Repairing Siding From Rot Damage

Caulk any nailheads that break the paper face.

Repairing siding from rot damage.

Inspect the sidewall around and underneath the fascia and inside the house for signs of moisture damage and repair any rotted areas. A couple easy solutions that saved me tons of time was to gently pull up on the siding at the studs with a pry bar careful enough not to damage the siding but enough to loosen a nail or two. However the amount of present rot can be deceptive. Not only is this faster but the fixed wood is stronger than the original.

Gap at corner and butt joints. Generally fiber cement sidings last a lot longer than their wooden counterparts. The sheathing and framing sometimes need repairs too but that is less common. Softwood damaged by wood rot is not salvageable and should be replaced as soon as possible to keep the rot from spreading.

This can be tough since so many times the siding is nailed down. Lift the bottom shingle and slip in the kickout flashing. If the wood is discolored but the screwdriver test did not detect. Nail it to the sidewall or glue it if nailing isn t possible.

Seal these joints with a 35 year paintable acrylic caulk. The goal was to get 2 3 inches above the inside of the siding. In most cases the original layer of building paper or housewrap at the bottom of the wall was enough to prevent water infiltration and damage beneath the siding. If your siding has a lot of damage due to pests or rot then that s probably the time to think about replacing it for a more robust siding like this fiber cement lap siding.

The heads will break the paper face allowing water to soak in and deteriorate the siding. Carefully examine your t1 11 siding for signs of mold wood rot or beyond minor water damage.