When correctly maintained, wood siding can be a durable and highly attractive choice for exterior cladding. However, like your roof, gutters and other components, wood siding needs timely repairs and proper maintenance to look its best and last its longest. Because your siding is integrated into the overall structure, it is typically best to engage a contractor who offers siding, gutter and roofing services. These contractors have the knowledge to identify and correct problems that may be causing or contributing to issues with your siding.
How to Repair Wood Siding – Austin, Texas
What Are the Best Practices for Wood Siding Repair?
Naturally, the best repair is one that you can avoid through proactive maintenance. Apply fresh stain or paint whenever it is needed, keep your siding clean, inspect it at least quarterly to spot gaps or other issues while they are still easy to correct, keep vegetation trimmed away from your siding, inspect your gutters to ensure that water is not flowing down your siding when it rains, and do not allow piles of mulch, dirt or leaves to reach the lower edges of your siding. However, the quality of the initial siding installation is also critical, so always be sure to deal with an experienced, trustworthy contractor for the installation as well as any repairs.
Step 1: Conduct a thorough inspection of the siding. It is impossible to formulate a repair plan without identifying the damage.
• Missing, split, broken, warped or loose siding pieces are typically easy to spot and are among the most common types of damage that wood siding incurs.
• Mold, fungus, and mildew are also quite noticeable in many cases.
• Missing or extruding nails may require scrutinizing the siding a bit more closely, but it is amazing how much water can enter a nail hole.
• Pieces of siding that are sagging or excessively loose often indicate missing nails, but sagging can also result from improper application.
• Caulk and other sealants around the doors, windows and trim pieces protect against water penetration. Look for a sealant that is cracked, peeling, blistered or missing.
Step 2: Match the repair method to the type of damage.
As you might expect, the type of damage will usually dictate the best repair method. However, it is essential to consider the extent of the damage. For example, a little mold on one or two boards is a relatively minor issue, but mold that completely covers every wall is a different matter.
• Wood siding often develops a few small holes from rot, pests or age. The standard repair method involves cleaning out the void, applying a stainable putty, allowing the putty to dry, sanding down the putty until it is level with the siding, and then applying new stain to the entire board or shingle to blend the repair into the rest of the wood.
• Replacing damaged wood shingles or boards is a relatively complicated procedure. Although it is sometimes possible to fix a warped board by using additional screws to force it flat, if this procedure fails, the board may need to be removed and replaced. The general process involves removing the damaged siding by either cutting it away or using a small crowbar, nailing new siding into place, and caulking the area to prevent water infiltration. However, in many cases, the damage resulted from water that leaked behind the siding. When the siding is removed, roof contractors often finds rot or mold in the void. Wall supports, and insulation often needs to be repaired or replaced before the siding can be replaced.
• If a great many boards are heavily damaged, it may be more cost-effective to replace all of your siding, especially if your wood siding is old or made from a low-cost species. This might be a good time to investigate Hardie siding, a fiber cement siding that offers the appearance of wood without the time-consuming maintenance.
If you need a reputable roof company to repair or replace your siding, contact the experts at Alpha Roofing. We have experience with fiber cement and wood siding, repair roofs, install metal roofing systems, repair chimneys, install skylights, repair flashing, install asphalt shingles and offer many additional services. Whether you need an emergency roof repair or want to switch to Hardie siding, we can help. We built our outstanding reputation by consistently delivering exceptional work at reasonable prices. To request a free consultation or quote, use the online form or call 512-777-1086.