Replacing Wooden Shingles

In order to maintain your home's exterior and increase its value, it may be necessary to replace damaged wooden shingles. These offer your home an additional layer of protection and, when one is damaged, the area underneath can become susceptible to moisture damage. Therefore, the replacement is not only necessary for aesthetic purposes. With the proper equipment and instructions, you can replace your home's damaged wooden shingles in a snap.

Things You'll Need

• Pry bar Wooden replacement shingles Hammer Chisel Nails Rubber mallet

Instructions

1. Use a pry bar to gently lift the wooden shingle that rests above the damaged one. Slide the pry bar underneath the shingle and give it a pull. You will only need to lift it slightly to access the one below it.

2. Remove the damaged wooden shingle using a hammer and chisel. Press the chisel against the bottom of the shingle and give the chisel a tap with the hammer. The pressure should split the wooden shingle along the grain. Do this in several sections along the bottom of the shingle until it is released from its position on the exterior of your home.

3. Pry the original nails from the damaged wooden shingle from the exterior wall using the back of a hammer, or the pry bar. If removing the nail is not possible, use a hacksaw to cut the nail even with the outer surface of your homes exterior wall.

4. Slide a new wooden shingle into place leaving approximately one half inch of space between the new shingle's top and its desired location, and attach with a nail. Hammer the nail into the shingle with the head facing down.

5. Tap the shingle into place by gently tapping the bottom with a rubber mallet. The shingle will slide up into its permanent position, and the nail head will rise under the wooden shingle that rests above it.

6. Follow the above process when replacing wooden shingles on your home in the future.

Tips & Warnings

• Assess the entire exterior of your home when you are deciding to replace a damaged wooden shingle. If you notice other wooden shingles that need removal, consider replacing them at the same time. This way, you can purchase shingles from the same dye lot to ensure that they will all match. Before you purchase new wooden shingles, check your garage or storage area. The original contractor may have left shingles behind after completing the original job. You may have forgotten that you still have them, so take a look.

• Be sure not to damage any of the existing shingles during the replacement process. Carefully removing the damaged wooden shingle and diligently replacing it with a new one should not affect the surrounding wooden shingles.

Resources

• A large variety of engineered wooden replacement shingles can be found at: