Residing house with MDF siding?

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The house has 12" wide boards 16' long. (I think its called MDF? It a pressed like wood) Where they meet at the corner they use a metal corner cap. Is there any reason I cant just use 1" x 4" stock on the corners and just butt the siding up to it?

I don't have to replace enough of it to make doing the whole house over with something else worth it. Some of the siding has swelled where it meets the corners. If I made a jig and cut the existing siding back 4 " (being careful not to cut through to the plywood underneath) That would cut out most of the problem areas. Then I would trim the corners with 1" x 4" trim....

I would only have to do the back corners of the house as the front has real wood siding and the corners are already done in the fashion I want to do the back?

TIA

sriv

[Art]

Sounds like a plan but be sure to seal the edges. Also check the bottom edges. They ussually go bad too. How old is the siding. There have been many recalls for defective siding.

[comcastss news groups]

Siding must be about 30 years old? $15 for a 12" x 16' board. I don't know how that compares to other siding costs? I wouldn't say its defective?? just a lousy material to use for siding. Once water gets at it its toast.

What would be the best nail to use? I've been using a SS nail. Looks like it had been installed with a galvanized nail? the head on the original nails are much larger that the SS nailheads But on allot of the original boards you can see the nailheads under the paint...?

sriv

[Art]

The siding has probably reached the near end of its life. You might be able to extend its life a bit but maybe it is time to replace it.

[steve]

the siding you described is or was only made by two companies, bosie cascade and abitibi, neither one manufactures this stuff anymore. although one of them i forget which one only discontinued it about two or three years ago, it is made of hard masonite, not mdf. it originally came with just a 5 year guarantee, the problem with it is moisture, anywhere it was cut or a nail pierced it, if it wasn't primed and painted the water would start getting in and expanding the product until 20 years later it will start to fall apart. it was a rather cheap siding , i installed this stuff for over 30 years. you can certainly cut the bad ends off and install new corner boards and make it like new. if you want it to last , make sure you prime the cuts and caulk the boards later after the corners on on. by the way you can tell what brand you have........... the abitibi was very hard and difficult to cut with a knife, the boise cascade was much softer and could actuly be cut with a utility knife if no power was available .

sr R & R siding

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