How to Replace Exterior Siding

Siding can become damaged due to constant exposure to the elements.

The siding on your home is important to the overall integrity and aesthetic of the structure. Over time damage to the siding can compromise the protection of your home from water and sunlight. Left untended, damaged siding can lead to rot of the house's framework and eventual expensive repairs. In addition, changing trends in siding can leave the façade of your house looking out of style. Replacing exterior siding involves first removing the old siding, inspecting and preparing the structure and then installing new siding..

Things You'll Need

• Pry bar
• Slater's ripper or hacksaw blade saw
• Claw hammer
• House wrap
• Corrosion-resistant nails
• Chalk line
• Tape measure
• Level
• Circular saw
• Siding boards (including corner pieces)

Instructions

Removal of Old Siding

1. Loosen individual siding boards with a pry bar. Slide the flat end of the pry bar under the lower edge of a board and pry it up so the nail shafts are exposed.

2. Pull the nails from the framework with a slater's ripper or cut shafts free with a hacksaw blade saw. Remove the unfastened board and set it aside.

3. Continue pulling boards until the siding has been completely removed.

Inspection and Preparation of the House's Framework

1. Take a good, careful look at the exposed framework. Keep an eye out for rot and mold. Treat minor mold with a solution of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. Remove and replace badly molded or rotted studs.

2. Remove or pound flat any obtrusions, such as leftover nails, on the framework.

3. Wrap the house in a water-resistant house wrap, such as Tyvek. Consult the manufacturer's instructions regarding this installation.

Installation of New Siding

1. Snap a chalk guide line around the base of the house. Refer to the siding manufacturer's instructions regarding how high from the low point of the house it should start and use a tape measure and level to mark this point. Then use a chalk line to mark this guide line around the perimeter of the house. Refer to the guide line as you fasten your starter strip and initial siding course.

2. Install inside and outside corner pieces to the framework. Drive corrosion-resistant nails at 12-inch intervals through these prefabricated wooden pieces.

3. Fasten starter strip to the house. Nail these narrow wooden strips to the frame. Align them with the guide line you snapped earlier.

4. Install the first siding course. Rest the base of the siding boards over the starter strip. Fasten the boards with corrosion-resistant nails driven through the portion of the board that will be covered by the next one above it; this is referred to as "blind nailing," because the nails will be covered once all the siding is installed. Nail siding to the studs.

5. Cut siding boards to size with a circular saw.

6. 

   Cut siding to fit under gables with a circular saw.

   Work your way up and install additional siding courses. Stagger the seams by 4 feet between courses to increase the overall water-resistance. Check your level every 3rd or 4th course and adjust accordingly. Make your adjustments incrementally over several courses, instead of making a single, noticeable repair. Install boards until the house is covered from the foundation to the fascia and gables.

Tips & Warnings

• A slater's ripper is a hooked tool that can be slid underneath siding boards and used to grab and pull nails free.

• A hacksaw blade saw is a toothed saw blade attached to a handle.

• Prefabricated wooden corner pieces make siding jobs easier and more weather-resistant. These corner pieces form an "L" shape and fit onto the inside and around the outside corner pieces. They are fastened to the house before the siding boards are installed and make corners a breeze. If you don't like the look of the prefabricated corner pieces, you also have the option of mitering the siding boards so that they form a neat, seamless junction where two boards meet at an inside or outside corner. Mitering the boards is a little more work and requires some practice and skill to get the angles and board lengths just right.

References

• Western Red Cedar Lumber Association: How to Install Cedar Siding
• Hammerzone: Removing Old Wood Siding
• Fine Home Building: Installing Housewrap