Sun Damage To Wood Siding

If you ve got badly weathered window sills you re not alone.

Sun damage to wood siding.

Wood contracts and expands with changes in temperature and long term sun exposure can dry out the wood causing cracks and breaks in the wood and sealants. Sun and heat can also cause premature wear on wood siding and log homes even those in which the timber is chemically treated and properly sealed. Wood that has been exposed to the sun s destructive rays for years without a protective layer of paint can begin to weather so badly that it may appear to be beyond saving. Fixing the sun damage is easy to do and can be done with wood cleaner scrubbing and sandpaper.

Sun fading occurs in two ways. But with the magic of a good wood epoxy you can save damaged wood like this and make it look like new. Step 1 remove damaged plywood. As the southern and western sides of your log home are exposed to the most sun they will show signs of weathering before the northern and eastern exposures.

The sunlight that causes age spots on your skin also discolors wood walls over time. Sunlight and moisture can damage the surface of the plywood siding causing cracks and warping. Today s home owners are moving toward darker siding colors even in low maintenance products such as vinyl siding fiber cement and manufactured wood. When the sun damages your log siding it will also lose its water resistance opening it up to moisture.

The effect is called sun fading and can cause the wood to lighten in spots.