Wood siding comes in many forms, including several types of boards, shingles, and sheets. If you have woodworking skills, you can tackle small repairs by duplicating the way the siding is installed in undamaged areas. Special tools like shingle-nail pullers are needed for certain jobs.

Large repairs generally require more equipment and more hands, and the work becomes more difficult the higher up the wall you go.

If the work extends beyond replacing a board or a shingle or two, you may want to find someone equipped for the job. Contact a local siding contractor or general carpenter who can handle repairs on all types of wood and hardboard siding.

As you repair damage, identify what caused the damage, and correct the problem as soon as you can. For example, if your wood siding is damaged by leaky gutters or pour drainage from the downspouts, correct these problems before more serious damage develops.

If paint problems are confined to a small area, you can touch them up. If they are more extensive, you may want to repaint the entire wall or house. Before painting, solve the cause of the problem.

Keep an eye out for dry rot and termite damage. Both are found on exterior as well as interior wood and can cause serious structural damage to your house. Dry rot is crumbling wood caused by a fungus. Termites bore tunnels through wood; you'll sometimes see their wings or the castings they push out. Call pest control professionals if you find termite damage.

Before painting, make sure surfaces are clean, dry, and in good shape. It's best to paint in dry weather with temperatures between 50 and 90 degrees.