Repairing Siding This Old House

Power tools are out for this job.

Repairing siding this old house.

Forget the tape measure tom says. Remove the wood then the nails. Snap out the old piece. We tear off the damaged hardboard and replace it with fiber cement siding.

Pull siding away from house and cut through the bottom edge with aviation snips. Tack a batten to the water table horizontally to guide the saw and ensure a straight 90 degree cut. In most cases the original layer of building paper or housewrap at the bottom of the wall was enough to prevent water infiltration and damage beneath the siding. Here s how to use it.

It ll better match the house than brand new siding. 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. Set the blade at a 5 degree bevel and a 1 inch cutting depth. Siding repair is best done with hand tools with one exception.

So when a piece of vinyl breaks the key to making the repair is a zip tool a miniature curved pry bar with a metal hook at its tip to unlock the siding. Use framing square and utility knife to cut through face of siding. Cut piece of faded siding from an inconspicuous spot to replace the damaged section.