Rotting and Deteriorating
Masonite was supposed to be a low-maintenance, low cost version of real wood siding. It’s made of a mixture of wood and resin or wood and glue, and is usually formed in a mold made of actual wood to give it a natural looking texture. Unfortunately, it turned out to have many of the same problems that actual wood did, plus a few more.
Buckling and Blistering
Rotting and deteriorating boards are probably the most obvious problem, but there’s a couple of other issues that can crop up before these happen. Buckling and blistering are two conditions that affect a lot of older hardboard siding. These typically take place before the deterioration and rot set in, so if you find them, be prepared for your siding to begin falling apart in the near future. So while you have a little more time to get your siding replaced if you see these issues occurring, you’ll still need to schedule an appointment with a contractor fairly soon. Not to mention the fact that while you wait, your home is going to look unsightly. Buckling is the warping of the boards due to moisture and expansion. What you’ll see is the boards no longer laying straight and flat against your home. So not only is your siding going to begin deteriorating soon, it’s going to look kind of funky in the meantime as well. Blistering is the condition where the interior layers begin to fail and separate. This causes blisters to form inside the boards. If you feel your boards and they aren’t uniformly hard, it’s probably due to blistering and the beginnings of deterioration.The High Maintenance
You were probably told that hardboard was a lower maintenance option than wood. Unfortunately, this just isn’t true. Hardboard siding needs to be primed and painted just like wood. Failure to do so can lead to moisture and insect infiltration that will in turn lead to rotting and deterioration of the boards. You also need to stay on top of the caulking. The spaces between each piece of hardboard and along the edges need to be filled with caulk. Caulk has a tendency to crack over time, particularly if your house moves or settles a lot. So if the caulking is cracking or coming out, you need to take the time to dig it out and replace it. Failure to do so can lead to moisture and insects getting into your boards. Even newer types of hardboard still need to be coated and caulked, although they may last a little longer than the older varieties. If you want a truly low maintenance option, you need to look to vinyl or to wood coated in a vinyl-based “paint”, rather than sticking with what you’ve got. Out with the Old
For any other tips on how to make your home remodeling a breeze, Classic Construction is available for all your Richmond remodeling services. To learn more, give us a call at 804-776-5070 or fill out our online form for a free consultation.
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