Repair Trim Rot (Skirt Board and Corner Board)

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Check out our other ROT-RELATED VIDEOS linked below!
Repair Rotted Door Jambs:
Fix Rotted Brickmold:
Fix Rotted Sink Cabinets:
Replace Deck Handrails:
Fix Rotted Basement Stairs:
Repair Leaning Fences:
Replace Deck Boards:

Skirt board and corner boards are areas that experience frequent trim rot. This video from The Honest Carpenter will explain how to cut out rotted portions of trim and replace them with new lumber that will be protected from future trim rot.

Tools:
Miter Saw
Oscillating Multi-tool
Brad Nailer
Compressor
Combination Square
Speed Square
Nail Puller
Hammer
Five-in-one

Materials:
Pine Trim Boards
Treated Pine Deck Board (5/4)
Caulk
Exterior Paint
Galvanized Brads

How-To:
1) Mark new cut lines around trim rot with a combination square or speed square and pencil.
2) Cut through marked lines with oscillating multi-tool.
3) Remove trim rot pieces with hammer and five-in-one.
4) Measure for replacement trim piece
5) Cut replacement trim piece.
6) Attach replacement trim piece with brads
7) Paint replacement trim pieces with exterior-grade paint.

FYI: Wood rot like this is commonly a problem that begins on original trim installation. Use of inferior products, such as any form of MDF trim, and fast construction techniques will inevitably lead to trim rot. While some areas of your home are more prone to this sort of wood rot, be sure to do frequent walkarounds and self-inspections of your house. If one area is showing trim rot like this, other parts of your house may be in similar phases of rot. If caught early enough, these trim rot repairs are mostly surface remediation--you can avoid penetrative wood rot that moves beyond trim, into the sheathing and framing of your home.

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Also, for tips, articles and tool/product links, check out The Honest Carpenter website and blog!

[rcleimbach]

I have made similar repairs to my trim when the rot was in a location where I didn't want to replace the entire trim board. In order to ensure a straight edge when cutting with the multi-tool, I screw in a piece of scrap wood along my pencil line to use as a guide for the blade. I screw it in using 2 screws making sure not to penetrate into the sheathing. Make sure to screw it in to the side of the wood you are removing. After you make your cut and pry off the "bad" section of trim, the screwed in guide comes with it leaving a perfectly straight cut.

[ryanviveiros]

my wife and I are about to buy a house from my in laws that they have used as a rental property. some of the trim around the garage is rotted and I was convinced the whole piece needed to be replaced. Thanks for this video! I'm now confident I can do it on my own for cheap!

[wandawTube]

The rot on my corner trim boards is much higher up and it's bad. I haven't found a carpenter to do the job so I need to do the work myself.
Thanks for your thorough demonstration. It helps.

[billshadel]

Thanks for the video. It does help me think about how to approach a similar repair. 2 things I've come to learn that I'd do differently: 1) the corner trim splice should be angled up and in, so any water drains down and away from house. 2) Prime before caulking. Something about better adhesion.

[loktom]

Good job.
I dip my cutted end pieces in wood preventives before assembly. That's the Achilles heels of wood near water contacts.

[michaelwoelke]

The building paper should have been replaced as well with a vapor permeable membrane correctly tiled into the existing building paper.
The other and most important reason to back putting is to allow both faces of the board to aquire and dry out moisture at the same rate which prevents cupping curling and reduces face checking

[donreinholz]

Thanks for taking the time to do the job right. That siding wasn't caulked properly where it met the mdf trim board. I use dynaflex 230. I have a brand new home and I found all kinds of places on the exterior that weren't sealed. We have Sherwin Williams Superpaint on our house. Nice job.

[meshell]

Thank you so much for this repair video, I was able to complete a small project I never believed I could do, it was truly appreciated!

[bmaddog]

This is a repair I need to do this spring. Thanks to you I feel a little more confident I will be able to do it. Thanks so much Ethan

[executivesteps]

A constructive comment to you and the viewers. Never caulk unprimed wood. The latex/silicone caulk needs primer for the same reason latex finish or top coat paints need primer.

[lancemillward]

We normally angle the cut of the piece we install so water can't run down and in at the join when the cauking and paint fail...which they will

[billyblackie]

I got your hints on replacing these type of timbers. Another hint you have without trying to is I have a saw like you used to cut the board and I loved how you used the saw to cut first track as guide, then you cut board deeper to allow sawdust escape then cut gradually into the timber until full cut complete. I was using my saw wrong all along being too impatient by expecting and trying to cut fully into each part as I moved along the wood. I must try your style tomorrow on small non important jobs for practice on wood before thinking of trying decent jobs that can be noticeable. Thanks I would love to see you do a video in the future on using these saws they are really great asset

[mr.wizeguy]

Better what it used to be but can be even better if bottom edge of that skirt board is cut and slight angle which forms drip edge.
Also cut on that vertical piece can be on angle which prevent more to water seep in even though you used that caulking to seal end grain.

[jimmysgameclips]

This was fascinating to watch, thankyou! I bet a lot of people don't put on the back paint

[bobbyjones]

Thank you for this very important info, because this is my next home project.

[andreah]

I wish you lived near me! You are so professional and go great work!

[pastorkoko]

Thanks for helping me do my own repairs

[bobnewman]

Good job sealing the end grain, back priming, and using PT wood. I would have cut those splices with a 45 degree scarf.

[sdean]

I’m preparing to do this exact project. Your video gave me some great tips on making the job go easier. Thanks for posting !

[robinlewisart_]

Awesome thank you so much for the encouragement. Your video has been the best I’ve seen so far ❤️