# reusing old cedar siding



## Todd65 (May 19, 2013)

Re-siding our 1923 house, we've removed the vinyl siding that replaced aluminum siding and have removed the beveled cedar siding. Our intent has been to reuse the siding (after insulating, sheathing with 1/2" cdx over the lapped sheathing, then wrapping with Tyvek). We would fill nail holes and prime both sides (only the outside was painted) after power washing and drying. I would face the inner side out after ripping a new bevel. Painted surface would not be even, due to peeling, cracking paint.

My question is whether the original siding is inherently superior in any way to new clear cedar. It would be less work, but more money to purchase new siding. I'll list pros and cons below, but first to the condition of the siding.

I've removed all the nails. The siding is with rare exception not rotted, and has very little visible watermarking. Lots of nail holes of course, which need to be filled. Some is cracked and some damaged from overly-exuberant nailing (middle of boards in some part). The wood is in remarkably fine shape, being that it was painted for most of it's exposed life, then covered with siding for the last fifty years by my guess (the aluminum siding was still on the soffets, along with the knob and tube fixtures. I'm thinking the knob and tube was still being used after sided with aluminum).

Pros: keep material out of landfill, extend life of a lumber product, local, save money, keep old lead paint under cover, satisfaction of having original siding back.
cons: added labor, would look somewhat less clean than new, b side facing out.

The only parts rotted were in direct contact with soil. Bottom pieces were generally not in good shape and didn't come off cleanly.

Thank you,
Todd


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