How to Repair Woodpecker Damage to Cedar Siding

Unfortunately, woodpeckers do not know the difference between a tree and the side of your house. If woodpeckers are frequent visitors to your cedar siding, it's a pretty safe bet that your siding is harboring a steady food supply for them. If the damage is already done, there are steps you can take to repair your siding and keep woodpeckers from coming back.

Things You'll Need

• Bondo body filler
• Putty knife
• Small bowl
• Sander
• Primer
• Paint that matches the siding

Instructions

1. Mix the two components of the body filler together in a small bowl. Be careful not to mix more than you can use in five to seven minutes; otherwise the remaining mixture will harden and be rendered useless.

2. Using the putty knife, put as much filler as you can into the hole and overflow it a bit to make sure it's full.

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until all of the holes are adequately filled.

4. Wait four to six hours for the filler to become hard.

5. Sand the excess filler off until the siding is smooth again.

6. Prime and paint the repaired siding the same color as the rest of the siding.

Tips & Warnings

• Take preventive steps to ensure the woodpeckers won't damage your siding again. Woodpeckers are attracted to earth tones like deep red, green, brown or orange, so if you paint your cedar siding a pastel color, woodpeckers may stay away. To scare them away, wrap branches near your house where they tend to congregate in aluminum foil. Or make a birdhouse and fill it with sawdust to encourage them to make their nests in an area that doesn't involve your siding.

References

• Wood Siding Repair and Maintenance