Installing siding on house

Article Summary. Part 1. Think about why you want to install vinyl siding. It is also a favorite for homeowners who don't want the hassle of repainting the outside of their house periodically.

Before you decide to install vinyl siding on your own home, visit some vinyl sided houses and inspect them thoroughly to make sure you like what you see. Ask a local realtor about how installing vinyl siding on your home might affect the value of the house -- although it will have a positive effect in most places, if your house is the only one with vinyl siding in a neighborhood of restored Victorian homes, it could bring the value down.

Decide what type of vinyl you want -- vinyl siding comes in textured or smooth, high gloss or low gloss finishes. It also comes in a wide array of colors, some with grain-like patterns which closely resemble real wood. Consider hiring a contractor. Although installing vinyl siding by yourself might save you a lot of money, you should definitely consider hiring a contractor if you've never installed vinyl siding before.

Installing vinyl siding is an involved process which requires a lot of time and skill. In fact, the quality of the installation can have a huge effect the finished result and even determine how long the siding lasts.

Even the highest quality siding will buckle and warp if not installed correctly. If you choose to get a contractor, gather a list of names in your local area and request a price estimate from each of them. Also take the time to inspect some of their previous work and talk to previous clients to make sure they are satisfied with the work done. Gather your tools and materials.

Use the following list as a guideline. In terms of tools, you will need: a folding ruler, a metal square, a claw hammer, a snap-lock punch, tin snips, a power saw, a chalk line, a measuring tape, a level, a utility knife, a pliers, a nail slot punch, a carpenter's saw, a hacksaw, a stepladder, sawhorses and a pry bar.

In terms of materials, you will need: lengths of J-channel, flashing, building paper, corrosion-resistant nails and enough vinyl siding to cover your home. You will also need vinyl corners and trim for windows and doors, as well as a termination trim for where you meet other surfaces such as soffits and masonry work.

Prepare the outside of your home for the installation. Before you begin, you will need to properly prepare the outside of your home for the siding installation. Therefore it's important to fix any existing issues before you install the siding. Tighten any loose boards and replace any rotting ones. Scrape away any old caulk from around doors and windows. Clear your work area by removing any fixtures such as exterior lights, down-spouts, moulding, mailboxes and house numbering.

Also tie back any plants, trees or flowers from the exterior of the house to give you more room and prevent them from becoming damaged. Remove any siding or exterior finish that isn't compatible with vinyl siding, and make sure the walls are sheathed with a substrate to receive the siding.

Understand the fitting and nailing rules. When installing vinyl siding, there are a number of important rules to follow with regards to fitting and nailing. Vinyl siding expands and contracts with temperature changes, therefore it is important to allow extra room for expansion in order to prevent the siding from buckling. You should also refrain from driving the nails too tightly, restricting the movement of the panels.

In addition, you need to center each nail in the appropriate slot, making sure to drive the nails in straight rather than crooked. You should never face nail drive nails through the panels when installing siding, as this may cause the panels to buckle. Part 2. Nail J-channel pieces under the fascia. The J-channel will conceal the cut edges of the soffit lengths and will provide a watertight seal.

Boxed-type soffits will need a second J Channel strip, running from the fascia to the edge of the house. Understand how to deal with wrap-around soffit. You can do this by installing two J-channels diagonally where the corners of the roof and house meet. You will have to cut a number of soffit and vent pieces at an angle to accommodate the diagonal pieces of J-channel. Measure and cut the soffit pieces. Vinyl siding usually comes in foot 3.

Push each panel into the J-channel. Once the J-channel is installed and the soffit pieces are cut, you will be able install them. You can do this by pressing the soffit pieces into the channel, bending them to fit if necessary vinyl siding is quite flexible. If you're having difficulty just pressing them in, you may need to pull the channel lip back with a pry bar or locking tool to get the siding panels to fit. Slide in the fascia siding pieces.

Secure the top edge of the fascia pieces with galvanized or painted nails placed every couple of feet. Reattach the gutters. Part 3. Measure the walls. Measure the length of the walls from the eaves to the bottom of any existing siding. This will help you to figure out how many panels of siding you'll need per wall. Divide the length of each wall by 8 inches the width of a piece of siding. If the result is a whole number, you're in luck: you'll be able to install the pieces of siding without leaving any gaps or needing to cut any pieces to size.

Next measure the width a and height b of the walls you will be siding. Next, subtract the square footage of any windows and doors on those walls from the overall square footage of the project. Once the old materials are removed you should see a moisture barrier on top of the house sheathing plywood.

Remove the old moisture barrier due to the old nail holes and possible tears from the old siding material. Replace any damaged plywood or other type of sheathing as needed. If any plywood is removed, check the insulation behind this plywood and replace any that is damaged with new insulation. Roll out the moisture barrier or tar paper on the ground and cut to length with your utility knife. Make sure you start from the bottom of wall and work your way up and overlap the moisture barrier a couple inches each time.

This will keep wind and water out of the wall cavities. A starter plank must be cut to ensure a clean outward-facing edge. Slide the bottom of the siding into the footer, being sure to allow for expansion. You should be able to wiggle the siding slightly. Slide the ends under the corner posts in the same manner. Affix the siding to the wall by centering a nail in each section of the nail strip. Don't pound the nails in all the way.

Proceed up the wall, interlocking the bottom of each sheet with the top of the previous sheets. Be sure to overlap successive panels by 1 inch 2. Trim the siding panels using a circular saw to meet windows, doors, and corners. Use gutter-seal adhesive to finish the installation at window sills and eaves. Install the top panel by trimming the unneeded portion from the top of the sheet.

Lock it into place at the top of the preceding panel, and slide it under the F-channel. Install vertical siding by first locating the mid-point of the wall. Draw a vertically level line at this position using a straightedge. Hang this panel by placing a nail at the top of each nail strip, at about 8 inch Don't attach the nails too tightly! If you do this, the vinyl might crack when it goes to expand and contract. Then, you'll start to see vinyl siding falling off or buckling in certain spots.

You can also install nails at 16 in 41 cm intervals. Moving from the center out, interlock each strip with the previous one, continuing to place the nails at 8 inch Install a J-channel on the post when you reach a corner. The edges will insert between the J-channel and the outer flange of the post. Add panels around the doors and windows in the same manner as in Step 6. Proceed with the following steps for installing wood siding.

The primary difference between this application and the others, is that the vertical corner boards will be installed last. Install trim boards to surround windows and doors. Add metal flashing to control water flow. Cut the boards to length, making sure that the joints meet over a stud. Make sure that each plank is cut square to avoid any gaps. Be sure to prime the sheets of siding on both sides and at the edges.

Also, be sure to prime any exposed ends when panels are trimmed. Hang the first piece of siding so that it overlaps the foundation by 1 inch 2. Install the successive pieces so that they are nailed through the bottom of the upper board, and into the beveled edge of the lower board.