How to Repair Wood Siding in 7 Steps
Everything you need to keep your wood siding in good shape
- Ladder
- Circular saw
- v
- Drill
- Hole saw
- Paintable/stainable caulk
- Wood filler
- Wood epoxy
- Replacement siding boards
- Ring shank nails
With its rustic charm and welcoming appearance, wood siding can increase your home’s value and boost its curb appeal—but only if it’s in good condition. Wood siding is prone to impact damage, rot, and pest damage, all of which can leave your home unprotected and exposed to damaging water intrusion. Our step-by-step guide walks you through repairing your wood siding so it looks and performs its best for years to come.
Remove Loose Paint and Debris
Before repairing holes or cracks in your wood siding, use a paint scraper or putty knife to remove loose paint and any debris that’s accumulated on the siding around the damaged area. Sand down the wood to give yourself a smooth surface to work with.
Fill Holes and Cracks
If you have woodpecker holes in your siding, cracks in the wood siding boards, or other holes, use paintable or stainable wood filler, latex caulk, or wood epoxy applied with a putty knife to fill the hole or crack.
If the siding has a large hole two to four inches in diameter that needs to be filled, use a hole saw to remove around the hole on the damaged board and cut a corresponding piece from a replacement board. Use wood filler to put the replacement section into the damaged board and apply a thin layer of filler over the patch.
Cut and Remove Damaged Boards
If the damage is more extensive than a hole or crack and you need to replace larger sections of siding, use an oscillating saw to make vertical cuts on either side of the damaged area. Using a pry bar, gently pry the siding away from the exterior wall, taking care not to damage the surface underneath the siding. Carefully remove any nails with a claw hammer or the pry bar. Repeat this process for any additional damaged boards.
Inspect for Damaged Sheathing
If the damage is extensive, the sheathing underneath the siding may also be damaged. Inspect the area under the removed boards to see if the sheathing is intact. If you need to replace the rotted wood under the siding, you may need to call a qualified siding professional, since a larger section of siding may need to be removed to make the necessary repairs.
Cut and Install Replacement Boards
Using the removed pieces of siding as a guide, use a circular saw to cut the correct size replacement boards. Install the new wood siding using ring shank nails, hammering them into the existing nail holes on the sheathing. Use wood filler or caulk to fill in the nail holes and seal the edges of the replacement board.
Sand Repair Area
Whether you’ve filled in holes or cracks or replaced a section of siding, you’ll need to sand the surface to smooth out the filler and create an even surface to paint or stain. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions to give the filler or caulk enough time to fully cure before sanding and staining or painting—this may take up to 12 hours or more before you can move on to this step.
Paint or Stain to Match
Using a paint brush or roller, paint or stain the repaired section of siding to match the rest. This is also a good time to touch up any chipped or faded paint elsewhere on your siding.
Mistakes to Avoid
Repairing wood siding is a fairly straightforward process, but there are a few mistakes you might make that could cost you time, money, and effort.
Repairing siding that should be replaced. If your wood siding is near the end of its lifespan or has extensive damage, repairing it may not be enough to prevent further damage.
Not repairing or replacing damaged sheathing. If what’s under your siding isn’t in good shape, it won’t help to repair the siding. You need to fix the underlying problem first before making any repairs.
Damaging surrounding siding or sheathing while repairing damaged siding. If you aren’t careful to only cut away damaged boards, you may cause more damage during the repair process.
Not letting filler or caulk fully cure before sanding and staining or painting. Painting or staining over uncured filler or caulk can lead to peeling paint or prevent the filler or caulk from properly curing.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
You can tackle smaller wood siding repairs as a weekend DIY, but for more extensive repairs, or if the damage has affected the sheathing underneath the siding, hire a siding contractor to ensure the repairs are done properly. A local siding repair pro can assess the damage and make any necessary repairs.
If your siding is nearing the end of its expected life or the damage is extensive enough that repair costs are more than half of the cost to replace siding, hire a qualified wood siding pro to install new siding instead of repairing the damage. The cost of wood siding is higher than other materials, but having new wood siding will mean you won’t need to worry about major repairs for decades to come.
To maintain your wood siding, repaint it every three to seven years or stain and seal it every five to ten years. Wood siding is susceptible to water damage, so keeping on top of painting or sealing it can prevent costly damage and help it stay in good condition for its full expected lifespan.
Wood siding lasts an average of 20 to 40 years, depending on the type of wood siding, the quality of installation, and how well it’s maintained. Wood siding requires a little more work to keep it looking great than other kinds of siding like vinyl or fiber cement, but it has the authentic wood grain and rustic aesthetic that have made it a popular and timeless siding material.
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