- Wood rot on siding is caused by prolonged exposure to moisture, poor ventilation, and fungi growth.
- To repair the wood on the siding of your property, you will need to evaluate the area, remove nails and wood rot, clean the area, apply the proper wood filler, sand, and paint the area.
- To ensure your wood rot repair is done correctly, consider hiring wood rot repair experts like Preservan.
How often do you check the exterior of your house for signs of wood rot on siding? For most of us, the answer is not often. Dry rot is a silent killer. Leaving it untreated can lead to weakened structural integrity of your home, potentially leading to a collapse if left untreated. While you can repair siding yourself, we encourage you to read through the entire process of siding rot repair before diving in. You will want to be sure that this is something you are able to commit to.
How Long Does Wood Siding Last?
Wood siding can last you anywhere from 20-40 years, but it requires a good amount of maintenance and upkeep to last that long. It’s always a good idea to have your siding checked regularly to be sure that your siding is in good shape!
Causes of Wood Rot On Siding
If your house has wood siding, it is important that you know the causes of wood rot on siding to help prevent it from occurring. Prolonged exposure to moisture from humidity, poor ventilation, and water leaks can lead to the growth of fungi that causes wood rot on siding. Untreated and improperly treated wood siding is more likely to require siding rot repair. In humid and generally moist environments, this issue becomes more prevalent.
How To Repair Wood Rot On Siding
Unfortunately, there is not a non-invasive method of siding rot repair. If you are looking to repair your own you will have to be prepared to fully remove the wood and replace it with fresh, treated wood or with an epoxy filler. We will be talking about the latter method here. This can be done, but the siding rot repair will take around 15 different tools and a lot of patience. We recommend that you set aside an entire week for the siding rot repair process. This is to ensure each step is completed accurately without common mistakes.
1. Evaluate Siding
This first step is to find the location of the wood rot. You will need to examine your siding to look for any wood that looks soft, spongy, or discolored. Other signs of rotted wood include warping, cracking, crumbling, and peeling paint. Grab a measuring tape and pencil. Measure each section you need to replace at a foot wider than the damage. Draw out where you will need to cut the wood.
2. Remove Nails & Wood Rot
You will need to start out by using a utility knife and hammer claw to remove all nails, paint, caulk, and putty from the rotted section of wood before cutting out the rotted section that you previously marked. You will have to cut deeply into the wood to break the bond, otherwise the board will not be coming out in one piece. It’s crucial that every single inch of wood rot, nails, putty, and leftover materials are removed from the area before you move onto the next step.
3. Clean and Dry Area
After you’ve completely removed all the infected wood and old materials, clean out all debris and dry out the moisture thoroughly. You can dry the area by either leaving the hole unpatched for a while in good weather or if you want a quicker method, you can use a heat gun to speed up the siding rot repair process. Whatever method you choose, it’s important that you’re 100% sure the area is free of moisture and debris. If you move onto the next step when there is still moisture in the area you’re working on, the entire DIY project will fail.
4. Apply Wood Epoxy Filler
This part of the siding rot repair process takes several steps and a lot of time. These steps require knowledge with Epoxy Wood Filler. If you’re not familiar with this wood rot treatment, make sure you do a deep dive of the specific wood filler you purchased. Before adding your epoxy, you will need to mix your consolidant liquids. You will then brush the consolidant onto the wood or pour it directly into the wood if the cracking is very deep or harsh. You will need to work quickly as the working time for consolidants is only 30 minutes. If you’re unable to complete it within 30 minutes, you are at risk of having to start all the way over. Leave it to cure for at least 3 hours, or longer if the weather is cold or damp.
Once your consolidant is cured you can begin mixing your epoxy filler. Wearing latex gloves, mix your epoxy and use a putty knife to generously apply the filler into the hole. Allow the epoxy to harden for at least 4 hours.
5. Sand & Paint
Once the epoxy filler is completely hardened and dry, the next step is to sand and paint. You will need to use a sander with 80-grit sandpaper to sand down the area to size, then switch to 120-grit paper to get it completely smooth. From here, paint the epoxy to match the siding of your house. Voila! You completed a DIY wood rot siding repair.
Is Repairing Wood Rot Siding Worth It?
Taking care of your own siding rot repair can be very rewarding leaving you with a sense of pride and accomplishment once you have successfully completed this grueling task. On the other hand, for most people at siding rot repair may not be worth the time, energy, and money. It will cost you a decent amount of money on tools and materials as you likely do not have epoxy filler and a sander lying around at home. Time is also an important factor to consider when looking into siding rot repair. Curing alone will take at least 6 hours in perfect conditions. When working with rotted wood there are certain to be some hiccups. Cleaning up will be an endeavor in its own right, between cleaning and disposing of rotted wood, nails, consolidators, filler, and all of the various supplies you gathered.
If this sounds like it may be too much for you, just know you are not alone! Rather than going through the trouble of at home siding rot repair, many home owners rely on professional help from Preservan.
Choose Preservan To Repair Wood Rot On Siding
While some may be tempted to take on siding rot repair as a diy project, there is no doubt that no one can do a siding rot repair job better than a trained professional. Experts at Preservan can do the hard work for you while eliminating all of the uncertainty involved in a home siding rot repair project. Preservan’s trained teams use high-quality materials and proven techniques to ensure long lasting and aesthetically pleasing siding rot repair.
Visit our website or contact us for more information or a free siding rot repair estimate. We have multiple locations across the U.S. Find a location near you! We are constantly expanding our franchises into new neighborhoods. Trust the Preservan Promise and allow Preservan to give you sustainable, high quality siding rot repair with high quality materials.
Contact Preservan
Give us a call at Preservan for all of your siding rot repair needs!
