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How to Remove Cedar Siding

Robert Howard

Cedar siding is a commonly used building material. Cedar siding panels are generally overlapped, or fitted one piece into the other. The boards are fastened to the exterior of the house with nails. Removing cedar siding, or any type of wood siding, involves using a pry bar to lift and loosen the boards, and then a hack saw blade saw or a slater's ripper to reach under and cut or pull the nails. The siding is removed piece by piece.

Step 1

Use your pry bar to lift the first piece of siding. Depending on the type of cedar siding, you can either start at the top or the bottom of the house. With overlapping siding, you may find it easier to get under the topmost piece, while with an interconnected siding, the lowest siding piece may give you the easiest access.

Step 2

Lift the board, then use the slater's ripper to pull nails or the hack saw blade saw to cut nail shafts.

Step 3

Remove the board. Once you've pulled or cut the nails, slide the board off of the wall and set it aside. The care you will want to take depends on whether or not you are planning to reuse the siding boards.

Step 4

Work your way up or down the house. Once you've got the first course of siding removed, access to remaining siding courses is straightforward. Continue using your pry bar and slater's ripper or hack saw blade saw to remove nails and boards.

Step 5

Once you've removed all the siding boards, inspect the surface and use your hammer to remove any loose nails or to pound them flush into the exterior walls.