In Delavan, siding repair usually means one of two jobs: an older house in town with layers of siding and tired trim, or a cottage around Delavan Lake where shade and damp have gone to work on the walls. Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding replaces the damaged boards or sections on both, with James Hardie fiber cement first and vinyl as the other main option. We do not cover damage with sealant or filler. The inspection is free. Call (815) 624-6278, 24/7.
Old Houses in an Old Town
Delavan has deep roots. From 1847 to 1894, more than two dozen circuses spent their winters here, and some of the oldest houses in town stand near Tower Park and along Walworth Avenue, Main Street and Washington Street. Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 put the median home in the city at 1968, about 24% of homes before 1940, and about 41% before 1960. A quarter of the city’s homes are in buildings with five or more units, and about 11% are attached houses like townhomes.
What We Find on the Older Homes in Town
Most of the older Delavan houses have been resided at least once, often aluminum or vinyl over the original wood lap. When a repair opens up a wall, here is what we look for:
- Rot at the sill and the bottom courses. Water that got behind the outer layer years ago often sits on the bottom of the wall. We cut back to sound wood and replace the sheathing if it is soft.
- Original trim buried under capping. Aluminum trim capping can hide rotted wood. If a corner or casing feels soft, we open it up and replace what is behind it.
- Mismatched earlier repairs. A panel from a different maker or color, or a section someone filled years ago. We take those out and do the repair properly.
When the original wood lap shows through, James Hardie lap is a good way to replace the damaged runs. It keeps the look of the house and will not rot in the same place again.
Cottages Around Delavan Lake
The lake area is a different world from downtown. Cottages sit close together under heavy tree cover, and many have additions built over the decades. Shade keeps the walls damp for days after rain, so the siding there fails from moisture more than from impact:
- Swollen or soft boards on the shaded and lake facing walls, especially wood and older engineered wood.
- Boards too close to the ground, where soil, mulch or a deck holds water against the bottom course.
- Seams where an addition meets the original cottage, a common spot for water to get in behind both sidings.
- Woodpecker holes in wood siding on wooded lots. We replace holed boards, never plug them. See woodpecker siding damage repair.
On a damp, shaded cottage wall, fiber cement is far more forgiving than wood. We can replace just the failing section with James Hardie, and engineered wood such as LP SmartSide is available on request. We also send photos and a written scope to owners who are not at the lake.
Matching Older Siding
Older colors and profiles are often no longer made. We look at what you have, tell you honestly how close a new board will be, and suggest redoing a full wall when a patch would stand out. On vinyl, we can sometimes move sound panels from a hidden wall to the repair and put new ones where no one looks.
Why Delavan Homeowners Call Martin
- Voted What Rocks Rockford Best Siding, 2021 to 2025.
- Certified James Hardie Installer.
- CertainTeed 5-Star Contractor and an Inc. 5000 Company.
- We have helped thousands of homeowners since 2006.
- Free inspections, year round installs and someone answering 24/7.
If you decide on new siding instead, most siding jobs take 1 to 2 days, and financing is available as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. See financing options.
More Delavan Pages
See Delavan siding for new siding, our Delavan roofing page, Delavan roof repair and hail damage roof repair in Delavan. Our siding repair page covers how we work, and James Hardie siding explains the product. Book a free inspection or call (815) 624-6278.
Delavan Siding Repair FAQ
My older Delavan house has aluminum over wood. Can you repair just the damaged part?
Yes. We open the damaged area, check the wood and sheathing behind it, replace anything rotted, and close it up with new siding. We tell you if the problem reaches further than the spot you can see.
Why is the siding on my lake cottage soft near the bottom?
Shade, soil, mulch or a deck can hold water against the lowest boards. We replace the soft boards, check the sheathing, and make sure the new bottom course is not sitting in water.
Can you fix the seam where my cottage addition meets the old house?
Yes. That seam is a common leak point. We take the siding back on both sides, fix the flashing and wrap, and close it so water drains out.
Is James Hardie a good choice for a shaded cottage wall?
Yes. Fiber cement does not rot or swell like wood, so it holds up much better on damp, shaded walls. Engineered wood is available on request.
How far is Delavan from your office?
About 40 minutes from our main office at 11704 Main St in Roscoe. Call (815) 624-6278, 24/7.
