Rockford has some of the oldest houses we work on, and old siding fails in its own ways. Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding repairs it by taking out the damaged boards or sections and putting in new ones, James Hardie fiber cement first and vinyl as the other main option. We never cover damage with sealant or filler. Our Rockford office is on Fincham Drive, the inspection is free, and you can call (815) 209-9054 any time.
What Is on Rockford Walls
Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 put the median Rockford home at 1963. About 22% of homes were built before 1940, and close to half went up before 1960. Drive through Haight Village southeast of downtown, Churchill’s Grove and Edgewater on the north side, or Brown’s Hills and Knightsville near Sinnissippi Park, and you see houses that have worn three exteriors: the original wood clapboard, then aluminum, then sometimes vinyl over all of it.
That layering is what makes Rockford repairs different. When we open up a damaged spot, we may find two old skins behind the one you see, plus sheathing that has been nailed through many times. We repair the layer that is failing and tell you plainly what we found behind it.
Dented or Torn Aluminum Siding
Aluminum was the upgrade of choice on a lot of Rockford houses from the 1950s through the 1970s. It does not crack like vinyl, but hail dents it, ladders crease it, and its painted finish chalks until it rubs off on your hand. A dented aluminum panel cannot be pushed back flat, and new aluminum in an old profile and color is hard to find today.
So an honest aluminum repair usually looks like one of these:
- Borrow from a hidden wall. We take sound panels from a spot no one sees, like behind a deck or on the garage back, use them on the damaged front, and put new material where the old panels came from.
- Redo one full wall. We replace a whole side with vinyl or James Hardie and stop at the corners, where a change in material reads as a choice instead of a patch.
- Plan for the rest of the house. If the aluminum is chalking and dented on every side, we will tell you that a repair only buys time.
Rotted Clapboard Under Porch Roofs and Sills
Where the original wood clapboard is still the outside layer, rot usually starts low: along the sill, where a porch roof meets the wall, and under the bottom edge of the boards where paint has failed. Painting over soft wood does not fix it. We cut out the rotted run of boards back to sound wood and fit new boards in their place. On many older Rockford houses, James Hardie lap siding fills those runs well because it can be set to match the old exposure, and it will not rot in that same spot again. Engineered wood such as LP SmartSide is also an option where a homeowner wants it.
Two Flats and Rental Houses
About 17% of Rockford homes are in buildings with two to four units, and roughly 45% of homes are rented. If you own a two flat or a rental, a few broken boards are easy to put off until they turn into a wet wall and a call from the tenant. We can look at the outside without going into the units, send you dated photos of every damaged board, and give you a written scope for just the repair. Owners who live out of town can approve the work by phone.
Woodpecker Holes Near the Parks and River
Houses near Sinnissippi Park, along the Rock River and on the wooded lots in the older north side neighborhoods sit close to the trees woodpeckers live in. Birds go after wood and engineered wood siding, and a hole they open lets water and insects into the wall. We replace the holed boards rather than plugging them, and on a wall the birds keep coming back to, switching that section to fiber cement usually ends the problem. Read more about woodpecker siding damage repair and woodpecker holes in Rockford siding.
Repairs Through the Winter
Broken siding does not have to wait until spring. We install year round, winter included. Vinyl gets stiff in the cold and can crack if it is forced, so on a January repair we warm and handle panels with extra care and leave the room vinyl needs to move once summer comes. Most siding jobs take 1 to 2 days.
Why Rockford Homeowners Call Martin
- Voted What Rocks Rockford Best Siding, 2021 to 2025.
- Certified James Hardie Installer and a CertainTeed 5-Star Contractor.
- Helped thousands of homeowners since 2006, and named an Inc. 5000 Company.
- A Rockford office on Fincham Drive, answered 24/7.
- Free inspections, with photos of every damaged board.
If the repair grows into a bigger project, financing is available as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. See financing options.
More for Rockford Homeowners
Thinking about new siding instead? See Rockford siding. For the roof, see our Rockford roofing page. Our main Rockford siding repair page covers the repair process, and the James Hardie siding and vinyl siding pages explain both products. Storm hit the house? See hail damage repair. Nearby, see siding repair in Loves Park and siding repair in Belvidere. Book a free inspection or call (815) 209-9054.
Rockford Siding Repair FAQ
Can you match the aluminum siding on my older Rockford house?
Sometimes, by moving sound panels from a hidden wall to the damaged spot and putting new material where they came from. New aluminum in old colors is hard to find, so the other honest option is redoing one full wall in vinyl or James Hardie and stopping at the corners.
There is wood clapboard under my siding. Do you have to remove it?
Not always. If the wood behind a damaged area is sound, it can stay. If we find rot, we cut out the soft boards and sheathing and repair the wall before new siding goes on, and we show you photos of what we found.
Can you just caulk or paint over a crack in my siding?
No. A filled crack is still a broken board, and water gets back in. We replace the damaged board or section so the wall sheds water the way it should.
I own a Rockford rental. Do my tenants need to be home for the inspection?
No. We inspect from outside, send you dated photos and a written scope, and you can approve the repair by phone.
What number should Rockford homeowners call for siding repair?
Our Rockford office at (815) 209-9054. It is answered 24/7.
