Fascia
The boards along the roof edge, behind the gutters, where an overflowing gutter soaks in.
Wood rot repair in Memphis.
Dario’s Painting repairs rotten wood on houses across Memphis and Shelby County: fascia, soffits, trim boards, window and door casings, siding boards and porch trim. The soft wood is cut out and new boards go in, primed, then caulked and painted to match. Dario writes every estimate, free and in writing.
- Free written estimates
- Licensed & insured
- Crews speak English & Spanish
In short
Dario’s Painting cuts out rotten wood and replaces it with new boards across Memphis and Shelby County: fascia, soffits, trim boards, window and door casings, siding boards and porch trim. Each new board is primed, then caulked and painted to match the house. Most rot repair is done together with exterior painting, and it can also be a job of its own. There is no price list: the price depends on how far the rot goes, so Dario prices it at the free on-site estimate. Estimate visits are on weekdays from 11:30 to 1:30 and on Saturdays from 7am to 6pm.
What’s included
Rotten boards, cut out and replaced.
The estimate lists each repair, so you see what is being replaced before any wood comes off.
Soffits
The underside of the eaves, which goes soft when water gets past the fascia or the roof edge.
Trim boards
Corner boards and the rest of the outside trim, often soft at the bottom ends, where water sits.
Window and door casings
The trim around windows and doors. Check the bottom corners, where rain collects.
Siding boards
Wood siding boards that have gone soft or split, cut out and new ones put in their place.
Porch trim
The trim on porches, around posts and railings and along the floor, where rain and sprinklers reach it.
How it goes
From the soft spot to the last coat.
Find the soft wood
At the visit, Dario checks the fascia, soffits, trim, casings, siding and porch for wood that is soft, swollen or crumbling, and tells you what he finds.
The estimate
A written price for each repair, and for the painting if the house is getting painted too. It is free, it carries no obligation, and it is yours to keep.
Cut out the rot
The soft wood is cut out, back to solid wood. If more rot turns up behind it, you hear about it before anything extra is done.
New boards
New boards are cut to fit the opening and fastened in place.
Prime
The new boards are primed, so water has a harder time soaking in.
Caulk and paint
The joints are caulked, then the new wood is painted to match the rest of the house.
The walkthrough
You walk it with Dario and point at anything that is not right. It is fixed before the job is called done.
Most wood rot repair is done together with exterior painting, so the new boards and the rest of the house are painted at the same time. See exterior painting, trim, door and baseboard painting and how a job goes.
Price
What wood rot repair costs.
There is no price list for rot repair. Dario prices it at the free on-site estimate, because the price depends on how far the rot goes.
How far the rot goes
One soft corner on a casing is a small job. Rot that runs along a whole fascia board or through several siding boards is a bigger one.
Where it is
A casing by the front door is easy to reach. Fascia and soffits up on a second story take more ladder work and more time.
What turns up
Rot can hide behind a board. Anything that could not be seen at the visit is quoted separately, and nothing is done about it without your approval.
With painting
Getting the outside painted too? The repair goes on the same written estimate as the paint job.
For the paint itself, the exterior painting page has national cost ranges by house size and siding, and the house painting cost guide has every range and its source.
Rot in Memphis
Why wood rots on houses here.
Humid air
Wood rots when it stays wet, and Memphis air is humid for much of the year. Damp wood dries slowly, most of all on shaded north sides and under trees.
Heavy rain
Memphis storms roll in fast and drop a lot of rain at once. Water runs down the trim, sits on ledges and soaks into the ends of boards.
Gutters
A clogged or overflowing gutter pours water over the fascia board behind it and onto the soffit below. Keep gutters clear and downspouts pointed away from the house.
Sprinklers
Sprinklers that hit the house wet the lowest siding boards, door casings and porch trim day after day. Aim them at the lawn, not the walls.
Paint that fails at the joints
Paint and caulk tend to crack where boards meet: at corners, at the ends of boards and around windows and doors. Water gets in there, and the wood behind can go soft before the paint shows much.
We repair rotten wood across Memphis, East Memphis and the rest of Shelby County. Town by town, see what to know in Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Cordova, Arlington and Lakeland, or see all the areas we paint.
How much does wood rot repair cost?
There is no price list. It is priced at the free on-site estimate, because the price depends on how far the rot goes: one soft corner is a small job, and rot that runs along a whole fascia board or through several siding boards is a bigger one. Dario looks at it with you and leaves you a written price.
Can you replace rotten fascia and soffits?
Yes. Rotten fascia boards and soffits are cut out and replaced with new boards, primed, caulked and painted to match. If an overflowing gutter caused the rot, have the gutter cleared or fixed too, or the new board will get the same water.
Can you fix rotten window and door trim?
Yes. Rotten window and door casings are cut out and replaced with new boards, then primed, caulked and painted to match the rest of the trim. To repaint all of it, see trim, door and baseboard painting.
Can you just paint over rotten wood?
No. Paint does not stop rot. Put over soft wood, it cracks and peels, and the wood keeps rotting under it. The rotten part comes out first; then the new wood is primed and painted.
Do I have to paint the whole house?
No. A repair can be a job of its own, and the new wood is painted to match. Most rot repair is done together with exterior painting, though: if the outside is getting painted too, the repair goes on the same written estimate.
What if there is more rot behind the board?
Rot can hide behind a board until it comes off. Anything that could not be seen at the visit is quoted separately, and nothing is done about it without your approval.
Helpful guides
Before you decide.
How often to repaint
Intervals for each room, surface and deck, plus the signs it is time to repaint.
How to paint trim and doors
Baseboards, casings, interior doors and a front door: prep, sheen, weather and color.
When to paint an exterior
Label temperatures, dew point, rain and Memphis weather by month: the best windows for outside work.
More from Dario’s Painting
All servicesThe rest of what we do.
Exterior painting
Brick, siding, stucco and wood: washed, scraped and primed where needed, then two coats.
Learn more
Trim, doors and baseboards
Baseboards, crown, casings, doors and exterior trim, caulked and primed, then two coats.
Learn more
Pressure washing
Houses, driveways, patios, decks and fences, washed clean of dirt, mildew and pollen.
Learn more
Decks, fences & sheds
Stained or painted and sealed against Tennessee weather, with the wood cleaned and prepped first.
Learn more
Free estimate
Get a free wood rot repair estimate.
Answer a few short questions and Dario calls you back to book the walkthrough, usually within the hour between 7am and 7pm. Or call now and talk to him directly.
Rather pick the time yourself? Book the free estimate visit online (weekdays 11:30 to 1:30, Saturdays 7am to 6pm). dario@dariospainting.com · 7am to 7pm, seven days