We were recently contacted to perform various siding repairs to a ten year old home on Prune Hill in Camas. There were several telltale signs that pointed to the possibility of some water damage behind the existing fiber cement siding and cultured stone. However, even we were surprised at the extensive dry rot we found upon pulling off the siding.

This photo shows what we could see from the outside. Rotting primed spruce (sometimes referred to as “white wood”) and no flashing between the stone and siding.

Unfortunately, we’re seeing a lot of rotten exterior trim from houses that were built fairly recently. Primed spruce is simply not a very good choice for exterior trim. It splits, cracks and soaks up moisture like a sponge. If you see signs of decay or mushrooms growing in your exterior trim, it needs to be addressed right away to avoid the kind of damage we’re dealing with here.