Common Wood Siding Repairs

Wood siding can be made of any number of wood types or a composite material. Regardless, its natural construction makes it vulnerable to certain elements, such as water, and pests, such as termites. As a result, there’s a number of common repairs that you may need to take care of during the lifetime of your home.

Filling Holes in Wood Siding

Whether caused by pests or general rot, tiny holes in wood siding boards are increasingly common as siding ages. Fixing these is relatively easy, particularly if they’re small and infrequent. Filling holes in wood siding involves several steps:

1. Clean the holes out with a stiff bristle brush. You may be able to pull out some of the looser material by hand.
2. Apply a stainable wood putty into each hole. Depending on the size of the hole, more than one putty application may be necessary.
3. Once the holes are completely filled and the putty is dry, sand down any excess putty to a smooth finish that’s even with the wood.
4. Re-stain the entire board to blend the putty into the look of the siding.

Depending on the extent of the damage and number of holes, this type of repair can cost as little as $100–$200 for a professional to complete at an average rate of $40–$50 per hour plus materials.

Fixing Warped Wood Boards

Warped wood siding boards are generally a result of excess moisture penetrating areas that have insufficient spacing between boards. The least labor-intensive way to correct this problem is to drive in additional screws that can force the board to lie flat. If this doesn't work, the next step is to remove each warped board and shorten it to fit better in the space.

Again, depending on the extent or number of warped boards, hiring a professional to complete this job may only cost a few hundred dollars at a rate of approximately $40–$50 per hour, which is what most homeowners pay on average.

Replacing Damaged Wood Boards or Shingles

The most complex type of wood siding repair is the replacement of damaged boards or shingles. This type of repair generally needs to take place when sustained damage, such as mold or rot, has taken over a part of the siding, damaging an entire area or board over a long period of time. Part of what makes this repair so complex is that, often, rotten siding indicates a deeper problem with dry rot underneath, which is a much more expensive and involved fix.

If the issue is with a single board alone, the repair process simply involves:

1. Cutting away an entire part of the siding
2. Clearing away nails
3. Cutting and nailing in new boards or shingles
4. Caulking the finished job to make it water-tight

However, the success of this job ultimately relies on your repair professional’s ability to find a piece of wood that matches the current siding. If none are available, the additional step of removing a board from another, less-visible area of the house and replacing it with a less-than-perfect match adds to the time and cost of this project.

Depending on the size of the damaged area and the availability of matching boards and shingles, this is at least a full-day job that can cost several hundred or even $1,000 or more to have professionally done. This cost includes an average of $40–$50 for labor per hour plus material costs. If there is dry rot underneath the damaged boards, your costs may increase substantially because additional materials and labor are involved.

Take a look at the table below for an at-a-glance comparison of the costs associated with the common repairs discussed above.

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Wood Siding Maintenance

Wood is one of the oldest types of siding materials and is commonly found in period homes from the Colonial era onward. Because it’s a natural material, wood needs special attention and treatment to remain both beautiful and functional over time. At the least, this involves restaining and painting your wood siding every few years as well as performing annual inspections to check for rot, pests and other damage. Immediately addressing not only damaged areas but the cause of that damage — such as a faulty gutter, for example — is critical for preventing similar damage and expensive repairs from occurring in the future.

Another important aspect of owning a home with wood siding is knowing when a repair is no longer worth the cost and total replacement is a better option. In general, wood siding should last around 20–25 years with proper maintenance. As this time approaches, you need to weigh the costs of total replacement over continual repair, especially if finding matching boards or shingles is difficult. Having a professional assess whether you simply need a routine cleaning or a more extensive list of repairs or full replacement is an important part of responsible maintenance.

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DIY Wood Siding Repairs

Repairing your own wood siding is an option available to any homeowner with at least intermediate woodworking skills and the appropriate tools. In fact, all of the above repairs are easy to do yourself, so long as they aren’t too expansive and are in easily accessible areas. However, the farther up the sides of your home the damage occurs, the harder the repair becomes, as the risk of injury increases exponentially. Use your best judgment to determine if going up a ladder to replace siding, particularly when prying off boards is involved, is worth the risk or if you prefer to hire a professional.

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Common Fiber Cement Siding Repairs

Fiber cement siding is a type of composite material made up of wood fiber, cement, sand and other proprietary components that are molded into various shapes and textures, such as wood, stucco and brick. Environmentally friendly and attractive, well-maintained fiber cement siding lasts 50 years or more. However, it’s still subject to damages specific to its material makeup, the most common of which are important to note if you have this type of siding.

Loose Fiber Cement Boards

Loose fiber cement boards often arise as a result of poor installation jobs or, less often, general age and wear. As long as your entire house doesn't have loose boards, fixing individual loose spots is relatively simple using a process called pinback nailing, or pinning the board's butt joints using a corrosion-resistant nail secured flush to the surface of the board.

This process is pretty simple, and a siding contractor can likely complete a larger job within a few hours, depending on the extent of the damage and the number of loose boards. Plan on paying the standard rate of $40–$50 per hour for labor plus the cost of the corrosion-resistant nails.

Buckled Fiber Cement Boards Boards

Like warped wood siding, fiber cement siding can buckle if it’s installed without proper gaps between the boards. Because fiber cement looks and cuts like wood, the process of fixing buckled fiber cement boards is nearly identical to fixing warped wood boards. It starts with an effort to nail the board in place. If that doesn't work, removing the board and cutting it to give proper clearance before reapplying the board to your home is necessary.

Like the warped wood job outlined above, this job can cost a couple hundred dollars if completed by professional siding contractors, who charge on average between $40–$50 per hour plus materials.

Failed Paint Jobs

Whether factory-coated or painted after installation, chipping or flaking paint on fiber cement siding is not only unsightly, but it also leaves the material vulnerable to damage from the sun and other elements such as wind and rain. In this case, the best solution is to repaint the entire house, taking care to ensure that the new paint is applied properly.

The cost to paint the exterior of a home varies according to its size. However, the average cost of an exterior paint job, according to true cost reports, ranges from $1,700–$3,700.

The table below offers a comparison between the different common fiber cement repair projects outlined above for quick reference.

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Fiber Cement Siding Maintenance

Although it’s a more expensive option than almost any other material, fiber cement siding is becoming more and more popular because it mimics the look of wood without requiring the same level of maintenance and care. It’s also resistant to many of the natural forces that impact wood and other siding types, including moisture, fire, pests and UV rays. In fact, it’s well-known in the home improvement world as the "low-maintenance" option, which makes fiber cement siding a smart option whether you’re building a new home or looking to fortify an existing home’s exterior.

There are some maintenance considerations for homeowners with fiber cement siding, however. This includes periodic recoating of factory seals and paint and annual cleaning and/or pressure washing to rid the exterior of pollen and dirt. On average, having your fiber cement siding professionally cleaned costs $300–$500, depending on your location and the amount of debris the professional has to remove from the exterior of the home.

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