WOOD ROT REPAIR
Wood Rot Repair in Dallas
Wood rot isn't really a wood problem. It's a water problem that shows up in the wood. I find what's wetting it, replace the rotted wood, and fix the source, so you're not paying for the same repair in two years.
From $250
most jobs
Estimates from photos
usually same day
1-year warranty
on the workmanship
Where Rot Shows Up on Dallas Homes
How to Tell If It's Actually Rot
Paint hides rot for a long time, which is why most people find it late. Two things give it away before the wood falls apart.
Look at the paint. Bubbling, blistering or peeling in one patch usually means moisture behind it, not a bad paint job.
Follow the water. Rot doesn't appear at random. It shows up under a gutter joint, below a window, at the bottom of a trim board or where a sprinkler hits: anywhere water sits instead of running off.
The screwdriver test
Press it. A screwdriver or even a thumbnail shouldn't sink into sound wood. If it gives, crumbles or feels spongy, the wood is gone underneath, whatever the surface looks like.
What Causes It Here
Clogged gutters, more than anything else. Water backs up over the edge and sits against the fascia for a whole wet spring. That's why I look over the fascia whenever I clear gutters: the two jobs are the same job, six months apart.
Sprinklers hitting the house. A head that's drifted out of alignment soaks the same three feet of siding every morning.Then it goes up in one pass, each piece level and spaced to match. If you want to add to it later, I'll leave you the layout so the next pieces land where they should.
Sun-cracked paint. West and south-facing trim takes a beating in a Texas summer. The paint opens up, water gets behind it, and the rot starts where you can't see it.
Storm damage that never got sealed. A cracked board or lifted flashing after a spring storm lets water in all year.
Repair or Replace the Board?
Replace the wood when rot has gone through it. Repair and seal it when the wood is sound and the damage is on the surface: a cracked joint, a lifted board or failed caulk at a seam.
Either way, I cut back to solid material, prime every face of the new wood, including the ends and the back, seal the joints, and add flashing where it makes sense so the new board doesn't end up where the old one did.
When filler is the right call
Epoxy filler has its place. A small soft spot in otherwise solid wood can be cleaned out, filled and sealed, and it holds up well. What filler can't do is save a board that's rotted through: it looks solved but traps moisture against what's left. I'll tell you which one you've got.
When It's Bigger Than Trim
Sometimes the rot has reached the framing or the rafter tails, and that's a structural repair, not a trim repair. I'll tell you when you're over that line instead of covering it up. You'd rather hear it from me than find out later.
Wood Rot Repair
$250
starting price
How much does wood rot repair cost in Dallas?
What sets the final price:
- How long the damaged section is
- Height and ladder work
- Whether the new wood is painted to match
- Hidden damage found once the rotted wood comes off
Photos let me give you a solid starting estimate, but rot often runs further than it looks from the ground. Once the old wood comes off, I check what's behind it, and if there's more, I show you and we agree on it before I go past the quoted scope.
Materials are quoted separately.
A Recent Job: Roofline Rot and a Wildlife Entry in Dallas
A Dallas homeowner had already hired a wildlife company to seal the entry points into her attic, but she could still see into the attic from outside and was worried the animals would get back in. Up on the ladder, about eight feet off the ground, I found why: the wood at the roofline was rotted, and the earlier fix had never dealt with it.
I showed her photos of what I found and explained the options before doing anything more. With her go-ahead, I replaced the rotted wood and added metal flashing, which keeps water off the new wood and doubles as a barrier against wildlife.
The roofline is solid again, the gap is closed, and water can't get in either.
Common Questions
How much does wood rot repair cost in Dallas?
Wood rot repair starts at $250 for labor per section of fascia or trim. Longer runs, ladder work, painting and hidden damage behind the rot raise the price, and rebuilding a corner where the rot reached the framing is a larger job. Materials are quoted separately. Send photos and I'll give you an estimate before anyone comes out, and I confirm the final scope once the rotted wood is opened up.
Can you just fill it instead of replacing the board?
Sometimes. If the damage is a small soft spot in otherwise solid wood, a quality epoxy filler, sealed and painted, is often the right repair. If the wood is rotted through, filler hides the problem and traps moisture against what's left, so the board needs to be replaced.
Will you paint it afterwards?
Yes. New wood gets primed on all sides before it goes up and painted to match once it's in.
Why does it keep coming back in the same spot?
Because the water source was never fixed. Usually it's a gutter, a sprinkler, or a failed seal above the repair. I look for that first.
How It Works: Request, Estimate, Done
Got a job on the list?
Send a few photos and I can usually quote the same day.
Fixing what's bugging you
Owner-operated handyman serving Dallas and nearby cities. I'm on every job.
Service Area
Dallas, University Park, Highland Park, Farmers Branch, Addison, Carrollton, Coppell, Garland, Irving, Plano and Richardson
Hours
Every Day, 8am to 5pm
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