Water from rain or sprinklers can damage hardboard and wood siding over time, causing it to rot or deteriorate. This usually occurs on the bottom rows of siding near the ground or on siding that adjoins a roof or chimney.

To remove and replace damaged siding:

  1. Use a pry bar to remove the damaged siding.
  2. Remove any nails from the top piece of good siding.
  3. Cut the fiber cement siding to length (wear approved dust protection).
  4. Blind-nail the fiber cement siding in place, starting with the bottom piece.
  5. Face-nail the top piece of fiber cement siding through the old siding.
  6. Prime and paint new siding to match the old.

Watch the video above to find out more.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Replacement is the only option for rotted, hardboard lap siding. However, you don’t have to replace it all, just the damaged pieces, which are usually near the ground or adjacent roofing.

First, pry the damaged pieces off the wall using a crowbar. As the bottom of each board comes out, you can pull down on one end of it and free it from the nails going through it and the row above. Occasionally there will be nails left behind under the last good row of old siding, which have to be cut or removed so the new siding can go in.

Fiber cement siding is a great replacement because it easily matches hardboard profiles, but it won’t ever rot or be eaten by termites. Fiber cement is usually blind-nailed, which means the nails go in the top edge of each piece, so the next row above it covers the fasteners.

When it’s painted the new siding looks as good as the old, it just lasts a lot longer.

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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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