Discussing Window Options

Nail Holes And Small Cracks In Siding? Here's What You Can Do

Your vinyl siding installation is a highly durable material designed to withstand a variety of abuse and mistreatment. However, small cracks and nail holes can still make an appearance in your vinyl siding over time. Although replacing small sections of vinyl siding is possible, nail holes and small cracks don't require such a dramatic repair. These tips will help you make small repairs to tiny breakages that don't warrant replacement of an entire vinyl section. 

Find Colored Caulk

Colored caulk isn't available at standard home improvement centers; however, vinyl siding wholesalers carry caulk in a variety of colors for this very purpose. If you know the brand and color of vinyl siding on your house, contact local vinyl siding distributors to find out if anyone in your area sells caulk to match your home's color. 

Fill in the Hole

When you find colored caulk that matches your home's siding, follow this procedure:

  1. Insert the caulk into the caulk gun.
  2. Cut off the tip of the caulk tube.
  3. Use the gun to insert a generous dollop of caulk into the hole or crack.
  4. Use a putty knife to scrape off the excess caulk from the siding so that the caulk is flush with the surface of the siding. 
  5. Put more caulk into the hole in the siding as necessary.
  6. Use the putty knife to scrape off any more excess caulk.
  7. Give the caulk time to dry.

Use Paintable Caulk

If you're unable to find colored caulk that matches your siding, you can still fill the hole with clear or white paintable caulk. Once the caulk is in the hole, paint over it with house paint or acrylic paint that has been matched to the color of the siding. You can find paint that matches the color either by bringing in a sample of your home's vinyl siding to a paint store that does color matching, or by mixing the color yourself from small tubes of acrylic paint. It's better to get the paint professionally matched whenever possible. 

These tips will help you make repairs to small, thin cracks and nail holes in your vinyl siding. However, if the damage to your siding is larger than what can be reasonably repaired by caulk, speak with a vinyl siding contractor to find out how your home's vinyl siding can be repaired. Once at your home, your vinyl siding contractor can inspect the damage and provide you with a quote for the new siding installation


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