Siding Replacement in Cumberland County, Maine
Whole-house siding replacement in Cumberland County, Maine: tear-off, sheathing and flashing checks, new wrap, trim and siding. Free on-site estimates.
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- 20+ years combined experience
How siding replacement actually goes together
Every siding replacement job is built in a specific order, and the layers you never see once the job is finished are what actually keep water out of the wall or roof. The diagram walks through it step by step.
How a Siding Wall Assembly Works
- Sheathing — the structural wall surface everything else attaches to
- Weather-resistive barrier — a wrapped membrane that stops bulk water while letting vapor escape
- Rainscreen gap — a drainage and drying space between the barrier and the siding
- Siding — the visible cladding, fastened over the furring strips
- Window flashing — tucked under the barrier above and lapped over the siding below, so water never gets behind it
About siding replacement
Siding replacement is more than new cladding. The old siding comes off, the sheathing underneath is inspected and repaired where it has gone soft, a new weather-resistive barrier and flashing go on around every opening, and the new siding and trim are installed as one system. In Maine, where wind-driven rain, freeze-thaw cycles and long winters test every seam, the layers you never see decide how long the wall lasts.
This page is part of our siding work, which lists typical price ranges and materials. Other related services: vinyl siding installation, James Hardie fiber cement siding, cedar siding and shingles, window replacement.
What the job involves
- An owner walks the house, measures every wall, and notes rot, past leaks, and how many layers of old siding are on it.
- Old siding and trim are stripped to the sheathing, and damaged boards are cut out and replaced before anything new goes on.
- A house wrap or other weather-resistive barrier is lapped shingle-style, with flashing tape and head flashing at windows and doors.
- New corner boards, window and door casing, and frieze trim go up, then the siding itself, fastened to the manufacturer's spacing.
- Debris is hauled away, magnetic sweeps pick up nails, and the job is walked with you before the last crew leaves.
Signs it is time
- Clapboards or shingles that are cupped, split, or soft when pressed
- Paint that peels within a few seasons of being painted
- Stains, mold, or bubbling paint on interior walls after storms
- Dated aluminum, asbestos-cement or 1970s metal siding you want gone
- Rooms that feel drafty along exterior walls
What affects the price
- Wall area and how many stories need staging or lifts
- How many layers of old siding come off, and whether any need special handling
- Sheathing repairs found once the old siding is off
- The siding material chosen: vinyl, fiber cement, cedar or composite
- Trim detail: corner boards, window casing, frieze boards and brackets
- Whether windows or the roof are replaced in the same visit
Every job is priced from a free on-site estimate, with a fixed-price written proposal before work starts.
Siding Replacement in Maine: What's Underneath Decides How Long It Lasts
New siding is the part everyone sees, but the layers behind it — the sheathing, the weather-resistive barrier, the flashing at every window and door — are what actually keep water out of the wall. A re-side is the one time those layers are fully exposed and cheap to fix. Skipping past them to get to the new cladding faster is the single most common way a siding job fails early, regardless of which material goes on last.
What a Full Re-Side Actually Involves
- Strip the old siding and trim down to the sheathing, on every elevation, not just the visibly damaged ones.
- Probe the sheathing for soft spots, especially around old window and door openings and at the bottom few feet of every wall.
- Replace any rotted or delaminated sheathing before anything else goes back on — patching over it just moves the problem behind the new siding.
- Install (or replace) the weather-resistive barrier, lapped shingle-style so every course sheds water onto the one below it.
- Flash every window, door, and penetration before the siding goes on, in the order that keeps water moving down and out.
- Re-side over the corrected assembly, then walk the whole house looking for gaps at trim, corners, and penetrations.
Choosing a Cladding for Maine's Freeze-Thaw Climate
| Material | Upfront cost | Maintenance | Freeze-thaw behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | Lowest of the three | Occasional wash; no painting | Expands and contracts with temperature; installed with room to move so panels don't buckle |
| Fiber cement | Mid-range | Repaint on a longer cycle than wood; caulked joints need occasional attention | Dimensionally stable — doesn't swell, shrink, or warp the way wood-based products can |
| Cedar shingle | Highest of the three | Restain or reseal on a set interval, or let it weather naturally to gray | Moves with moisture more than the other two, so ventilation behind it matters most |
The Weather-Resistive Barrier and Rainscreen Gap
Every siding material we install goes over a weather-resistive barrier (WRB) — a wrapped membrane that blocks bulk water while still letting water vapor escape from inside the wall. On its own, a WRB against the sheathing can trap the small amount of moisture that gets past any siding, especially on the coast where wind-driven rain is common. A rainscreen gap — a thin airspace held open by vertical furring strips between the WRB and the siding — gives that moisture somewhere to drain and dry instead of sitting against the wall.
That gap matters most on north- and coast-facing walls that see the least direct sun, and it's cheap to add while the wall is already open during a full re-side.
EPA Lead-Safe Work Practices on Pre-1978 Homes
Many homes in Greater Portland and the surrounding towns were built before 1978, when lead-based paint was still common. Federal EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rules require lead-safe work practices — containment, specific cleanup and verification steps — whenever siding, trim, or window work disturbs painted surfaces on a pre-1978 home. We follow RRP practices on qualifying homes as a matter of course.
Siding Replacement: frequently asked questions
Sometimes, but a tear-off is usually the better job. Removing the old siding lets the sheathing be checked and repaired and lets a new weather barrier and flashing go on correctly. Covering over hides problems and can make window and door trim look recessed.
James Hardie fiber cement, premium vinyl, cedar and wood, and composite siding. An owner brings samples and explains the upkeep, look and cost of each for your house.
If the windows are near the end of their life, yes. With the siding off, the window flashing can be done properly and you avoid disturbing new siding later.
Request a free estimate. An owner measures on site and writes a fixed-price proposal before any work starts.
Siding Replacement by town
All 38 towns we serve
Each town page covers how that town's houses, weather and permitting shape the job. See every town on our service areas page.
- Siding Replacement in Portland
- Siding Replacement in South Portland
- Siding Replacement in Westbrook
- Siding Replacement in Cape Elizabeth
- Siding Replacement in Scarborough
- Siding Replacement in Falmouth
- Siding Replacement in Cumberland
- Siding Replacement in Yarmouth
- Siding Replacement in North Yarmouth
- Siding Replacement in Freeport
- Siding Replacement in Pownal
- Siding Replacement in Brunswick
- Siding Replacement in Harpswell
- Siding Replacement in Gorham
- Siding Replacement in Windham
- Siding Replacement in Standish
- Siding Replacement in Gray
- Siding Replacement in New Gloucester
- Siding Replacement in Raymond
- Siding Replacement in Casco
- Siding Replacement in Naples
- Siding Replacement in Sebago
- Siding Replacement in Baldwin
- Siding Replacement in Bridgton
- Siding Replacement in Harrison
- Siding Replacement in Frye Island
- Siding Replacement in Chebeague Island
- Siding Replacement in Long Island
- Siding Replacement in Saco
- Siding Replacement in Biddeford
- Siding Replacement in Old Orchard Beach
- Siding Replacement in Kennebunk
- Siding Replacement in Kennebunkport
- Siding Replacement in Wells
- Siding Replacement in Sanford
- Siding Replacement in Buxton
- Siding Replacement in Topsham
- Siding Replacement in Bath
What Greater Portland homeowners say
Andrew Mountcastle
May 2026 · Google
We hired Cardinal Exteriors to reside our house and install all new windows, and it was a terrific experience from start to finish! Bob was one of the very best contractors we've ever worked with (and we've worked with many over the years). He was extremely responsive, helpful, respectful of wishes and concerns, and never pressured us in any way.
Steve Kelley
October 2025 · Google
Bob @ Cardinal Exteriors replace 26 windows and resided our office building in Westbrook in 2025. Being in the construction business, we understand how proposals sometimes come with change orders and surprises if not outlined up front. Bob and his team finished our job on schedule and actually below budget.
John Nueslein
December 2025 · Google
CARDINAL EXTERIORS re-shingled my roof. Bob Proved to be Knowledgeable and Trustworthy. He was responsive to my questions and took the time to explain the materials being used and the steps they were taking to weatherproof the roof of my home. The work crew was polite and they cleaned up the job site at the end of each work day.
Get a free siding replacement estimate
Tell us about the house and what you want changed. One of the owners will call to set up a visit, measure, and write a fixed-price proposal. No pressure, no obligation.
Need it today?Call Mike (207) 408-5388
or Bob at (207) 252-0759
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