Top 4 Problems With Wood Siding
Wooden siding has long been a popular choice for homeowners seeking a timeless and rustic exterior finish. But while it exudes warmth and charm, there are several challenges associated with wooden siding.
Rescue My Roof has been educating homeowners for over a decade, helping them find the siding that fits their needs.
In this article, we’ll delve into the top four problems that homeowners may encounter with wooden siding and explore potential solutions to preserve its beauty and extend its lifespan.
4 Problems with Wooden Siding
Wood is a wildly popular choice for homeowners who are siding their home. It’s simple, visually appealing, and provides many options in terms of paints, stains, and sizes and styles.
While it does provide versatility, there are a host of problems that accompany wood siding. Here are four issues that can come along with wood siding:
1. Extensive Maintenance
One of the main reasons to reconsider wood siding? It requires a great deal of expensive and painstaking upkeep.
Wood is an incredibly porous material that absorbs moisture; in order to avoid major damage, wood siding must be painted or sealed every four to nine years.
If you’re planning to live in your home for the life of your 30-year mortgage, this means you’ll need to paint or reseal your home 4 to 8 times in 30 years. If your home needs to be repainted, this includes spot-scraping and sanding where the paint is no longer adhering to the wood, and repair to any wood that has incurred damage.
Does the thought of so much maintenance make you uneasy? Luckily, there are other siding options available that don’t require a fraction of the upkeep.
2. Durability
Wood siding is very porous and prone to absorbing moisture. It loses strength and durability over time as it is exposed to weather season after season.
Eventually, moisture can lead to rotting wood. This means that each affected siding plank needs to be replaced as soon as possible to prevent the damage from spreading plank to plank.
Once the wood has been affected by moisture damage, it is no longer protecting your home from the elements. Because of this, wood siding requires constant vigilance. Spotting signs of damage early prevents disastrous damage.
However, maintaining your wood with a protective paint coating can decrease the risk of moisture damage. If you encounter and chipping or peeling paint – it’s time to repaint your siding.
3. Warping
Wood that is exposed to weather, like snowfall or rain for extended periods of time not only loses its durability, but it can also swell and warp, creating gaps in the siding that can allow critters to creep in and moisture to seep into the main structure of your home.
The best prevention for warped siding is regular maintenance. Inspect your siding for chipped or peeling paint and repaint affected areas to provide additional protection from the elements.
If you notice warped wood – replacement is required. Call a local contractor to determine the extent of the damage and get a siding repair estimate.
4. Insect and Pest Damage
Termites, carpenter bees, and woodpeckers – oh my! They all love wood siding. If woodpeckers take a liking to your home, they may leave your siding riddled with holes, which is not only unsightly, but it exposes your home to additional damage from water, insects, and other pests.
Termites, carpenter bees, and ants also love to munch on wood siding. They weaken the integrity of the siding, causing the wood to rot, which can spread to the framing of your home, too, and holes bored into the siding of your home open up the siding to more damage from moisture.
If you are dealing with pests, it’s best to call an exterminator before doing repairs. Failing to resolve any pest issues before doing repairs will lead to even more repairs in the future.
Revitalizing Your Siding
When your siding is old, faded, or leaving your home susceptible to damage, it can be frustrating. Not only is a replacement costly, but it also means you have an important decision to make about materials.
Wooden siding can provide the perfect rustic look for your home – but it doesn’t come without challenges. Wooden siding, if the paint coat is not maintained properly, can warp, rot, and be prone to insect infestation.
Luckily, there are other siding options available. Read “The Top 5 Problems with Vinyl Siding” and “What is LP Siding?”While Rescue My Roof does not currently offer wood siding, we are here for all your vinyl siding needs. Contact us today to get a free estimate.