For help finding a dealer in your area, call James Hardie Products (888-542-7343 or jameshardie.com) or ABTco (800-265-9829 or abtco.com).

Required Tools for this Projection

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined upward before you start—you'll relieve time and frustration.

Required Materials for this Project

Avert final-minute shopping trips by having all your materials set up ahead of time. Here'south a list.

Originally Published: May 06, 2022