How to Replace Clapboard Siding Video – How to Replace Masonite Siding

In this video Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com shows how to replace clapboard siding on a house.

If you own a home long enough that has clapboard house siding on it, you’ll inevitably end up needing to do the occasional clapboard siding replacement project. And more frequently if it is masonite siding, which this video and article are specifically about. Replacing clapboard house siding is not hard to do.   However, you need to take some extra care in removing the old and damaged clapboard pieces to ensure you don’t end up having to replace more clapboards than necessary.

This “Patching Wood Siding” ebook provides step-by-step instructions, along with many instructional pictures.

In this video, Mark Donovan shows how to carefully remove an old and rotting Masonite clapboard piece and how to properly install a new piece of Masonite siding.

Tools Required in a Wood Siding Repair / Replacement Project

To replace clapboard house siding you will need a number of tools, including a hammer, pry bar, reciprocating saw, miter saw, caulking gun, tape measure, pencil, square, and utility knife.

In regards to materials you’ll need: new clapboard siding, caulk, nails and paint.

Removing old Clapboard House Siding To remove an old clapboard house siding, first use a utility knife to score the paint underneath the edge of the clapboard just above the clapboard you want to replace. Also use the utility knife to cut a vertical line in the clapboard siding, where you want to stop the splicing/repair. Then use the claw end of the hammer and pry bar to cut into the clapboard you want to replace.

Work your way down the length of the clapboard siding removing as much of it as you can with your tools and hands.

Next use the claw end of the hammer and pry bar to lift the bottom edge of the clapboard siding just above the clapboard you want to remove.

Then use the reciprocating saw to cut the nails that are holding the clapboard you want to remove. Place the saw blade up underneath the bottom edge of the upper clapboard that you just loosened and cut the nails. Next, use the claw end of the hammer and pry bar to again loosen the clapboard bottom edge up and away from the lower clapboard you want to remove.

Now pull the lower clapboard, the damaged clapboard you want to replace and that you’ve already removed sections of, out from underneath the bottom edge of the clapboard sitting just above it, again the one you just loosened up. This will take some effort. Go slowly and cautiously to prevent damaging the upper clapboard.

Once the old clapboard has been removed, use the round end of your pry bar and hammer to pound in the cut nails underneath the clapboard sitting just above the clapboard you just removed. This will allow the new clapboard to slide in easily.

Installing New Masonite Siding Panels Cut a new section of clapboard to the proper length and slide it up into place underneath the bottom edge of the clapboard that you loosened up. With the desired clapboard exposure desired, nail the new clapboard in place by nailing stainless steel siding nails (5d or 1-3/4 inch in length) into the holes of the clapboard piece that sits just above the new clapboard you slipped into place.

Place two nails in the exact area of the original nail hole(s). Do this along the length of the new clapboard piece.

Then, with the new clapboard piece, nail in a stainless steel nail about an inch up from the bottom of the clapboard siding, in line with the other nail locations on the other clapboards.

Finally, caulk if necessary, and then paint the clapboard to complete the clapboard replacement project.

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