How To Replace Rotten Lap Siding

Hardboard lap siding has been used on homes for years because it mimics the look of wood siding but is much less expensive.

How to replace rotten lap siding.

Here s how to repair damaged clapboards also known as bevel or lap siding. After you remove the rotted courses use a small hacksaw to cut any protruding nail shanks or if you have a very strong grip use a good pair of wire cutters. When the repair is complete caulk all the end joints and then apply two coats of high quality exterior paint. In this video this old house general contractor tom silva explains how to repair clapboards.

Protect sound siding with a scrap piece of 1 4 in. Take the replacement board fit it in place image 2 and nail it in with a hammer using galvanized nails. Watch this video to find out more. If the damaged area is large you ll have to replace the board or a part of the board.

One of the disadvantages of hardboard siding is that exposure to water can cause it to deteriorate over time. Pry off the rotted boards. You can cut a board almost anywhere if your sheathing is solid plywood or osb but if the sheathing is not solid it must be cut in the middle of a. Remove the nails on the lap board then use the claw of the hammer to split the board down the center image 1.

Replace the old board with a new one of the same size and shape. Once all the nails are removed from the adjoining board the damaged one should just pull out. To learn how to repair wood siding remove rotted boards with a flat pry bar. Pull loose nails from clapboard siding.

However the amount of present rot can be deceptive. If a wood clapboard is rotted in a small area you can apply wood hardener and patch with wood filler or epoxy. Wedge the board away from the house by driving wedges up under the damaged board to pull it out from the sheathing below. Generally fiber cement sidings last a lot longer than their wooden counterparts.

Rotten hardboard siding before replacement with fiber cement siding. Replacing rotten hardboard siding video how to replace damaged hardboard siding with fiber cement video. 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.