We have remodeled the exteriors of many older homes, the oldest of which dated circa 1703. In the experiences we have had, Old Growth Wood holds up for centuries even in the absence of paint. The density of the wood seems to give it a definite resiliency and resistance to microbial and insect invasion.
Old Growth Wood trim is usually restorable with scraping and sanding and putty application. The siding that has weathered usually will degrade faster than the trim. With settling of the home, newer interior heat installation and the condensation that bombards the siding from the backside, the old weatherboards will go first. They also catch much more of the weather than the trim. The successful adhesion of paint is usually an issue. New age paints are of very high quality and they form a barrier that prevents the natural breathing of the siding. This fact combined with new window installations and heated interiors, the pressure from within a structure pushes the moisture outward to condense on the backside of the paint. This often leads to pockets of moisture and a releasing of large patches of paint.
The wood often comes off in fairly good shape and we have had wood restorers take the product from the work-site. We simply remove the old siding in order to gain access to the walls to insulate them. We install the vapor barrier toward to inside of the home and then install a rigid foam board over the bat insulation. We then install our pre-finished fiber cement siding over the rigid foam. The old trim is left intact and refinished. Sometimes it is cost effective to remove some crown moldings and replace them as they can be very hard to refinish.
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