Repairing Siding

Fixer-Upper · 04-07-2006, 08:49 PM

We have little chinks missing out of our vinyl siding in some places all over the outside of our house (1-2 in. segments on the bottom edges). It has been suggested to us that instead of replacing the affected peices (a lot of them), we should just fill them in with a silicone product. Any suggestions?

Bridgewater · 04-08-2006, 08:34 PM

This sounds like your the victom of a weed wacker. LOL I have fixed alot of these by replacing the bottom row of siding.
This easy to do if to do if you have a zipper tool (side swiper) this unlocks the 1 st panel from the 2nd and you just pop the nails and unlock the damaged panel from the starter and replace with new ones. This tool will also zip the two panels back together.
Or if you can get your hands on an alum. break, you could make a custom cap or flash, and pop rivit this all along the bottom row. Then you wont get any more chiping.

Fixer-Upper · 04-10-2006, 12:29 PM

Actually, these little chinks are all over the house, higher than a weedwacker could or would really reach. We are not sure at all how this happened. The house hasn't been lived in for quite a while. Maybe woodpeckers or something more strange than that. Is there any way to repair this without replacing the siding?

Square Eye · 04-10-2006, 04:10 PM

I will admit that I have used caulking to repair siding chips all over a house like that. I drove by today to see how it held up before I responded this thread.

It still looks pretty good. When I did it, I told the customer that I thought it was temporary. It's holding up pretty well though.

Go for it, it's already damaged, you won't hurt it. I used a painter's caulk called Kwik Caulk made by Conklin. My next choice would have been Dap, Alex Plus. They are both a latex base silicone formula. Easy to clean up and easy to shape without stringing and running.

Bridgewater · 04-14-2006, 11:47 PM

Fixer uper; Square Eye hit the nail right on the head! Thats about all you can do.
I have worked siding a long time and will bet this is the real old stuff and the UV rays and weather has did alot of the damage. This gets real britle in time, and will crack when hit in the cold. I have seen old gable vents break apart from hail and birds. When it gets cold in SC, may be a big factor. Do you have trees around your house? maby high winds are blowing limbs at your walls. Just trying to help ya and figure this one out!!!

PaPaDan · 04-15-2006, 01:39 PM

Go ahead and patch with silicon caulk. Sounds to me like small rocks in the yard being thrown by the lawn mower.