Woodpecker Damage Siding Repair in Rockford, IL

Round holes in your siding, fresh chips on the ground, or a steady drumming on the side of the house are classic signs of woodpecker damage. On wood and engineered wood siding, those holes add up fast. Martin Exteriors is a Certified James Hardie Installer serving Rockford, Roscoe and the Stateline since 2006. We inspect the damage, tell you whether a small section repair makes sense, and when it does not, we replace the damaged siding with James Hardie fiber cement. Call (815) 624-6278 or schedule your free siding estimate.

Quick answer: what to do about woodpecker holes

Woodpecker holes in wood or engineered wood siding are worth a look soon. Each hole is an opening for water, insects and more pecking. Replacing a few damaged boards can buy time on limited damage. When the birds keep coming back to the same walls, the lasting fix is usually a full or partial replacement with James Hardie fiber cement, which James Hardie says holds little appeal for woodpeckers and other wood-boring pests.

Signs of woodpecker damage on siding

Woodpeckers leave a clear trail if you know what to look for:

• Round or oval holes. Fresh holes often show light wood inside. Older holes may darken or show soft edges.
• Rows of smaller pits. Drumming marks look like a line of shallow dents where a bird was sounding the wall, not nesting.
• Chips and sawdust at the base of the wall. Fresh pecking leaves litter below the damaged boards.
• Repeated hits on the same elevation. The same gable, chimney chase or shaded wall gets hit again and again.

If holes go through the siding into the sheathing, call us sooner rather than later. Water behind the siding is a bigger problem than the holes themselves.

Woodpeckers also go after wood trim. If the holes are in the fascia or soffit, see soffit and fascia repair.

Why wood and engineered wood siding attract woodpeckers

James Hardie notes that wood-based exterior siding is prone to pest damage from woodpeckers and termites, including cedar and engineered wood. The material sounds hollow when birds drum on it, and it can hold insects that woodpeckers feed on. Soft spots, peeling finish and gaps at joints give birds an easier place to start.

Engineered wood can look fine from the street and still take heavy woodpecker damage within a few years, especially on wooded lots in Roscoe, Rockton, Beloit and the Wisconsin lakefront towns.

Section repair versus full replacement: how we decide

Not every woodpecker hole needs a full siding job. During your free estimate we walk the house, photograph the damage and check for moisture behind the boards. For other kinds of damage, see our page on siding repair.

When a small section repair can work

• Isolated damage on otherwise sound walls
• No soft sheathing or water stains behind the siding

When replacement is the better call

• Holes on more than one wall or elevation
• Damage that keeps returning after earlier section repairs
• Soft or insect-damaged wood around the holes
• Siding that is already near the end of its life for other reasons

Replacing a few boards fixes the damaged section. It does not change what the bird finds attractive about wood and engineered wood. If the same wall keeps getting hit, putting the same material back usually means you will see us again. That is when we point you toward James Hardie siding.

Why James Hardie fiber cement is the long-term fix

James Hardie fiber cement is cement, sand and cellulose fibers pressed into boards that look like wood. On its performance page, Hardie states that Hardie siding holds little appeal for woodpeckers, termites and other wood-boring insects and pests. On its pest blog, Hardie says its products hold no appeal for pests, and that wood-based siding is more susceptible no matter how new it is.

That does not mean a woodpecker will never land on a Hardie wall, and we will not promise birds will never return to your property. The siding itself is not a soft, insect-friendly wood face for them to dig into. Hardie also ran a public demonstration called the Impeckable House in a woodpecker-rich Wisconsin forest; after several months during peak activity, Hardie reported the fiber cement house remained undamaged. Hardie also markets moisture resistance and factory ColorPlus color on its fiber cement products; see our James Hardie siding page, or compare options on our main siding and vinyl siding pages.

Our woodpecker siding process

1. Free estimate. We inspect every elevation, note hole patterns, check for soft spots and moisture, and take photos you can keep.
2. Honest options. We tell you if replacing a few boards is enough for now, or if partial or full replacement is the smarter spend.
3. Product choice. As a Certified James Hardie Installer we help you pick Hardie Plank, panel and trim profiles and colors that fit the house.
4. Removal, prep and install. We remove damaged boards, check the wrap and sheathing, fix soft spots, install the new Hardie siding to manufacturer guidelines and walk the finished job with you.

We install year-round, winter included. Siding estimates are free. Financing is available as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. James Hardie announced a January 4, 2027 price increase; Martin holds quoted prices for anyone who signs before January.

Areas we serve

We help homeowners with woodpecker siding damage in Rockford, Roscoe, Rockton, Loves Park, Machesney Park, South Beloit, Belvidere, Cherry Valley, Caledonia and Poplar Grove, plus Beloit, Janesville, Delavan, Lake Geneva and Elkhorn in southern Wisconsin. Offices in Roscoe and Rockford keep us close to the jobs.

Woodpecker siding FAQs

Will woodpeckers keep pecking after a small section repair?

They often will, if the siding is still wood or engineered wood. Replacing a few boards closes the damaged section, but it does not change what attracted the bird. When damage returns, replacement with James Hardie fiber cement is usually the better long-term move.

Does James Hardie siding resist woodpeckers?

James Hardie says its fiber cement siding holds little appeal for woodpeckers and other wood-boring pests, and that its products hold no appeal for pests compared with wood-based siding. We do not promise birds will never visit your property. We do install Hardie because the siding itself is a poor target for pecking and insect hunting.

Can you repair a few woodpecker holes without replacing the whole wall?

Sometimes yes. Isolated damage on otherwise sound walls can sometimes be handled by replacing just those boards or that section, after we check for soft sheathing and moisture. If holes cover a whole elevation, reach the sheathing, or keep coming back, we recommend replacing that section with Hardie fiber cement.

Do you remove woodpeckers or do wildlife control?

No. Martin Exteriors is a roofing and siding company. We repair and replace damaged siding. We do not trap, relocate or exclude birds. For active wildlife issues, talk with a licensed wildlife professional; then call us for the siding work.

Is engineered wood siding safe from woodpeckers?

No. James Hardie groups cedar and engineered wood with wood-based siding that is prone to woodpecker and pest damage. Engineered wood can show heavy pecking even when it is only a few years old.

How much does woodpecker siding repair cost?

It depends on how many elevations are damaged and whether you need a small section repair or a larger replacement. Siding estimates are free. Financing is available as low as $149/month for qualified buyers. Call (815) 624-6278 and we will price your house after a walkthrough.

Schedule your free siding estimate

Woodpecker holes will not heal on their own. Martin Exteriors is a Certified James Hardie Installer, a GAF Master Elite contractor with 2-Star President’s Club recognition, and an Inc. 5000 company four times (2021 to 2024). We were voted What Rocks Rockford Best Roofer and Best Siding. Call (815) 624-6278 or book online.

Schedule your free siding estimate