Repair Trim Rot (Skirt Board and Corner Board)

[@rcleimbach4308]

I have made similar repairs to my trim when the rot was in a location where I didn't want to replace the entire trim board. In order to ensure a straight edge when cutting with the multi-tool, I screw in a piece of scrap wood along my pencil line to use as a guide for the blade. I screw it in using 2 screws making sure not to penetrate into the sheathing. Make sure to screw it in to the side of the wood you are removing. After you make your cut and pry off the "bad" section of trim, the screwed in guide comes with it leaving a perfectly straight cut.

[@trex7359]

❤

[@wandawTube]

The rot on my corner trim boards is much higher up and it's bad. I haven't found a carpenter to do the job so I need to do the work myself. Thanks for your thorough demonstration. It helps.

[@ryanviveiros5992]

my wife and I are about to buy a house from my in laws that they have used as a rental property. some of the trim around the garage is rotted and I was convinced the whole piece needed to be replaced. Thanks for this video! I'm now confident I can do it on my own for cheap!

[@loktom4068]

Good job. I dip my cutted end pieces in wood preventives before assembly. That's the Achilles heels of wood near water contacts.

[@billshadel8550]

Thanks for the video. It does help me think about how to approach a similar repair. 2 things I've come to learn that I'd do differently: 1) the corner trim splice should be angled up and in, so any water drains down and away from house. 2) Prime before caulking. Something about better adhesion.

[@leeburnley]

That's the technique I use, doesn't even need to be a 45° cut either. A 15° works just fine.

[@leeburnley]

And always use and oil or lacquer base primer on treated wood

[@meshell6691]

Thank you so much for this repair video, I was able to complete a small project I never believed I could do, it was truly appreciated!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@Michelle Ales You’re welcome! Thanks so much for watching. And congratulations on the repair! Successfully tackling carpentry projects is one of the most rewarding experiences out there. I’ve always found it empowering 🙂

[@donreinholz8121]

Thanks for taking the time to do the job right. That siding wasn't caulked properly where it met the mdf trim board. I use dynaflex 230. I have a brand new home and I found all kinds of places on the exterior that weren't sealed. We have Sherwin Williams Superpaint on our house. Nice job.

[@michaelwoelke5359]

The building paper should have been replaced as well with a vapor permeable membrane correctly tiled into the existing building paper. The other and most important reason to back putting is to allow both faces of the board to aquire and dry out moisture at the same rate which prevents cupping curling and reduces face checking

[@b5maddog]

This is a repair I need to do this spring. Thanks to you I feel a little more confident I will be able to do it. Thanks so much Ethan

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

You’re welcome maddog, good luck with the repair!

[@billyblackie9417]

I got your hints on replacing these type of timbers. Another hint you have without trying to is I have a saw like you used to cut the board and I loved how you used the saw to cut first track as guide, then you cut board deeper to allow sawdust escape then cut gradually into the timber until full cut complete. I was using my saw wrong all along being too impatient by expecting and trying to cut fully into each part as I moved along the wood. I must try your style tomorrow on small non important jobs for practice on wood before thinking of trying decent jobs that can be noticeable. Thanks I would love to see you do a video in the future on using these saws they are really great asset

[@jimmysgameclips]

This was fascinating to watch, thankyou! I bet a lot of people don't put on the back paint

[@sdean4816]

I’m preparing to do this exact project. Your video gave me some great tips on making the job go easier. Thanks for posting !

[@robinlewisart_1997]

Awesome thank you so much for the encouragement. Your video has been the best I’ve seen so far ❤️

[@bobbyjones7922]

Thank you for this very important info, because this is my next home project.

[@mr.wizeguy8995]

Better what it used to be but can be even better if bottom edge of that skirt board is cut and slight angle which forms drip edge. Also cut on that vertical piece can be on angle which prevent more to water seep in even though you used that caulking to seal end grain.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Mr. Wizeguy Thanks for writing in. Good call on the weather cut. A handful of folks have suggested it here, I’ll give it a try

[@andreah6379]

I wish you lived near me! You are so professional and go great work!

[@lancemillward1912]

We normally angle the cut of the piece we install so water can't run down and in at the join when the cauking and paint fail...which they will

[@stickwallfarm]

Ah, I’ve been using the oscillating cutter all wrong. Thanks for the tip!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

You’re welcome, Susan! Work safe 🙂

[@bethsabath]

@@TheHonestCarpenter Wow !!! 6:21 - So bad job : you didnt remove this rotten part. Shame ...

[@DominickBagnato1]

Thank you very much for this video. It helped me do exactly what I needed.

[@DYI]

I really prefer Bondo or Exterior Spackle over caulking for the splice with the new material as it sands better than caulking. Especially for the more expensive caulking with Silicone

[@HomeGrownPyro1]

Ever have any problems with it cracking or anything?

[@DYI]

@@HomeGrownPyro1 If you are worried about cracking Bondo is your best bet. Don't forget it was intended to repair car dents and is extremely tough. It also hardens very fast (so don't mix too much at once!). It is best to buy the red additive because it makes it easier to know if it is mixed properly by noting the color.

[@Wolvpato1]

How much did this repair cost the homeowner. Always curious how much things cost to get repaired

[@STALKYNOTE]

This video helps a lot thank you. We are purchasing a new home and there is some rot around a window sill and the front pillars that needs to be replaced that were hoping to do ourselves.

[@pastorkoko]

Thanks for helping me do my own repairs

[@executivesteps]

A constructive comment to you and the viewers. Never caulk unprimed wood. The latex/silicone caulk needs primer for the same reason latex finish or top coat paints need primer.

[@hiker64]

I actually learned this while working - I noticed that caulk did not adhere to bare wood at all (Alex Plus) and fill in the holes without having to keep pushing it into the hole. But when I primed first, the caulking adhered and filled in the holes with a single pass.

[@alexfagard3618]

i've never had a problem caulking unprimed wood with dynaflex or similar caulks, nor is it required in the instructions. idk what caulk you are using.

[@howtodoitdude1662]

@@hiker64 alex plus is horrible for damp areas.

[@yosh1to]

Unless the caulk specifically says it’s made to adhere to wood! Which there are plenty on the market that do!

[@Mike-gz4xn]

Spends on the type of caulk..

[@bobnewman1810]

Good job sealing the end grain, back priming, and using PT wood. I would have cut those splices with a 45 degree scarf.

[@marshmutt8975]

Wouldn't it be extremely difficult to cut a scarf miter with an oscillating tool? Especially on the corner board as you'd want the top piece to lap over the replacement piece. I agree with the scarf doing this job from scratch, but for what he was doing, I think sealed butt joints like he did would be the most economical and aesthetic solution outside of replacing both entire trim boards.

[@dpm1964]

@@marshmutt8975 Cut another similar board at a 45 degree angle and use it as a guide. Secure it against the old board and slide the oscillating blade along that edge and into the old board. Makes for an easy angled cut.

[@jobacuda4472]

A very good video. It's amazing how the splices almost disappear!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thanks Jobacuda!

[@robertsilversten7626]

Love these multi tool gadget. Saws all was the go too but was not nearly precise

[@takeniteasyfriend]

Excellent lesson. Thanks for sharing. Always question why builders use such a water vulnerable trim. Will be considering textured PVC for the lower parts in lieu of mdf. Liked your use of dried treated wood. Smart options

[@shanew7361]

Because builders are cheap and people are uneducated.

[@leslietinyhousebuilderwann3851]

Good job thanks! I’m thinking of fixing my friends trim on the roof line. This helped.

[@michaelmoore4524]

I have a few of those exact repairs to do around my house, only it's old wood and not MDF

[@ericprince2865]

Definitely about to try this repair. Thank you!!!!

[@marknagy5892]

I like to use a little bit of liquid nails in the back before nailing the trim down helps to keep nails and trim from wanting to pull up in time !

[@johnwaynebrooks]

When your literally using real nails you shouldn't need liquid nails. His nail size was incorrect.

[@shanew7361]

@@johnwaynebrooks You got that right. This guy I'd fire.

[@fabp4289]

Beautiful work… I will try to do this myself 😊

[@oztheozoz]

A licensed contractor replaced trim like in this video. However, the replacement trim piece was painted before install and then the gap and screw heads caulked after. They did not sand the joint or paint again after to try and hide the seam. In the contract it states they would install and paint the trim but it doesn’t mention about blending and painting the seams. I kind of expected it to be blended as best as possible. What is the standard?

[@AmericasCookbooks]

Awesome tips and tricks. Great job, easy to follow.

[@DJaquithFL]

I was a Builder back in the 80's and 90's .. even back then there were non-wood alternatives which I used. Unless you're living in the Sahara desert all your wood will eventually rot. My current Florida home has zero wood exposed to the exterior. Masonite is insane to put the outside, we knew it then... My neighbors are just now starting to replace soffits, exterior door trim, or you naming it, any wood on the outside just after a decade.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Hey D, thanks for writing in! I agree, exterior masonite is one of the worst ideas to come out of the 80's and 90's, a time period famed for bad/fast construction practices. Hardie and cellular PVC are great products for longevity--I can only imagine they're all the better in Florida. I still think paint upkeep probably plays the most important factor, regardless of materials used, just because seams around ANY material have to be in good shape to prevent water ingress. But if that's tended to routinely, you're correct, non-wood, inorganic materials will probably outlast the builder :)

[@DJaquithFL]

@@TheHonestCarpenter .. Even then we had clad windows and doors, fibre cement siding, fiberglass doors, and so on. At the very least the Builders could vinyl and aluminum wrap any exposed wood. Worse the Builders today still haven't learned. To me it's asinine especially in rainy states that are primarily built using concrete block and stucco to use any wood on the exterior. Actually it's one thing I hate about Florida, everything's concrete block and stucco .. crap I won't even use on a detached garage in Kentucky. But it is what it is.

[@jamesgallagher1992]

Lovely job ethan👍

[@Antzzz_Manzzz]

Your video n narration is excellent. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@huejanus5505]

Wouldn’t a piece of flashing, housewrap or tarpaper under that corner help to keep the eventual leak from getting to the house?

[@1509lisa]

A 45 degree joint on vertical trim sure prevents rot better than a flat one you got there...

[@HBTwoodworking]

Can you do a video on how best to replace rotted drip edge above the skirt board? I am sure I am going to have to lift the hardy plank, but would like to see it done before I attempt it.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

I want to get around to it soon Philip! You can sometimes rotate it out without removing siding or trim below

[@tommyb9746]

I'm going to have to be tackling this soon too.

[@armymobilityofficer9099]

Great video. Just an idea. The cut piece of treated wood may not be useful for anything else. I would think about taking more of the cornerboard off and replacing it. I understand the risk of collateral damage. Again. Just an idea.

[@loktom4068]

It only cause the home owner more $. Sure, the more replacement the better. If he or she is willing to pay for the extra expense.

[@evelyncutler7164]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Evelyn Cutler You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🙂

[@DRTH411]

Wish you could come over to replace the boards in my house. My estimates have been through the roof. I’d love to try and do it myself.

[@markcopple2870]

Just curious about how much you charged for this fix and how long it took you.... Would you share?

[@PhatBoyiee]

Have you ever used wood filler to fill between the old and new boards? Would make it be seamless.

[@briankavanagh7387]

What wood filler do you use. I’ve made similar trim repairs and I used minwax wood filler between the old and new boards. It’s not flexible enough and has started cracking. I’ve searched for a 2 step acrylic filler as suggested on This Old House but I’m having trouble finding one.

[@escapefromny2012]

Thank you for all the great videos. Would like to know how to fix the rotting bottom of bat and board siding, no skirt board. And is there a way to add a skirt to the bottom of a bat and board home.

[@toddavis8603]

I don't really trust mdf to hold up against the elements.I used cypress on my garage, and so far so good.And yes it was pricey.

[@methus57]

nice video. always caulk AFTER painting wood

[@cathyjones4702]

Great video! Just FYI, I went to purchase from your affiliate links and the Porter Cable Multi-tool links to a nailer ... since it's the top link you might want to correct that, probably missing out on a bit of revenue

[@kimchee94112]

Particle board were used on exterior? I would have replaced the disintegrated paper. Looks like the piece around the corner next to the bottom of the downspout was rotted but not replaced. Yep back side should be painted but why cut the section so long (4.5 feet)?

[@HWCism]

You do fine work. Thanks

[@tomjames2569]

Is there a video on different types of wood that should be used in various applications

[@m.l.miller219]

Nice work. Thanks for posting.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@M.L. Miller You’re welcome, thanks for watching 🙂

[@milodillio6258]

Nice job. Clean work.

[@rayhuntermusic]

Very nice job

[@raymontenegro4381]

Great work. Just curious if I don’t have that power tool too cut the board what could I use? Also did you prime the back of both boards?

[@aejohnson3773]

Quick qestion. Why did you go so far down in length on the skirting vs.the side board ? I have this same mission to do and was curious. Thanks for your knowledge.

[@SofiNme365]

Ae Johnson I am glad you asked, I have the same question. But we got no answer so far.

[@ThanhBui-fi6xg]

he stated he went down further to get rid of some other concerns

[@marmaladesunrise]

Excellent tutorial!

[@stepitup5409]

Really good advice. I learned a bunch.

[@keza41]

Nice work bud.

[@belle7624]

Great video...thanks!!

[@jaydee9630]

We have cedar lap and gap (tongue and groove) siding and have been sealing the horizontal joints with Masterseal np1 caulk sealant. I have read in numerous places to not caulk between horizontal siding, because it needs to drain any water which could possibly get behind it and it has to move with expansion and contraction of the boards. The transition between the slab and skirt board have also allowed these small cridders into our house. The siding was installed correctly, but over the course of 30 plus years the boards have some gaps between the joints. Friends and family members who are carpenters have informed me as long as you keep the siding sealed and treated there shouldn't be a problem with water getting behind the siding and to seal these horizontal joints. By these boards not being sealed we have introduced carpenter ants, scorpions and other cridders. Does anyone have a suggestion please? Thanks

[@marypikul1368]

Do you recommend primed pine or PVC for rotted trim replacement? Also, for replacing rotted clapboard, would you also use primed pine (all sides) or cedar? And if cedar, primed or not? No carpenter I talk to agrees on this. What would you use?

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Pvc for high water contact areas, Mary. Primed cedar will last a crazy long time too. Pine, even back-primed, will fail the soonest. But if you can keep water from splashing on it constantly, it can still last a long time.

[@marypikul1368]

@@TheHonestCarpenter Thank you! You just helped me a lot. I very much appreciate it!

[@timbuckii8504]

I would have used bondo where the seems show. Good job though.

[@travis7904]

Good demo and very neat job! Congrats. God bless.

[@homeandgardendiy6363]

This is extremely helpful information. Thank you so much! New sub. 😊👍

[@wacoodude9436]

@The Honest Carpenter - For extensive wood rot on facia boards and bay windows what do you recommend - Replace with new siding or repair the facia board and rot? What is your advise?

[@learemington1700]

You mentioned using a paint plus primer. Im very doubtful of this product. I use a primer made bu Glidden called gripper. I have used it on a boat deck, left in the Florida sun and salt air for over a year before health and other factors allowed me to finish. There was no deterioration, none, zero. It will soak in, seal and repel water. Drys in about 20 min. Forget Kills. 2 coats even look like a pretty good topcoat.

[@brettphillips3091]

Truncate. I am using that one.

[@jeffquinn5653]

Nice job. Thanks for sharing.

[@Ms_AP_]

Why not use a pressure treated board seeing as this area comes into more contact with water than the rest of the trim board?

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@Adonna Pruette Good question. It can be hard to find treated lumber in the 1x8 and 1x10 dimension, and the treatment process makes pine grain really pop out sometimes. If anything, I would probably go with cellular pvc in those dimensions, though it can still be crazy pricey 😬

[@rickwashek478]

You are better off using regular primmer, as there is no such thing as paint plus primer. It's just heavier paint so if water gets behind your repair the paint will just peal off. Other wise your repair is excellent.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

I didn’t know that Rick. Thanks for the tip, and thanks for watching!

[@kidkozmo]

@@TheHonestCarpenter you let em have that one ? 😂😂😂

[@СумеречныйхранительНавсегда]

Great Video

[@guesthouse1455]

did you treat the rot before sealing up?

[@AndrewMorten11]

Looks great 👍

[@marcg.9899]

What would you recommend to secure the new 1x10 (in my case) since I don’t have a nail gun? I was thinking small drill holes as not to crack when screwing in the 2 1/2” wood screws. That should do it right?

[@LuminairPrime]

Shouldn't this be replaced with PVC since the rot probably happened because of the overflowing gutter above, and the new wood will just rot again?

[@collindolan5493]

Great video ! Thank you!

[@scotthill6406]

Is it better to do a straight cut or an angled cut when joining the boards together?

[@brucewendel322]

Nice. Thanks for doing this video. I have a question: I noticed a few tears in the vapour barrier - did you do anything to seal up the vapour barrier ? Ty

[@marioalvarez1553]

I recently bought a house, and this was one of them 'problems' that came with the house. How much would you typically charge for what you've done in the video?

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@Gaming Mimo It’s a little hard to say because pricing differs drastically by place. But in my area you could probably expect to pay about $400-600

[@engalvan]

Rip off.

[@matttanglewood2522]

@@engalvan Rip off as in $400 - $600 is to little to charge for a contractor to survive, or to much to charge a home owner?

[@HomeGrownPyro1]

Better then under bidding yourself like I did on the current job I’m working on. I’m replacing a couple small pieces of trim like in the video, as well as replacing the old wooden soffit and fascia on the left side of a 2 story house (about 35ft long) for $800 🤣 This is my first season working for myself and def need some practice to get better with the estimates, because this job is taking a lot longer then I anticipated. So I’m not making anything on this job. But that is my own fault, can’t go back and tell the customer I need more money because my estimate was off

[@mdmyer]

Is there a reason your vertical trim is hanging below the horizontal one? Is there a functional reason for this? My OCD is kicking in here.

[@bestdealdoors]

Good work

[@kenrichmond6906]

How much would a repair like that cost? I have a very similar issue.

[@michaelwebb4500]

I’ve seen several of your repairs you use”dried deckboard “ wood how long do you let the deck board dry?

[@chrismoore9997]

Even on deck board, only the factory edges are treated. You need to seal any cut edges, especially end grain.

[@1986subway]

Pressure treated wood is a process where chemicals infused into the board using vacuum.

[@1986subway]

You are thinking of prestained decking

[@Pallidus_Rider]

What was the caulk used ? 🤔

[@janee5904]

Thanks for your video ~

[@wileysanders6055]

Nice work

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@Wiley Sanders Thank you!

[@danielrobertson3436]

Great work. I'm evaluating whether to replace entire vertical trim or section around French Sliders on deck. Any ideas on how to make the splices look more seamless since this will be more visible than skirt and trim repair shown? Thanks again!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Hey Daniel, thanks for watching! For vertical casings, you may want to replace the whole piece, especially if it's brick mold. That's pretty much the only way to guarantee a seamless look I'm afraid. But, if the casing is flat, I do think there's a good chance you could cut and splice in a new piece in similar fashion to how I did it here, though you may want to use cellular pvc for anything that sits closer to the ground than this skirt board :)

[@sarahammond1295]

We have a water trim table that is rotted. Do you have a video that shows how to repair that element of the trim and siding?

[@dapalsal]

great video, learned some tips to help my house "repairs" :) thanks!

[@natgasf4097]

Thanks, I hVe that exact repair to be done on my house.

[@rolfbjorn9937]

Without being a professional construction worker, I would have preferred to see the whole boards replaced, and what's underneath inspected, washed and coated somehow. Is the house wrap adequate, broken, is there mold/rot underneath? Is the junction with the foundation leaking/wicking from the concrete into the wood? I understand working within the client's limitations, so I guess I'm more concerned about the client than your work.

[@boatman222345]

Have you ever tried the penetrating epoxy sealers and/or rot fix epoxy putty products by System Three and others?

[@nicktorres735]

another beauty

[@randomdude3066]

Would PVC have worked for this repair instead of wood?

[@moosemarlow1]

Did you repaint all the trim on this one

[@tallswede80]

If the new board warps it will look bad at the seam correct?