at least that’s the plan!
Was asked to repair a house with a bit of a bird problem. This house was sided (it was new over 20 years ago) with an interesting western cedar shiplap that i’ve never seen. I forgot the camera, so here come 10,000 words and a crude drawing.
Seems that wherever there was a dead knot that fell out, wrens moved in. I am assuming that the sheathing is blackboard, although I didn’t have a ladder, so I’m not sure.
Almost all the holes are in the 1″ reveal of the siding, and all but one are on the north side of the house.
The owners think the birds are wrens, right now the nests are empty. They would also like me to patch the holes (15-20) and not replace the siding. All this is about 20′ up in the air.
Anybody have any experience in such matters? Any suggestions will be gratefully considered.
EliphIno!
Replies
Sorry about that attachment size, I was birdbrained<G>
EliphIno!
If this is painted then I would use bondo. Might need to some kind of backing. Maybe canned foam. Or some backing material that you can slip behind the hole, just like patching drywall.
It was stained so long ago it looks natural now. The HO already shot all the holes with great stuff, makes for quite a cozy little nesting area.
Because of the ship lap and round hole, getting a patch backer in there will be tough. Can Bondo be dyed? Maybe expanding foam with a heavily micro balloned dyed epoxie top coat. EliphIno!
Bondo CAN be dyed. Use any kind of Minwax stain..do not mix the can get the GOOP (pigment) from the bottom of the can. Use the RED hardner not the blue...works like a dream. I have cast replacement Carvings with great sucess...take a little longer to kick, and don't over do the color..you can stain normally after if it is too light..topcoat helps it last longer if you stain after it is setup..use a SPAR varnish that has UV inhibitor.
I will pass on the question about stain the bondo.
But my idea of the foam was to just will the holes in the sheathing part of it. Then coming back with the bondo or other finishing. the foam just someting to limit the amoutn of bondo so that you don't end up using 50lbs of bondo per hole.
Instead of the foam I was think of backing like you would use to patch a hole in DW. Make some strips for 1/4" plywood about 2x1/2". Tie a string in the middle of it. Push it through the whole and then pull back on the string to hold it in place while you apply the bondo.
Actually Bill, I think the expanding foam for a backer is a great idea. And Sphere's dyed bondo recipe for a topper is intriguing. I'm heading out to see what minwax has in knothole colors<G>
I'll bet bondo and minwax tastes terrible LOL EliphIno!
If you go with the Bondo..make certain that it has some tooth like plaster on lath..get it googed in behind so it wont fall out, it does not expand/contract the same as wood.and may leave small ring around the hole when they get hot/cold..don't know fer sure.
Righto, and, I was thinking of some screw heads sticking out of the foam... EliphIno!