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Repairing Wood Shingle Siding

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Wood shingle siding is an excellent option for your home. In addition to giving your home a traditional look, they can be changed to match your style by having them painted or stained according to your preferences. Despite their appearance, wood shingles don't always stand up to the elements, and they can get damaged or fall off over time. For these reasons, it's important to know how to repair and replace your wood shingles.

Making Repairs

If one or more of your wood shingles are damaged, it's probably due to one of three issues: cracks, holes, or warping.

In order to fix cracked shingles, you can try filling in the crack with some caulk or wood glue, if the crack isn't to extensive. As long as the shingle is still in one piece, it can be repaired without having to replace the whole thing. Simply apply some waterproof wood glue to the edges of the crack and push the two pieces together. These can then be held together by driving in nails (after drilling starter holes) around the crack.

When repairing a hole in a wood siding shingle, you'll need to fill the hole with caulk or wood putty. If the hole is particularly deep, you may have to apply the caulk or putty in layers to allow it to dry properly. Once the filling is dry, you can sand it down to be level with the rest of the shingle. Then, it can be painted or stained accordingly.

If you have a warped shingle, there are a couple ways to fix this problem. First, you can put in some long screws, reinforcing the shingle to the roof and minimize the damage caused by warping. Another, and more complicated, option is to remove the shingle and shorten it. Remove the shingle by following the steps above for taking out a cracked shingle.

Once the warped shingle is removed, use a saw to cut one of the sides. You'll want to cut off just enough to allow for 1/16th inch of space between the neighboring shingles. When the shingle has been cut down to the right size, it can be nailed back into place.

Replacing a Shingle

If the damaged shingle cannot be repaired by any of the above methods, you'll probably need to replace it with a new one. You can use any leftover shingles you may have saved from the installation of the siding, or you can purchase replacement shingles at any home improvement store. Before putting the new shingle into place, though, you'll want to paint or stain it to match the rest of the shingles.

In order to put the replacement shingle in, you'll have to hammer it in. Instead of hammering the shingle directly, though, use a block of wood to act as a buffer between the hammer and the shingle. Otherwise, the hammer can damage the shingle before it's even put into place. Once the shingle is hammered in, drive some nails in to keep it in place. Finally, put some caulk around the exposed areas of the shingle to keep it well protected.

The last thing you want on your home is a damaged wood siding shingle. Not only does it look bad, but it can also allow unwanted moisture to get into the house. So, it's in the best interest of your home to fix this problem, and now you know just how to go about doing this.

Adam Mandelbaum  Posted by Adam Mandelbaum on January 7, 2013

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