How to Fix Old Siding

Fix old siding by removing old boards and replacing them.

Whether you are repairing a small area of old siding on a house, or need to take off an entire section to fix it, the repair process is the same. With the right tools, you can repair wood siding and have it looking as good as new. Depending on the amount of wood needed for the siding repair job, the task may take a few hours or a few days to accomplish. If the task involves working with longer boards, you may want to get someone to help you, especially if you are going to be working from a ladder.

Things You'll Need

• Pry bar
• Reciprocating saw
• Metal cutting blade
• Replacement siding
• Hammer
• Nails
• Circular saw
• Silicone caulking
• Caulk gun
• Paintbrush
• Primer
• Paint

Instructions

1. Insert a pry bar under the uppermost board in the section you need to repair. Gently pull the board loose. You may not be able to pry it all the way off until you loosen several nails in the board. Slip the cutting edge of a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade on it in the opening. Cut the nail off as close to the house as possible.

2. Continue this process until you remove the amount of wood necessary to make the repair. Work your way downward through courses of wood siding.

3. Position a piece of new clapboard, or whatever siding you used on your house, into the lowest position. If it's the lowest piece on the wall, rip a 1 1/2-inch wide strip from a board to use as a starter strip. Nail the starter strip 1/8 inch away from the water table, or the horizontal board that runs along the base of the wall. Nail the siding in position over the starter strip. Put a nail into each stud.

4. Work your way up the wall, setting the pieces of clapboard so each board has an even overhang. Slide the top of the last piece of clapboard under the existing piece above it before you nail it into position. Butt ends together. Seal each vertical crack with silicone caulking.

5. Apply a coat of primer to the new wood. Allow it time to dry. Apply two coats of paint to the new wood with ample drying time between each coat of paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Before adding the new siding, you may need to make repairs to the sheathing underneath the wood. If the wood is rotten, carefully cut it away and replace it with a piece of plywood that is the same thickness as the existing sheathing.

• Follow a similar process to repair or replace old vinyl or aluminum siding. A zip tool makes it easy to release pieces of old vinyl siding, while a sharp utility knife makes it easier to cut away old pieces of aluminum siding.

• If you are working around electrical lines of any type, make sure the power is off.

References

• Hammer Zone: Removing Old Wood Siding
• This Old House: How to Hang Clapboard Siding