Leaving a damaged siding as it is for months on end will just not do. The broken clapboards and shingles allow the dirt, air, water and germs to enter your house and cause further damage and your house starts becoming unfit for living with every passing day. You have to sit up and take notice as soon as you notice the problem. Get hold of a good handyman or try and repair it yourself, if you have the requisite skills. Here are a few tips to tackle the problem head on.
- Check your siding for bad patches and pull out the bad board by yanking it free after driving wedges under the board. Be sure to remove all the nails from the board too.
- It is now time to take up your hacksaw and cut the board carefully on both sides of the damaged portion. Remember to take out the damaged portion completely. You can also break it with the aid of a hammer and chisel in case a portion of the board cannot be cut but be careful enough to avoid the surrounding good boards.
- Take a new clapboard and cut it carefully so that it fits right in. It should be aligned in between two boards. You can also plane the edges if necessary.
- You need to paint the new clapboard with a primer next. It should be covered completely with the edges of the opening being painted over too. You can get a few moments of rest now while the primer dries completely.
- It is now time to set the board into the opening. Push it in completely so that it fits to a T. Secure it by driving nails through the board both on top and bottom. You need it to caulk it next with acrylic latex caulk. Don’t forget to paint it so that it matches the other sidings in the house.
- You can also replace the damaged shingles in the same way. However, it is best to remove an old shingle from a less visible area of your house and replace the damaged one with it. The new one can go into the inconspicuous part of your house thereafter. This trick will help you to have a perfectly matched shingle in place of the damaged one.
- While the replacement is similar to that of clapboards, you do need to look for pre-drilled holes for nails in the shingles. You have to drill pilot holes for them though, if they are missing so the the wood does not splinter.
The siding installers at RAM Residential are certified and trained to deliver you the best siding installation you can get because it’s by the book! Give us a call and setup your free estimate (586) 731-9830.
