Repair Cracked Cedar Siding

Remove the nails in the corner cap.

Repair cracked cedar siding. Score down the damaged lap siding with a utility knife. Cedar wood siding should be painted or stained every 6 years or sooner depending on the level of uv exposure in order to reduce the costs of repainting. A new generation of wood fillers hardeners and epoxies fill holes and firm up soft spots so they are as strong as the original wood. Remove the nails on the lap board then use the claw of the hammer to split the board down the center image 1.

Once the paint starts to peel costs can quickly grow as sanding out walls is not cheap let alone replacing warped twisted and cracked siding panels. If the siding is unpainted stick with epoxy filler it s. Forget the tape measure tom says. These small repairs can add years to the life of the siding.

Fill cracks in painted siding with either exterior acrylic latex caulk caulk or with epoxy wood filler which is a better choice. Holes dents and other damage to siding can usually be fixed quickly and inexpensively. Refinish the siding if just the repaired portion needs refinishing apply a deep penetrating wood stain in the color of your choice. Once all the nails are removed from the adjoining board the damaged one should just pull out.

Instead you can size the replacement using the old clapboard as a template a simple technique that virtually guarantees a tight fit on the first try. Siding repair is best done with hand tools with one exception. Work the putty down into the holes and smear the putty over the top and edges of the defect. Use long horizontal strokes with the block instead of short vertical strokes.

Repairing minor defects in cedar siding step 1 use a putty knife to apply exterior wood putty to smaller cracks or holes in siding. Avoid polyurethane finishes as they can trap moisture below the surface of cedar.