Siding damage in Belvidere usually comes down to one of two houses: an older home near the Kishwaukee River and downtown, or a newer one on the east side still wearing its original builder siding. Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding repairs both by replacing the damaged boards or sections, with James Hardie fiber cement first and vinyl as the other main option. We do not patch with sealant or filler. The inspection is free. Call our Rockford office at (815) 209-9054.
Two Belvidere Housing Stocks
Belvidere is the Boone County seat, and its housing splits sharply by age. Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 put about 22% of homes before 1940, most of them in the blocks around State Street downtown and near the river. About a third were built from 1990 through 2009, largely in the subdivisions that grew on the east side. The median home dates to 1976, but for siding, the split between old and new matters more than the median.
Older Homes Near State Street and the River
The older houses in town are often two stories with tall walls, porches and a lot of trim, and many carry more than one layer of siding. A repair here can reach past one panel. What we look for:
- Rotted lap at the bottom of the wall. Wood clapboard that has wicked up water from the porch floor or the ground. We cut out the soft boards and set new lap at the same exposure, usually James Hardie so the rot does not come back.
- Loose or split trim and corner boards. When a corner board pulls away, water runs straight behind the siding. We replace the trim instead of filling the gap.
- A damaged spot on a covered house. When vinyl or aluminum sits over the original wood, we open the damaged area, check what is behind it, and repair the layer that is failing.
Newer East Side Homes
Houses built in the 1990s and 2000s are now old enough that their builder grade vinyl shows its age. Thin panels crack when something hits them in cold weather, faded walls no longer match the protected ones, and panels on the windward side start to work loose at the bottom lock. These are usually quick repairs. We unlock the course above, replace the damaged panels, relock everything and renail any that pulled.
The catch is color. A 20 year old builder color may still be made, or it may not. We check before we order and tell you how close the match will be. When a match is not available, we suggest redoing one full side so the change lands at a corner.
After Hail or Wind
Hail cracks vinyl, dents aluminum and chips the painted face of fiber cement. Wind lifts panels that were never fully locked or were nailed wrong. After a storm we inspect the siding and the roof on the same visit for free, photograph every damaged board, and tell you whether a few boards will fix it or whether a wall needs more. If a repair will not match, we say so. See hail damage repair and storm damage repair.
Fiber Cement, Vinyl or Engineered Wood
Martin is a Certified James Hardie Installer, and Hardie is what we suggest first when boards come off an older Belvidere house. It looks like painted wood, it does not rot, and it shrugs off impacts that crack vinyl. Vinyl from Mastic and Norandex is the other main option and is the natural repair on a vinyl sided house. Engineered wood such as LP SmartSide is available on request. Compare them on our James Hardie siding and vinyl siding pages.
Why Belvidere Homeowners Trust Martin
- Voted What Rocks Rockford Best Siding, 2021 to 2025.
- Certified James Hardie Installer.
- CertainTeed 5-Star Contractor.
- Inc. 5000 Company that has helped thousands of homeowners since 2006.
- Open 24/7, year round installs, and inspections free for everyone.
If a repair turns into new siding, most siding jobs take 1 to 2 days, and payments can be as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. See financing options.
More Belvidere Pages
See Belvidere siding for full siding projects, our Belvidere roofing page, and hail damage roof repair in Belvidere. Our siding repair page covers the process in detail. Book your free inspection or call (815) 209-9054.
Belvidere Siding Repair FAQ
Can you repair the wood siding on an older Belvidere house without residing it?
Yes. We cut out the rotted or split boards and set new lap at the same exposure. On older homes we usually use James Hardie for those runs so rot does not return in the same spot.
My east side house still has its builder vinyl. Can you match it?
Often, if the color is still made. We check before ordering and tell you how close the match will be. If it is not available, redoing one full side puts the change at a corner.
Do you check the roof when you look at storm damaged siding?
Yes. A storm that hits the walls often hits the shingles too, so we look at both on the same free visit and photograph what we find.
Why replace a corner board instead of filling the gap?
A gap at a corner board lets water run behind the siding. Filling it only hides the problem for a season, so we replace the trim and check the wall behind it.
What number should Belvidere homeowners call?
Our Rockford office at (815) 209-9054, answered 24/7.
