Wood Rot Repair

Wood rot repair is a task Mr. Handyman does all the time. Sometimes a corner board, a few clapboards or some cedar shingles appear to be bad or are coming away from the house. Usually that means there is underlying damage caused by water leaking behind the siding or between seams. It has often been going on for years, hidden from sight by the still-good outer layer of wood. Underneath, however, soaked wood has begun to rot and may be infested with insects (often carpenter ants); so, when repairs begin, more damage is often uncovered.

It’s impossible to tell before work begins just how extensive hidden damage might be, so don’t let anyone fool you into believing they can tell you before they start to work. The correct process is to remove bad wood until you find the total extent of the water damage, replace whatever has gone bad (possibly including structural members, sheathing, corner or trim boards, vapor barrier, siding and moldings) and then paint or stain to match the house. Good caulking of all seams will prevent water from getting behind the repair and beginning the rotting process again; sometimes, a slight modification of gutter runs or other design flaws can keep water away from that area in the future.

Mr. Handyman recommends the use of PVC trim boards wherever possible. PVC is a green product (it’s recycled plastic) and it will never rot; it can be painted or solid stained like wood, so the appearance will be the same as wood. PVC is not structural, however, so it can’t be used everywhere. Wood rot repair is one of Mr. Handyman’s specialties and our skilled technicians do it every day, so you can be sure that we will do a complete and thorough job of repairing and protecting your home.

Mike Symonds is owner of Mr. Handyman of Central Middlesex. 18-A Westford St., Carlisle, MA 01741 (978) 448-4070‎ providing handyman services to Carlisle, Massachusetts. All Mr. Handyman franchises are Fully Insured – General Liability and Workers Compensation. Some services subject to state and local licensing and may not be available in all locations. Click here to request service in your area.