How To Strengthen And Repair Cracks In Exterior Wood Trim

Rot happens, even to the best of houses. All it takes is wood, water, and warmth, and before you know it solid lumber turns to mush. Exterior trim is the nigh vulnerable to attack past rot fungi, and it doesn't have to exist very old; the trim shown hither was installed only 10 years ago.

Fortunately, rotted trim is generally like shooting fish in a barrel to repair. (Rot-infested framing or mudsills pose a much bigger trouble.) But before you can prepare information technology, you lot accept to find it. With screwdriver or awl in manus, scrutinize areas that are well-nigh horizontal and don't drain well, such equally windowsills, baste caps, and water tables. Look for paint that is cracked, peeling, or blistering, or forest that'south darker than the surrounding area or light-green with algae. Probe anywhere in that location'due south end grain, which wicks upwards water similar a celery stem in a class-school science experiment. Pay particular attention to joints, which dry slowly, and to all wood that'due south close to dirt, physical, or masonry. If you're able to push the tool's tip easily into a suspect board, then it's time to root out the rot.

Stride 1

Remove the Cap

Photograph past Brian Wilder

After slicing through the old caulk around the plinth (to avert damaging the side by side trim), Vietri pries off the cap molding and levers the plinth free. Its water-blackened backside shows how extensively moisture penetrated this associates.

Footstep 2

Install Flashing

Photograph by Brian Wilder

Vietri protects the framing with overlapping strips of sheet-lead flashing. (Copper or waterproofing membrane likewise piece of work.) Then he protects all the exposed edges of the old trim with a glaze of oil-based primer.

Step three

Apply Agglutinative to Trim Edges

Photo by Brian Wilder

When the primer dries, Vietri squeezes a bead of polyurethane construction adhesive over the edges of the old wood trim. He immediately beds the new plinth'due south mitered side pieces into the broth, which is both strong and waterproof.

Footstep 4

Install New Cap

Photo by Brian Wilder

A PVC-solvent-based cement bonds the mitered pieces of the new plinth to each other and makes the joints waterproof. Vietri also fastens the pieces together with stainless steel trim-head screws. Dabs of acrylic glazing putty hide the screw heads.

Footstep v

Prep for Paint

Photo by Brian Wilder

A low-cal sanding with 220-grit paper readies the plinth for a coat of acrylic-based primer and two coats of acrylic paint. The paint blends the repair with the rest of the trim, but it isn't needed to protect the PVC from the sun.

Source: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/siding/21016603/how-to-replace-rot-damaged-trim

Posted by: lunacitaks43.blogspot.com

Share this post