I'll be interested to see the responses you get because I'm in a similar situation with our 1914 Craftsman!

Look at AZEK

Works and Paints just like any trim wood.......it's not structural......and you need to learn how to install it....Glue, screw, putty and paint.......but it will never rot

BUT it does cost $$......I find the 3/4" material is about $5-7.50 a SqFt

It comes in long lengths......you can find trim boards to 10" and 12" that are a standard 18' long

Need wider?.....standard 4' wide panels are available....8' or 12' long

Abnorm - thanks for the reference. 84lumber carries it here locally, so I will check it out. Even if it is high $$$, I would think that the lack of maintainence would make it worthwhile. Have you tried it yourself? How does it look in comparison to real wood? Does it look "plastic-y"?

I prefer hardy or something a little tougher then PVC.

I would only use real wood. If your other problems are fixed which they should be, there would be no water damage. You can also treat real wood with liquid wood if you are that concerned.

Brickeyee - I too prefer something other than PVC (didn't realize Azek was). Does Hardyboard come in dimensional lumber? I used Hardyboard siding on my new detached garage to match the original asbestos shingles on the house and am quite happy with the look.

Premier - thank you for the LiquidWood reference. Is this similar to Minwax wood hardener? Where have you found the best price for LiquidWood? I definitely would save money restoring the trim with LiquidWood while it is on the house compared to removing and replacing with new. Any tips on using it?

You can only purchase LiquidWood from the manufacturer. They have a web site and you can also phone in an order. abatron.com I have used it a lot and nothing compares to LiquidWood. This is the product that is used and recommended for restoring historic buildings and houses. I have used it on old houses but have also used it on new wood. A little goes a long way so it ends up being cost effective.

Hardie makes trim and materials for fascia and soffit construction.
Availability is not always 100% for all the products.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hardie site

Just remember that if you do use Hardie, you need to prime every surface, particularly any ends that get cut.

Our house's fascia and soffets are about 90 year old original wood. We're fortunately that they were installed properly - wood can last. And we're also trusting that this same wood is going to outlast us since it's made it 90 years so far.

"And we're also trusting that this same wood is going to outlast us since it's made it 90 years so far."

Old wood is better than anything that can be obtained now.
The tightness of the grain and overall quality is often very good.
As long as you can keep a good paint film on the wood it can easily last another 90 years.
Watch the end grain.
That is the most common spot for rot and problems to start.

Just one advantage of the eng. wood, i.e. Azek or similiar products, you can get much longer lengths that you can with hardi.

Thank you all for responding. You have helped decide to repair the existing damage rather than replacing the wood. This past weekend I repaired the porch header by first coating the rotted wood sections with Minwax wood hardner, then filling in with Plastic Wood. (I will be ordering the Liquid wood for future projects - thanks premier)

Brickeyee - good point about old wood is better than new wood. Had not thought of that. During my days of stripping the woodwork on the house, I did notice how the wood in the house is so clear - very tight grain with no knots. I am using your tip (I think it was yours in an earlier post) about coating the cut ends with wood hardner then priming and painting.

I know that once I get gutters installed, the trim will not be take such a beating. The gutters will also help preserve the original windows and trim.

Thanks again!

"AZEK® is a cellular PVC trimboard available in popular trim profiles and sheet dimensions."

'Engineered wood' is a nicer term than calling it plastic trim, isn't it?

Here is a link that might be useful: Azek

You may also want to check Miratec trimboards as well. They are a wood composite material if I recall correctly. We used for our fascia and have been happy with them. Can take a router to it, and the boards come pre-primed in 16 foot lengths. (Any jobsite cuts should be primed before installing.) Much like azek, miratec boards have smooth surface on one side, and wood grain on the other side. They typically cost roughly 1/2 of azek.

thanks niff - will look into the Miratec, especially if they are wood composite vs. the pvc.