Repairing Old Cedar Siding

Use a high pressure nozzle to wash the surface of the old weathered out cedar siding.

Repairing old cedar siding.

We used cedar siding to replace the rotted clapboards. Before the siding can go up 1x4 starter strips of treated lumber should be nailed to the sill where the lower most course of siding will go up image 2. Moreover insects and birds can bore holes and moisture can cause boards to warp and crack. Repairing wood siding is integral to owning a home with wood siding.

Cedar is a relatively stable wood species one of the reasons that home builders favor it for exterior applications like siding. Siding repair is best done with hand tools with one exception. First to help avoid any future insect damage back prime the cedar with oil based primer image 1. This will help to prevent any damage made to the soft wood surface.

The most important step of any wood siding repair is the final process of weatherproofing the repair area with paint or another type of sealant and caulk. Simple once we look to repair large wall areas with new cedar you re committing to many more years of costly maintenance. To replicate the look of cedar shake cut a 2 piece of fiber cement board that will go right above the drip cap then a larger piece on top of that and finally the shingle panels. Instead you can size the replacement using the old clapboard as a template a simple technique that virtually guarantees a tight fit on the first try.

Pressure washing your cedar siding is perfectly ok as long as the sprayer washer is set at low pressure. Why replace your cedar siding. Water splashes up from the ground frequently soaking the vulnerable bottom edges. Nail the starter strip in place above the drip cap with a coiled nailing sider.

How to repair wood siding. Power tools are out for this job. Though wood siding is very strong a sufficient physical impact can split and crack it. How to repair cracks in cedar siding with wood filler.

If there was ever a perfect time to replace your old cedar siding with james hardie siding or even vinyl siding it is when you are looking to spend thousands of dollars to repair a. Forget the tape measure tom says. The usefulness of cedar for exterior applications such as siding and fencing is due to its exceptional weather resistance but over time even cedar siding can be damaged from exposure to moisture and ultraviolet uv rays. But without proper attention isolated areas can begin rotting in only a few years especially near the foundation.