Need Help With Wood Siding Repairs
For small wood siding repairs, going the DIY route will save you quite a bit.
But you should prepare yourself for the worst before you cut into the siding. Often wood rot is far worse than it appears on the outside.
If your DIY job turns out to be a wood rot nightmare, don’t worry. GVD Renovations is here to lend a helping hand.
Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.
Tags: wood siding, t1-11 siding, rotten wood siding, siding damage, siding repair,
Cost To Repair Wood Siding On A House By Problem
Wood siding is a durable and long-lasting material. However, it can be damaged by several things, including impact, insect activity, moisture damage, the wrong nails or , or woodpeckers drilling for insects beneath the planks. Each potential issue may result in a different repair with varying costs. For example, if there is a hole or crack in a plank, but the rest of the plank and surrounding area are sound, the hole or crack can be filled. However, if the issue permeates the plank, such as wood rot or insect damage, the entire plank and possibly the surrounding planks must be removed and replaced with new wood. There can be a fairly wide range of costs associated with repairing specific issues to wood siding. Below are the most common issues impacting wood siding and the average repair cost.
| Problem |
|---|
| $500 – $2,000 |
Wait For The Filler To Harden
Let the filler harden, which takes anywhere from 20 minutes to four hours, depending on the product you chose to use. Use a rasp or a file to fine-tune the shape, then sand the filler and the surrounding siding with 120-grit sandpaper. Finish by repainting the area to match the color of the existing exterior siding.
Things You Will Need
Tip
Epoxy wood filler is readily available, but if you have trouble finding some, you can substitute auto body filler. It’s just as durable and no more difficult to work with.
Epoxy filler won’t match your siding in texture or sheen, but a coat of paint usually makes a wood siding repair disappear.
Warning
If you get epoxy filler on your tools or anywhere else where you don’t want it, clean it off before it cures. It’s difficult to remove afterward.
References
Tips
- Epoxy wood filler is readily available, but if you have trouble finding some, you can substitute auto body filler. It’s just as durable and no more difficult to work with.
- Epoxy filler won’t match your siding in texture or sheen, but a coat of paint usually makes repairs disappear.
Warnings
- If you get epoxy filler on your tools or anywhere else where you don’t want it, clean it off before it cures. It’s difficult to remove afterward.
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How To Spot Wood Rot
Wood rot often goes undetected until it is too late. The earlier you catch wood rot, the less siding you need to replace.
Keep an eye out for unwanted guests like ants or termites. These pests not only exploit holes in the siding but destroy woodwork inside as well.
Walk the perimeter of the house. Are there any cracks in the siding? Any mold?
Also, make sure to note any areas with peeling paint. It could signal that water runs behind the siding.
To test if a piece of siding has wood rot, all you need is a pen. Press it into a discolored spot on the siding. If it is soft, that’s a sign the siding is damaged.
As you test, mark where the siding needs replacement boards. This will make the replacement job much easier.
Repairing Wood Siding On Your Historic Building
If your historic house or building has wood siding, you are likely to find small cracks and splits in the wood. You should repair these cracks and splits when you find them to prevent rain water from seeping into the areas behind the siding boards. Rain water that seeps into these spaces can cause more extensive damage and wood rot.
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How To Repair Rotted Wood Siding Or Replace It
Does this sound familiar? You have a well landscaped yard with beautiful flower arrangements placed carefully along your property. Your window trim, porch and fence have all been well maintained as well. Theres one problem though your wood siding on the exterior of your house is falling apart and rotting. Well, dont worry because were here to help you figure out how to go about repairing rotted wood siding or replacing it entirely! Keep reading for all the details.
Install The Replacement Board
Slide the replacement siding board upward, underneath its top neighbor. Make sure that the board is flat against the side of the house. Nail the replacement siding board into place initially by driving nails through the existing holes in the top board.
Because these will not hold in the long-term, drive additional nails in other locations on the top board. Stay along the bottom 1/2-inch of that top board so that you can be sure of piercing the replacement siding board.
Next, nail along the bottom of the replacement board. Be sure to remain on that bottom 1/2-inch to make sure that the nails pierce through to the adjacent bottom board.
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Additional Considerations And Costs
- Licensed contractors. Always hire licensed contractors to work on your home. You can check with your local municipality to find out which licenses are required in your state.
- Insurance. Confirm that your contractor has insurance and that it is current before allowing them to work on your home.
- Permit. Most repairs do not require permits. However, large-scale replacement might. Check with your local municipality if you are unsure if a project requires a permit.
- Underlayment material. Sometimes, the surfaces below your wood siding may be damaged. It may require repair if this happens, doubling your costs.
- Damage location. The location of the damage can influence the cost to repair the siding. Second-story damage or damage in difficult-to-reach areas may cost more to repair.
- Old siding disposal. Siding that must be replaced needs to be disposed of. In many areas, small amounts of wood siding can be disposed of at no additional fee. However, siding that is not wood or large amounts of siding may have additional costs of up to $500 for disposal.
- Poor installation. While a few loose boards can be easily repaired, you may need to install new siding if the issue is widespread. Installing wood siding over the entire home costs $14,500 to $15,500.
Diy Vs Hire A Siding Repair Pro
You could potentially repair siding yourself. However, there are a number of safety considerations, such as getting up on a tall ladder and using a saw. If youre inexperienced or uncomfortable doing either of these things, its best to avoid DIYing. Plus, keep in mind that a professional has the tools and expertise to get the job done right the first time. If it’s a simple job and you’ve got the tools, it may be worth trying it on your own. But you’re best leaving the big jobs to a pro.
Contact a siding repair professional in your area to get a consultation and a quote, and then make a decision once you have that information. Remember, getting siding installation wrong can reduce the lifespan of your siding and cause serious moisture damage to your property.
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What Is The Strongest Wood Filler
The Abatron WoodEpox Wood Filler is by far the strongest in the marketplace. If you’re looking for a filler that’s meant for heavy-duty jobs, this is it. This wood filler feels works on both indoor and exterior surfaces, and it’s highly resistant to water and sunlight. It works best on hardwood surfaces such as oak or birch, and once it cures, and can be sanded, painted, or cut.
Signs That You Should Replace Your Wood Siding
- Dry rot – Often, dry rot cant be seen by the naked eye. To find dry rot, walk around your house and tap on your siding with the rubber handle of a tool. Listen for differences in the sound when you tap. Believe it or not, you can have wood siding that looks good on the outside, but has deteriorated underneath.
- Warped siding – Use a screwdriver to poke under any siding that appears warped to see if its still solid underneath. If the underlayer feels soft, you have a definite indicator that your siding should be replaced.
- Increased heating and cooling bills – Low-grade wall insulation together with underperforming siding could be the cause of higher energy costs.
- Visible holes in your siding – Even the smallest holes should be a cause for concern. Typically, holes in your siding are the result of insects. Whats worse is that insects are attracted to wet wood. So if you see insect holes, chances are you have underlying water damage.
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How To Repair Loose Nails In Wood Siding
Siding is the skin of your home. It is usually attached to the walls exterior to protect it. Wood siding is now available in numerous forms and styles based on the requirements of several users. You might have installed your favorite wood siding for securing your house walls by maintaining the styles.
But after years of its installation, now you have noticed some of the nails have got loosen, hampering the overall design of your house. Well, thats an annoying part of the wood siding but stay relaxed. You are not the only one suffering from this problem. Many users face these loose nail problems, but with some tactics, they solve them by their own effort. Wanna learn how to repair loose nails in wood siding?
Honestly, if you have got a little amount of woodworking skill, you can handle this type of small repairing work on your own. Although large repairs usually require more tools and hands, you can tackle this loose nail problem with some simple tools and conveniently. You wont require any additional support for accomplishing the entire process if you only follow these tactics step-by-step. So, lets dive in!
Repair Rot Damaged Bottom Wood Siding
You have a professionally improved yard with stunning flower arrangements placed rigorously beside your property, your window trim, porch, and fence all look great! However, there is one downside, your wood sidingon the outside of your home is falling apart and rotting! Well, do not worry because once you browse on, you will make out the way to fix rotten wood that has decayed and the way to switch rotten exterior wood siding or repair it. You may suppose that your wood siding ought to be able to face up to any quite wet and injury, right? A bit like any form of wood there is an opportunity it will rot. If you have got wood sidingthat has begun to rot.
Find a tiny low part of the wood siding and take away the broken section if it is visible enough to grasp the rot is in an extremely specific place and not throughout.
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Nail The New Board In Place Of The Damaged Board
First, slide the replacement board upwards and underneath the adjacent top neighbor, making sure the board is flat against the house. Nail the new board in place using the existing holes on the top board. Drill additional nails through other portions of the board to ensure it is firm.
Next, drill nails into the bottom half of the replacement board. Be sure to nail the replacement board too.
S To Repair A Hole In Exterior Wood Siding
Before repairing the holes in the exterior siding, it’s always a good idea to closely inspect the damage. This involves looking at each side of the house to ensure that you have a good idea of how extensive the damage is before purchasing any materials and tools.
Things you’ll need:
- Sanding block or orbital sander
- Tack cloth
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The Dangers Of Replacing Rotten Wood Siding On Your Own
The process of replacing rotten wood siding isnt difficult. The steps involve cutting away the rotten siding, clearing out the old nails, cutting the new siding to the appropriate length, and fastening the siding as well as caulking it to make the siding watertight.
However, if the process is not done right by the homeowner or commercial building owner, you could damage the existing clapboards around the rotten boards. This issue can increase your costs and prolong the repair project.
In addition, replacing wood siding can take time and frustrate regular home and commercial building owners. With the right team of contractors, the wood siding can be replaced the first time correctly. You wont have to deal with inferior workmanship or need to fix repair efforts if you do the job personally and rush through the process.
Use The Electric Multi
The multi-tool is a great piece of equipment that can be used for scores of home improvement works. Fit a wood blade into the electric multi-tool. Wear the dust mask and safety glasses for this operation. Cut on the vertical lines that you had drawn earlier. Make sure you do not exceed cutting the board and onto the adjacent board.
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Prying The Wood Siding Loose
Now is the step when you want to practice patience.
Grab the pry bar and wedge it into the gap between the boards. Give it a good wiggle. If the wood rot is bad around the nail holes, be gentle.
The nail heads should pop up a little bit. Slide the hammer’s claw under the nails and pull them free.
Remember, you want to do as little damage to the surrounding boards as possible. With the nails gone and caulk cut away, the board should slide free.
Replace Severely Decayed/rotted Wood
- If you have to repair rotted wood siding or siding thats decayed severely, mark the start and end of the rot off with a pencil. Put on your safety goggles and cut out the rotted wood siding piece using a circular saw. Use a hammer to get rid of any nails that hold the wood to the structure. Using a chisel, finish cutting the wood and detach it.
- Now youll need your replacement piece that you have measured to fit in perfectly. And just like you would patch like the steps above! Slide in the replacement carefully and nail it together with 8d nails. Prime regularly, let dry and paint the replacement piece with the same colour as your existing wood siding with two coats. Let it dry overnight.
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Wood Board Siding Repairs
Siding is most vulnerable to water infiltration at vertical joints, such as where doors and windows intersect, or where siding boards butt against one another. A good way to keep water from seeping between boards is to apply caulking compound. Its available in colors to match natural or painted finishes.
Choose a quality caulk that will maintain its elasticity over a range of temperatures. Cut the tubes tip at a slight angle, and push it into the joint as you apply the caulk.
Exterior Rotted Wood Repair Tips For Your Home
When you’re painting the exterior of your home there is a good chance you could encounter rotted or damaged wood on your siding, window sills, trim, or shutters.
Many folks are tempted to just paint over top of it to try and cover up the unsightly spots, but this is only putting a bandaid on the situation. The best thing to do is to repair or replace the affected areas to restore your home to its former glory.
For a lot of people this sounds like more work than they want to attempt, but it’s not as difficult as it may seem. This week’s post will give you some rotted wood repair tips to help you tackle it on your own.
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Cost To Replace Wood Siding
The cost to replace damaged wood siding ranges from $4 to $35 per sq.ft. Wood species are the biggest driving factor behind the cost because the material seriously impacts the project cost. Wood siding comes in many styles, from classic board-and-batten and clapboard to more modern bevel styles. It can also come in several widths, from 3 to 12, and many wood types, from inexpensive pine to exotic . Some styles are more difficult to remove from the home than others without damaging the surrounding sections. The more complex the siding, the higher the labor cost to remove that material and reinstall it. The wood used in the replacement can also impact your costs because wood species have a range of costs for material. The more rare or exotic the wood, the higher its costs to repair and replace. This can create a wide range of associated repair costs for different siding types. So, while a thin Dutch lap siding repair made from pine may be $4 a sq.ft., a more complex siding job like tongue and groove made of cedar may cost as much as $35 a sq.ft. Difficult to work with materials like and in hardwoods like teak or ipe may cost $10 to $20 a sq.ft. to repair. Below are the average costs per sq.ft. to replace different wood sidings.
| Type |
|---|
| $14 – $30 |