Craftsman Bungalow: Rotted Siding Replaced, Then Repainted

• LocationSan Diego
• PropertySingle-story craftsman bungalow
• ScopeSiding replacement, trim repair, exterior repaint
• Completed2023

The problem

On older San Diego bungalows, the bottom few courses of wood siding take the most abuse: sprinkler overspray, soil contact and rain splash. On this house, the siding at the base of the walls had rotted through to the framing in places. Paint alone wasn't going to fix it.

What we did

• Removed rotted siding and replaced it with new boards matched to the original profile
• Repaired trim around doors and windows
• Primed all new and bare wood, and caulked joints to keep water out
• Painted the body a soft gray with white trim, and refreshed the steps and side door

The result

A tidy craftsman bungalow with solid siding all the way to the ground. Replacing the rotted boards first means the new paint has sound wood to protect, so it won't peel off the bottom of the walls in a year. More on wood and siding repair and older homes.