Exterior Trim Repair in Ballard

Why Ballard houses fail the way they do

Ballard's location on the northern shore of the Salmon Bay entrance to the Ship Canal creates persistent maritime moisture that accelerates dry rot in the neighborhood's century-old homes. Properties west of 15th Avenue NW face prevailing westerly winds carrying salt air and moisture from Shilshole Bay and the Ballard Locks, while the mature tree canopy lining residential streets creates dense shade that prevents wood surfaces from drying properly. North-facing walls remain damp for extended periods, particularly on homes shadowed by large maples and firs.

Built primarily between 1905 and 1930, Ballard is a showcase of Craftsman architecture featuring low-pitched roofs with wide overhanging eaves, exposed rafter tails, extensive decorative trim, and original cedar lap siding. Walking through Sunset Hill, Adams, and the blocks surrounding Ballard High School reveals these homes built when timber was plentiful and craftsmanship was exceptional. Many still feature their original old-growth cedar siding and trim, materials that have now endured over a century of Seattle weather. The signature Craftsman elements--exposed beam ends under eaves, decorative brackets, tapered porch columns on stone pedestals, and built-in box gutters integrated into roof structures--create the architectural character that defines the neighborhood.

The exposed beam ends and rafter tails under those wide Craftsman eaves are the signature detail of the neighborhood and the single most common thing we replace. Water wicks straight into the end grain, the rot travels back along the member, and by the time the tail looks bad the decay has often reached where it meets the roof framing. We cut back to sound wood, splice or replace, and seal every cut face before it goes back up.

The other Ballard specialty is the built-in box gutter. On a 1920s house they are integrated into the roof structure rather than hung off it, so when the lining fails the water goes into the fascia, the wall top, and the framing rather than down the outside of the house. Replacing the trim without addressing that lining is money spent on a board that will rot again.

Landmarks we work around here: Ballard Locks, Golden Gardens Park, Ballard Avenue Historic District and Shilshole Bay Marina.