Wood Siding

[maryjoh1952]

I have an 1984 mobile home.The siding on it is wood and is rotting in places.Where do i buy this?Can i use the composite panel wood siding to replace the rotten parts or any kind of wood siding?Any help is appreciated.

[David Oxhandler]

The original "hardboard" siding on your home was used by most builders in the mid 80's. No one uses hardboard siding in new construction any more. There were quiet a few problems that led to massive class actions, against the siding manufacturers. Several manufacturers were court ordered to reimburse home owners and in many cases even reside the homes. Unfortunately that time for participation lapsed in the late 90's.

When we renovate homes with hardboard these days we replace the defective sheets with concrete fiber board siding (like Hardi-Board). Concrete board will last your lifetime, if installed and maintained correctly. You can often find concrete fiber board that has the same board-and-batten pattern or very close to the original siding. You can also find precast concrete boards in sizes to replace damaged trim and facia.

Once the defective sheets are replaced, caulk every nail and siding joint around the entire house. Paint the siding with a good quality paint. If this is the first painting start with a high quality primer. Caulking and painting should be treated as ongoing maintenance items. Painting can be at longer intervals if you use high quality paint.