Can you replace a particular board or section of home siding? Yes - but try to avoid it unless necessary. Here's what you need to know about these common siding repair projects.
Replacing boards and panels
Damage to a single board or panel of siding is rare, but it can happen. Sometimes a branch after a bad storm or an errant baseball may crack one board in particular. Defects may cause a single panel or piece to warp as well. When this occurs, your best bet is to replace that particular piece with a new version. This is particularly important with sensitive siding like wood where damage can cause an entry point for dangerous moisture.
The good news is that this is possible for most siding materials, especially for vinyl, which is lightweight and relatively simple to prepare. This single-board replacement can also work on aluminum, fiber cement, and other types of siding. However, it can be very difficult to remove a single board from the middle of a wall and replace it with a new board without damaging the siding around it, especially with more fragile materials. If you don't have any experience in home siding, it is probably best to call in a professional for the right fix.
Replacing specific sections of siding
At other times, an entire wall or large section of siding can be damaged. You see this sometimes with cheap vinyl when it is damaged by heat, or when aluminum panels are dented by regular yard maintenance, or when a bad case of rot or mildew spreads across an entire area of siding. In these cases, large sections need to be replaced.
For this case, a professional usually saws out the whole offending sections and carefully replaces it with new materials. Sometimes boards can be cut partway through and new board pieces attached with adhesives to the older boards, but it is often more practical to just replace the entire board.
Understand, however, that you will be replacing home siding that is often years old with brand new materials, preferably right from the manufacture. The new siding will not have the same weathering or exposure to sunlight, so the appearance may be strikingly different, especially with darker colors. For this reason, some homeowners prefer to replace an entire wall of siding if the damaged section is large. This helps prevent a color clash.
Preventing siding damage
When repairing siding or installing new home siding, it is important that the siding be installed correctly to prevent other problems in the future. All siding boards need a certain amount of space between siding and inner wall to help stop warping, but must be carefully connected when attached to nearby siding. For further answers on your siding projects, consult a professional here at Findlay!
