Over time, wood siding can rot or become damaged in a myriad of ways and need replacing. Sometimes, only a few boards need replacing, thus requiring you to crosscut existing siding with a circular saw and then remove it.
Read about removing old wood siding without damaging other boards.
How To Prepare For New Siding
Get all the materials needed to replace your old damaged wood siding and ensure all the width, thickness, and profile of the board matches perfectly. Next, prime all four sides of the new siding before installing it; this protects it from any moisture penetration. It’s best to tint the primer to match the house color, which reduces the number of coats of paint you need to apply.
While the primer dries, then start removing the damaged pieces, starting at the bottom of the affected area.
Remove and Replace Wood Siding
There are several steps to removing old wood siding. These steps include:
- Cutting the Existing Siding: Stagger the end joints when crosscutting the existing siding, so they aren’t aligned above each other.. Note, if the siding doesn’t have wood or plywood sheathing behind it, crosscut the damaged siding over a stud.
- Cutting Siding Nails: Cut through the nails holding the old siding in place. Using an oscillating tool with a metal cutting blade works best for this, or use a mini hacksaw with the blade extended beyond the end of the holder. You can also wrap duct tape around the bottom of a hacksaw blade to protect your hand to cut through the nails. Then use a pry bar to lift each piece and pull it away from the wall.
- Cutting and Priming Replacement Siding: Cut the new siding to length. Create a pair of gauges using scrap wood and attach them at a 90-degree angle. The distance from the edge of the larger piece to the smaller piece needs to be equal to the amount of siding revealed on each lap. Hooking that smaller piece on the row below the repair allows you to create the proper spacing every time. Next, prime all sides of the siding. Allow the primer to dry before installing it.
- Attach Replacement Siding: Start at the bottom and work your way up with overlapping the boards, so each row of new siding has the same reveal as the old siding. You can make a spacer gauge from two blocks of wood screwed together to mark the reveal, or use a tape measure. Nail the new siding near the top of the siding, so the row above it covers the nails. Or, the siding can be face nailed near the bottom with the nails exposed. Ensure you use corrosion-resistant galvanized or staInless steel siding nails.
- Caulk and Paint Siding: When you complete the repair, caulk all the end joints, and then apply two coats of good quality exterior paint.
Contact Mountain States Windows & Siding for Help
If you need help with repairing your siding from a professional, give us a call. Our roof experts know their stuff and can do the job efficiently and professionally, so you don’t worry whether it’s done right. Contact us today for more information.
