Siding
Siding Replacement in Round Rock
Where a house has stone or brick on the front and plank siding on the other walls, replacing worn planks is a wall-by-wall job.
When Boards Are Past Repair
Replace a wall when boards are swollen, soft or cracked along its length, not just in one place.
The city requires no permit for siding replacement, so nobody inspects what goes behind the boards.
Have the contractor photograph the wall once the old boards are off.
A familiar pattern on Texas tract houses is masonry on the street side and horizontal lap siding on the sides, the back and the upper walls. One guide to a recent Round Rock community describes exactly that: brick, stone and stucco, with plank siding on the sides.
On an older house that siding may be wood or pressed hardboard, which swells when its paint fails. On a newer one it is more likely fiber cement, which holds up better and still cracks, chips and loosens. A contractor can tell you which you have in a minute.
Source: Housing-era shares: Census ACS 2019–2023 via Point2Homes. Builder description: Bramlett Partners neighborhood guide, University Heights.
What Happens on the Wall
- Old boards off.Down to the sheathing, so damage behind them can be seen.
- Sheathing repair.Soft or moldy panels are cut out and replaced.
- Weather barrier.House wrap, lapped so water runs down and out, with tape at seams.
- Flashing.Metal over windows and doors, and where a lower roof meets the wall.
- New boards.Nailed to the maker's spacing, with gaps at ends and trim for movement.
- Caulk and paint.Joints sealed, cut ends primed, two finish coats unless the boards came pre-finished.
The Owner's Inspection for Walls
Ask to see, or to be sent photos of
- The bare wall. Sheathing condition before the wrap went on.
- The wrap. Continuous, lapped the right way, sealed around windows.
- Head flashing. A metal cap over each window and door.
- Ground clearance. A gap between the bottom board and the soil or the slab edge, so the board is not sitting in water.
- Roof clearance. A gap where siding meets a lower roof, with flashing behind it.
- Primed cuts. Every cut end sealed before it was nailed up.
The city's Homeowner Projects page says siding replacement needs no permit and must still be built to code. With no inspection, these photos are the record that it was.
Questions About Siding Replacement
Do I need a permit to replace siding in Round Rock?
No, according to the city's Homeowner Projects page, though the work must meet code. Historic properties need approval for any exterior change.
Can just the back and sides be done?
Yes. That is the usual job, since the front of many houses here is masonry.
How long does it take?
A single wall can be a day or two. Several walls with painting can run a week or more.
Walls Looking Tired?
Say which sides of the house and roughly when it was built.
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