Old siding repair options, implications of woodpeckers.

I moved into my house about 1 year ago. I’ve since done a few things to it, but mostly stuff that was easy with low consequence of failure. I built a new deck, laid some tile, finished out a room in the basement and such.

Now I have to start on some things that have more potential to go wrong. The siding on my house is painted cedar. Woodpeckers are hitting it up every day in several spots. This leads me to several questions.

#1, does the presence of woodpeckers mean the siding is in terrible shape and should be totally replaced?

#2 If no, can only the affected (and other boards that look questionable) boards be replaced?

#3 I know this kind of work gets to be costly, is there a way to figure out if I would be better served to just go to vinyl siding? I really love the idea of the steel siding I’ve seen advertised, but it is much more expensive and no one around here seems to do it. So vinyl seems to be the one option, but so far the quotes to do full vinyl siding are around 25-30k which seems very high (it is a 3 bdr split level, not a huge building).

#4 I elect to try and repair/replace the damaged pieces of siding, any resources I should look into to learn how best to do this would be really appreciated.

#5 Last but not least, is there anything about a siding repair or replacement job that I would ask, if I knew enough to ask it?

I’m at work right now, but if this would be helped by posting some pics, let me know and I will take some pictures and add them this evening.

welcome.

First ask why the woodpeckers are doing their thing.

They are either bored (really, or just making noise) or hungry. I would inspect the areas they are pecking at to see if you have any insects they are trying to get at.

If no insects they you just want to do something to scare them away (google it). There are lots of things. I like the motion detector activated sprinkler myself.

If inspects have an exterminator come out. If they are eating once the bugs are gone so will the peckers. Oh, an exterminator may also be able to rid you of the birds, IDK, may want to ask.

Wood siding can last a very long time if maintained. I wouldn't give up on it unless its in horrible shape. You can use bondo actually to fill in the holes, sand, prime and paint.

Good luck and let me know if you have any further questions.

Your not going to get rid of the woodpeckers, the males peck to attract females...they like your wood if there are bugs in it,,,and some woodpeckers are just plain old dumb.
I have one every year at the beginning of spring till middle of summer. Pecks on my aluminum gutter, man what a racket at 5am.

Concrete siding is one option, the new stuff is pretty durable, and causes a headache for those little critters.

Good luck, I live out in the country...animal life is everywhere.

handyguys said:

They are either bored

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inspectorD said:

some woodpeckers are just plain old dumb.

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are bored and dumb the same thing in this case?

I was in TN years ago and noticed that some homes has fake snakes tacked to the side of the house. When I inquired, I was told that it was there to ward off woodpeckers.
How a snake can scale the side of a house is beyond me and apparently beyond woodpeckers so I would have to go with woodpeckers are just plain old dumb.

kok328 said:

woodpeckers are just plain old dumb.

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You mean they have a bird brain?