Repairing Siding From Rot Damage

The sheathing and framing sometimes need repairs too but that is less common.

Repairing siding from rot damage.

In most cases the original layer of building paper or housewrap at the bottom of the wall was enough to prevent water infiltration and damage beneath the siding. Protect sound siding with a scrap piece of 1 4 in. If the area of the siding you need to repair is larger than two to four inches the best and most permanent solution is to replace that particular panel of siding. We tear off the damaged hardboard and replace it with fiber cement siding.

A single rotted clapboard can usually be replaced by the homeowner or the commercial maintenance crew by using the old rotted clapboard as a measurement board for the new siding plank. The customer accepted our recommendation to use azek along the edge of the deck siding as it won t rot thus avoiding a repeat of this problem. To learn how to repair wood siding remove rotted boards with a flat pry bar. You simply have to remove the damage section and fill in that particular area.

Even the most well kept wood siding is susceptible to moisture and damage which will lead to rotted wood. If the wood is discolored but the screwdriver test did not detect. In cases of mold growth the siding panel affected will need to be replaced and it is a good idea to have a professional treat any mold to prevent it from returning. Scrape off flaking paint and debris from the damaged area using a paint scraper.

After you remove the rotted courses use a small hacksaw to cut any protruding nail shanks or if you have a very strong grip use a good pair of wire cutters. Pry off the rotted boards. Scrub the surface of the rot or damage with a wire brush to remove loose fibers and soft spots. Softwood damaged by wood rot is not salvageable and should be replaced as soon as possible to keep the rot from spreading.

The goal was to get 2 3 inches above the inside of the siding. If you find a small portion of rotting wood you can prevent it from affecting the entire wood siding. This can be tough since so many times the siding is nailed down. The interesting solution here was borrowing siding from the back of the house to replace damaged pieces in the front of the house as we could never match the color of the siding painted.