Lumber and Siding - repairing/replacing wood clapboard siding

I recently had my dryer moved and as a result now have a unneeded hole in one piece of my wood clapboard siding. How should this be fixed? I assume there are nails on the top from the piece that overlapps this and nails at the bottom securing this piece and the one below. The piece is probably between 16 and 20 feet long.

Does the entire length need to be removed? If so, how do you remove it? It would seem the nails have to be cut.

Thanks,
Nick

I assume your are talking about masonite siding. Yes, the nails must come off. The easy way is to run a sawsall along underneath the board and cut off the nails. Do the same at the top. Lift out the old board and insert the new one. The new board will have to be face nailed both at the top and bottom. Good Luck

Not sure what masonite is, but it sounds like some sort of masonry (rock/cement) product. I think the clapboard on my house is wood, but wouldn't bet on it.

What is face nailed and how is it different than how it was nailed in originally?

Thanks,
Nick

Lots of people call masonite siding clapboard. It is ground up wood, mixed with a resin and poured out in large trays and when dry cut in 16 foot lengths. It is used for siding houses. I think that is what you have or something very similar. Face nailed means you nail it just like any other board. Except you can still see the head of the nail on the face of the board. You will have to use a headless galvenized nail either a #8 or #10.

Not to disagree...oh sure I will...lol..there are plenty of homes that still have real wood clapboard siding. Though not in those kind of lengths thats for sure. Most clapboard was cedar or some similar wood I believe.

I have seen masonite stuff with a pressed in grain pattern..though not often. The best example I can tell people for a comparison is either pegboard or molded hollow core door skins.

Face nailed means you nail it just like any other board. Except you can still see the head of the nail on the face of the board. You will have to use a headless galvenized nail either a #8 or #10.

By the sounds of it it seems as if you're saying it was nailed in some other way originally. Just wondering how face nailing differs from how it was nailed in originally.

Thanks,
Nick

Originally the majority of the nails were at the top of the siding where when the next piece was installed - the overlap hid the nails.

I feel a bit stupid now, but I'm sure that feeling will go away soon:) I was thinking each board was being secured to the next instead of the board being secured to the side of the house.

Now that you've cleared that up for me I have another question. If the nails are near the top of the board and the board is about 10" wide it seems I'll need a pretty long blade on the sawzall to cut off those nails.

Thanks,
Nick