When people have damaged wood siding, they often ask “what’s the best way to repair it?”

  1. Prime the new wood you’ll be using for the repair on the front, back and end grain.
  2. Besides prying out the rotten wood, you may need to cut adjacent boards back a stud or two in either direction.
  3. When you’re ready to install the new material, create a gauge block to help ensure that the reveal of each board is identical.
  4. Use galvanized, spiral shank nails to secure the boards.
  5. Caulk all the seams once the repair is complete.

Watch the video above to find out more.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

When people have damaged wood siding, they often ask “what’s the best way to repair it?” The first step is to prime the new wood you’ll be using for the repair on the front, back and end grain. This process, called “back priming,” will seal all sides of the wood to prevent moisture from causing the wood to deteriorate prematurely.

In most cases it’s necessary to remove more than just the damaged wood to make the repair less obvious. That’s because the end seams on wood lap siding are staggered across the wall and have to be made at wall stud locations. Besides prying out the rotten wood, you may need to cut adjacent boards back a stud or two in either direction. Because the nails in wood lap siding sometimes go through two rows at once you may need cut the nails in a row above the one you’re working on.

When you’re ready to install the new material, creating a gauge block will help ensure that the reveal of each board is identical. Use galvanized, spiral shank nails to secure the boards. Caulk all the seams once the repair is complete.


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Danny Lipford

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Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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