| Vinyl siding is being installed today on homes, | | | | siding. Each piece of siding moves independently of |
| commercial buildings, outbuildings and any structure | | | | each other so other than corners and trims, siding |
| that has areas that are exposed to weather. | | | | is never nailed solidly or "hard" to the walls. It will |
| Siding is available in both aluminum and vinyl | | | | take some getting used to doing this part of the |
| materials but vinyl is far more popular today. | | | | installation. With insulation behind the siding the |
| Siding comes in a range of colors along with | | | | siding will tend to jump around a little and does |
| accessories to match or contrast in color to the | | | | not give a solid surface to nail against. You will |
| siding. Before purchasing your siding, take the time | | | | catch on quickly but don't be afraid to pull a nail |
| to look around at other homes or business's to | | | | back out and reset a new one. Now is when you |
| see how they did their color matches and trims. It | | | | really see what the building is going to look like. |
| may give you some ideas you may not have | | | | Siding applies very quickly and if you have a |
| thought of doing with your project. | | | | helper to cut and supply you the materials, it goes |
| Different manufacturers make different colors so | | | | even faster. Most carpenters will setup a jig on |
| look around and make sure the color you chose is | | | | their saw horses so a full piece of siding will lay |
| readily available and in stock if you need extra | | | | flat allowing easy marking for cutting. |
| pieces. Siding comes in different sizes and | | | | Cutting can be done with snips but a plywood |
| patterns as well. Cottage siding, 4 over 4, 5 over | | | | blade mounted backwards in your power saw, |
| 5, 8" as well as other styles are available. Some | | | | makes short work of vinyl siding cuts. REMEMBER |
| companies offer siding that look like shake shingles | | | | TO REMOVE THE BLADE WHEN YOU ARE DONE! |
| or rounded shake shingles that can add a dramatic | | | | DO NOT TRY AND CUT PLYWOOD WITH THE |
| effect to a plain gable end of a home. 4 over 4 | | | | BLADE IN BACKWARDS!!! ALWAYS UNPLUG |
| siding means that when you view the siding, it | | | | YOUR SAW WHEN INSTALLING THE BLADE |
| appears to be 2 pieces of 4" high boards, one | | | | AND ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GLASSES WHEN |
| over the other. 5 over 5 is 2 5 " boards and so | | | | USING THE SAW AS WELL. |
| on. Smaller sizes makes larger houses look | | | | As you encounter the window and door openings |
| shorter and larger sizes make a smaller house | | | | there will be cuts to the edges of the doors, |
| look taller. I have seen siding installed on a slant | | | | that's easy, windows are a little harder. A window |
| but this is really tricky and should not be tried on | | | | bottom never falls at the bottom of a piece of |
| you're your project. Leave that for later. | | | | siding. It's some kind of a weird law. This will |
| TOOLS REQUIRED-Measuring tape, pad, pencil, | | | | require a cut that leaves the window opening in |
| ladders, scaffolds, pair of sawhorses, a 14' long | | | | the top of the siding piece and must be slid up |
| planks for sawhorses, saw, Quick Square, 4' level, | | | | under the J-channel window trims. Remember to |
| razor knife and blades, siding punch, pair of Snips, | | | | leave room for expansion on the ends and in the |
| hammer, tripod and level (rent at local rental | | | | j-channel slots at the sides of the window as well. |
| outlet). Scaffolding with hand rails may be | | | | When nailing any siding, avoid pulling the siding up |
| necessary as well. | | | | hard against the lock on the piece below. You |
| MATERIALS- Siding, starter strip, J-bead, Vinyl | | | | want the new piece to balance halfway in the slot. |
| corners, F-bead, insulation backer board, aluminum | | | | Not at the bottom, and not hard against the top. |
| nails. | | | | Every few pieces, step back and make sure you |
| Installation-You must take careful measurements | | | | are installing the siding level. Pulling on the siding |
| of all the areas that you are going to cover with | | | | and not realizing it, can cause the siding to run out |
| siding. Measure the length and width (or height) of | | | | of level very quickly. Place your 4' level |
| each area and record the measurements. Unless | | | | horizontally under the lip of the new piece of |
| there is an over abundance of windows, ignore | | | | siding to check it is in fact level before nailing. |
| them for now. Do all the math by multiplying the | | | | Top of wall-Ok we are to the top of the wall. |
| lengths by the widths to get the square feet of | | | | Everything looks straight and level so we want to |
| siding you require. Use even footage, not inches. | | | | complete the wall. Measure from the bottom of |
| If all your measurements come to 1600 square | | | | the lock to the top of the wall. IF and it's a big IF, |
| feet, each box of siding contains 2 square, so you | | | | the last piece would be cut at the thickest part of |
| need a total of 8 boxes. There are no ½ boxes. | | | | the siding, you may be able to install just a |
| 1700 square feet you need 9 boxes. You will | | | | j-channel, slide the piece into place and the |
| need extra siding in any case for cuts and repairs | | | | j-channel will hold it. Not likely, so, you install a |
| later on. Starter strip is measured one time | | | | piece of j-channel around all the edges for a |
| around the base of the walls. 30' x 30' building | | | | finished appearance and then install a piece of |
| uses 120 lineal feet of starter strip. Soffit J and | | | | termination strip inside that. The trim flanges are |
| other trims are a little harder to figure. Depending | | | | wide enough for you to nail one over the other |
| on how your soffit panels are to be installed, you | | | | without damaging the other piece. Using your |
| need at least enough F-bead to go all the way | | | | siding punch, work along the cut edge and punch |
| around the building once if you use it only on the | | | | holes every 16" or so for the entire length of the |
| wall. If you use it twice, once on the fascia and | | | | piece. You will see that the flat part of the siding |
| once on the wall, the amount doubles. I use | | | | where it was cut now has holes in it and the |
| F-channel only once on the wall above my siding. I | | | | material "punched" out, has formed a bump in the |
| terminate the siding against the soffit F-channel, | | | | siding piece. When you install the siding, the bumps |
| use a J-channel at the top of the siding with a | | | | will lock into the termination strip and hold the |
| termination strip and siding punch and then bend | | | | siding in place. Only occasionally and then only at |
| my metal fascia on an L-angle to cover both the | | | | the top of the siding in gable ends, a small (4 |
| fascia board and the end of the soffit panels. | | | | penny) galvanized finish nail will be driven through |
| Neat, clean and cheaper. | | | | the siding to assure the last piece does not come |
| Each window and door opening will require pieces | | | | unlocked and fall. This only works in a situation |
| of j-channel as well. Measure each of these on all | | | | where the piece is very small and high up enough |
| 4 sides and add that length to your order of | | | | so the nail cannot be seen. A vinyl siding slot |
| j-channel. J-channel comes in 10' lengths. Ok Lets | | | | punch is really handy. Just slide the top edge of |
| get started. Using your tripod, level and a helper, | | | | the siding in the jaw and close the punch. It will |
| you must establish a level line all the way around | | | | create a dimple that will hold the siding in the |
| the building to follow. This is where your starter | | | | j-channel. |
| strip is going to be nailed. Do not try and measure | | | | Vinyl siding unlocking tool. Very handy when |
| it with a tape. If the line is not level all the way | | | | having to remove a piece of siding. Just slip it |
| around, when you turn a corner the siding lines will | | | | behind and into the lock and slide it along the |
| not match. Buildings are not perfectly level, ever. | | | | length thereby unlocking the siding when removing |
| You create a false appearance of level, by setting | | | | a piece in the middle of a wall. You must have a |
| the line and starting your siding on that mark. You | | | | good pair of sharp snips for odd cuts. A razor |
| may find you have to hold the line down below | | | | knife wil also be needed for very small |
| the plywood a little so as not to have the line | | | | adjustments ot siding pieces. Always remember |
| come out above the bottom of the plywood | | | | to cut away from you. |
| somewhere else. The starter strip may hang | | | | Maintenance- All vinyl siding will fade with exposure |
| down below the plywood. Once you have a level | | | | to sunlight over time. It is usually gradual and not |
| line where no part of the siding will start above | | | | noticeable unless you place a new piece alongside. |
| the plywood bottom, you may nail your starter | | | | When replacing a piece of siding due to damage, |
| strip to the building. Starter strip is metal so use | | | | expect to see a color variation. Once a year a |
| your snips to cut them. Nail 16" on center with a | | | | good washing with a vinyl siding cleaner helps |
| nail always on each end. Use as long lengths as | | | | keep your siding bright and nice looking. Cleaner is |
| possible to avoid joints. The starter strip when | | | | available in 1 gallon bottles at most hardware or |
| installed correctly will lay flat on the building with | | | | retail lumberyards. Occasionally a piece may come |
| the bottom pointing away from the building, not | | | | unlocked in high winds. You can reinstall it with |
| towards it. Now install your corners. Corners are | | | | your siding unlocking tool. Just slide it in under the |
| pre-made, color coded and come in 10' lengths. | | | | siding until the tip is in the lock and pull downwards |
| Hold the corner slightly below the start strip when | | | | to force the lock under the piece below and slide |
| nailing. This will assure the bottom of the siding is | | | | it long until the entire piece is relocked. It takes |
| fully within the corner piece and looks nice and | | | | some muscle but it can be done and is far less |
| neat. Nail the corners 16' OC. Your siding will end in | | | | work than removing all the siding. |
| these corners. | | | | Fascia trims- Fascia material is available in rolls of |
| The first piece of siding locks onto the starter | | | | differing widths. Once you measure how wide the |
| strip and getting it over a bunch of joints can be | | | | fascia board is (8") plus the angles that have to |
| a bear to do. If your installing nail-on insulation this | | | | be bent to cover the edge of the soffit panels, |
| is the time to do so. Cover 4-5-6 feet up the wall | | | | etc. (1") you know each piece needs to be 9" |
| to start. Keep the joints as tight as possible. First | | | | wide before bending. Rolls come in 18" widths |
| piece of siding. Siding comes in 12'-'6" lengths so | | | | (among others) so you will be able to get 2 |
| you want to figure out the least waste. When | | | | pieces from each piece you cut. You will require a |
| one piece of siding laps over the other, an open | | | | sheet metal brake for this work. Do not try to |
| joint is created. Face the open end of the joint | | | | bend the material using 2x4's or by hand. It will |
| away from the road or prevailing winds. Install the | | | | simply crinkle and be ruined. Sheet metal brakes |
| first piece by first placing it below the starter strip | | | | come in 8' and 10' lengths. Rent a 10' brake if at |
| and pulling upwards until the bottom groove on | | | | all possible. Less joints, less work. When installing |
| the siding locks onto the starter strip. Do not pull | | | | the metal the edges will be sharp so careful |
| the siding upwards to such a point you actually | | | | handling is required. Using a colored matching |
| put pressure on the starter strip. The siding should | | | | aluminum nail, place the piece over the fascia, |
| sit loosely against the starter strip. Nail the siding | | | | UNDER the drip edge and the bottom 1" leg over |
| 16" OC, placing your nails in the middle of the slots | | | | the ends of the soffit panels. The fascia piece will |
| in the top edge of the siding. NO NOT DRIVE | | | | look like an L with one 8" leg and one 1' leg using |
| THEM HOME! You want the siding to be able to | | | | our sample measurements. Use as few nails as |
| slide back and forth with temperature changes. It | | | | possible. Over use of nails will cause the fascia to |
| does expand and contract. If you drive the nails | | | | "oil can" or bend when sunlight heats up the metal. |
| home and lock the siding in place, the siding will | | | | Fascia can be cut with tin snips. You will quickly |
| buckle. Also when installing your siding in warm | | | | learn how to bend corners, small cover pieces, |
| weather and the siding is hot, hold the end of the | | | | etc. to make your work look good. Also |
| siding approx. 1/2" from the end of the corner | | | | remember to always lap your pieces with the top |
| slot. When the siding is cold, hold the end of the | | | | one over the lower to shed rainwater wherever |
| siding approx. 1" from the end of the slot so | | | | that situation occurs. End joints in fascia should |
| there is room to expand. | | | | again face away from the road or the prevailing |
| Measure from the top end of the siding to the | | | | wind direction whenever possible. |
| end of your wall, if your next piece of siding is | | | | Once you have completed a small siding project, a |
| less than a full piece. You want the cut end of | | | | larger project is basically the same, it just involves |
| your siding to go into the corner trim and stay | | | | more materials and a great deal more labor. With |
| ½" or so from the end. Pieces of siding overlap | | | | careful measurements and application you will |
| each other and lock together. When done | | | | have minimal waste of materials and can save |
| correctly, the top edge of the siding will have a | | | | thousands of dollars by doing this project yourself. |
| ½" gap between the nail slot portion of the | | | | |