Wood & Cedar Siding in Wichita, KS

Where you see wood siding around Wichita

Wichita was incorporated in 1870, and older neighborhoods near downtown, along with the historic town centers in places like Newton, Wellington, El Dorado and Hutchinson, have houses originally sided in wood. Many have since been covered with aluminum, asbestos-cement or vinyl siding, and some still have the original wood underneath. Newer custom homes sometimes use cedar lap, shakes or board and batten for the look. Wood is also common as trim and accent material on homes sided in something else.

Common wood siding problems

• Rot at the bottom courses, where splashback, snow, soil and mulch keep the wood wet.
• Rot under windows and around doors, where flashing is missing or caulk has failed.
• Peeling paint, which often signals moisture moving through the wall from inside or water getting behind the siding.
• Splits, cupping and loose boards from the wood drying and swelling with the seasons.
• Woodpecker holes, especially in cedar.
• Insects, such as carpenter ants and termites, in wood that stays damp.

Repairing wood siding well

1. Find the water source. Rot is a symptom. Look for missing flashing, a gutter overflowing onto the wall, a downspout dumping at the foundation, sprinklers hitting the wall or soil too high against the house.
2. Cut out the damage. Rotted boards are removed back to sound wood, with joints staggered so the patch does not line up.
3. Check the sheathing and framing. Older houses may have board sheathing or no sheathing at all. Damaged areas are repaired before new siding goes on.
4. Match the profile. Older siding often has a different exposure, thickness or shape than modern stock. Lumber yards and millwork shops can sometimes match or custom-mill a profile.
5. Prime all sides and paint. Back-priming and end-priming new boards helps them last.

Lead paint on pre-1978 homes

If your house was built before 1978, the paint on wood siding and trim may contain lead. Under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, contractors who disturb more than a small area of painted surfaces on pre-1978 homes must be lead-safe certified and use lead-safe practices: containment, no open-flame burning or high-speed sanding without controls, and careful cleanup (EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting (lead-safe) program). Ask any contractor working on an older home whether its firm is EPA lead-safe certified, and how it will contain and clean up debris, especially if children live in the home.

Repair, cover, or replace?

• Repair and repaint if most of the wood is sound and you value the original look.
• Replace with new wood, such as cedar, if you want authentic wood and are prepared for the upkeep.
• Replace with a low-maintenance material that mimics wood: fiber cement in smooth or beaded profiles, LP SmartSide engineered wood, or a premium vinyl.
• Covering wood with new siding without removing it hides any rot and moisture problems and adds thickness at windows and trim. Most contractors prefer to remove or at least inspect and repair first. See can you put new siding over old siding?

Uncovering original wood siding

When old aluminum, asbestos or vinyl siding comes off an older house, the original wood clapboard is sometimes still there. Whether it is worth restoring depends on its condition: how much rot, how many nail holes, and whether lead paint must be dealt with. A contractor can open a small test area to check. If asbestos-cement siding is involved, it has to be handled carefully (EPA, protect your family from exposures to asbestos); see old asbestos and aluminum siding replacement.

Cedar on newer homes

Cedar lap, shakes and board and batten on newer custom homes need a finish (stain or paint) renewed regularly, with south and west walls wearing fastest in the Kansas sun. Keeping gutters, sprinklers and landscaping from soaking the walls makes a big difference to how long cedar lasts.

Painting and maintenance

• Inspect every year; caulk open joints and touch up bare spots.
• Repaint or restain when the finish starts to fail, before bare wood weathers.
• Keep at least several inches between soil or mulch and the bottom of the siding.
• Keep gutters clear and downspouts discharging away from the house.

Questions to ask before you hire

• Is your firm EPA lead-safe certified, and how will you contain and clean up paint debris on my pre-1978 house?
• Can you match my siding profile and exposure, or will boards need to be custom milled?
• Will new boards be primed on all sides, including cut ends, before installation?
• How will you find and fix the source of the water that caused the rot?
• Who paints the repaired areas, and how will the new paint be blended with the rest of the wall?
• If you find damaged sheathing or framing, how is that priced?

Historic districts and older neighborhoods

If your home is in a designated historic district or is individually listed, exterior changes may need review before work begins, and replacing original wood with another material may not be allowed. Check with your city's planning or historic preservation office before you finalize a plan. Even outside historic districts, many owners of older homes choose to keep or replicate the original wood profiles on the front of the house.

Getting a quote

Choose "Wood or cedar" on the form and mention the age of the house and whether you want to repair or replace. We will call you back to set up a free quote. Published price ranges are in the cost guide.

What does it cost? See published national ranges for wood and cedar siding in the siding cost guide. They are general industry estimates, not quotes.

Good to know: Requesting a quote is free and there is no obligation. Ask for a written quote that lists the material, the scope, permits and the warranty terms.