Installing Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding offers an easy-care option for homeowners who don't want to paint their houses regularly. Because vinyl washes clean with a garden hose, it's easy maintenance. Siding installation is easy enough for do-it-yourselfers. Aside from a few inexpensive specialty tools, the tools required for installation are probably already in the homeowner's tool box. Before starting the siding installation, homeowners must have a weather-resistant barrier system surrounding the house. Many homeowners often combine this barrier with a layer of insulation while they are doing the exterior upgrade. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Hammer
- 1 1/2-inch galvanized nails
- J-channel
- Tin snips
- H-channel
- Soffit vinyl
- Fascia trim
- Matching colored nails
- Level
- Starter strip
- Corner pieces
- Utility trim
- Tape measure
- Utility knife
Instructions
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Soffits
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1
Hold a strip of J-channel vinyl trim along the underside of the fascia board on the soffit. Nail through the middle of the nail holes, using 1 1/2-inch galvanized nails and a hammer. Nail a second strip of J-channel where the soffit meets the wall of the house. These parallel rows of J-channel should circle the house.
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2
Cut H-channel with tin snips to form a connection along the corners of the soffit. Nail the H-channel in place. Do this for all the corners.
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3
Cut a short length of soffit vinyl to the dimensions necessary to cover the angle of the corner. Slide the soffit vinyl into one side of the H-channel. Lock the ends in place on the J-channel. Continue cutting rectangular pieces of soffit vinyl and snapping them into position on the J-channel. Cut angled pieces to fit into the H-channel on corners.
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4
Slide preformed fascia trim over the fascia. Nail it in place with matching colored nails.
Walls
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5
Snap a chalk line to mark the lowest level line on the walls. Use a carpenter's level to help you determine the line.
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6
Nail pieces of starter strip along the chalk line. Do not nail the nails tightly against the house. Allow 1/32-inch leeway for each nail to allow the vinyl siding to expand and contract with the weather.
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7
Attach J-channel around all the windows, doors and other obstructions such as light fixtures. Cut pieces as necessary with tin snips.
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8
Hold a corner piece plumb against the corner. Nail it loosely in position approximately every 16 inches. Repeat this process for all corners.
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9
Slide a piece of vinyl siding up on to the starter strip. Push the end into a corner. Once the piece is level, nail it loosely in position through the nail holes approximately every 16 inches. Slide the next piece over the starter strip and level it. The end should overlap the previous piece by an inch. Continue until the bottom row of siding is in place. Slip the opposite end from where you started into the corner piece.
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10
Start the next row with a different length of siding. Avoid having matching vertical seams. Snap the siding into position over the previously installed piece. Push the end into the corner piece. Nail the siding in place. Continue on across the second row of siding.
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11
Continue adding siding. When you come to windows and doors, cut the siding with tin snips so it fits into the J-channel.
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12
Install a row of utility trim at the top of the wall.
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13
Measure the distance from the next to the last row of siding on the wall and the soffit. If you need to cut some of the vinyl off, use a utility knife to score the siding, then snap it to break it. Install the siding as you have on previous rows, only this time slip the top into the utility trim. Use matching colored nails to secure the top of the siding in place.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Nailing the siding too tight to the sheathing can cause problems. You should be able to slip a dime between the nail head and the sheathing.
While you don't need to seal every seam, if you see spots that might allow water to run in behind the siding, seal the seams with silicone caulk.
Order approximately 10 percent extra materials to allow for cutting errors. If you live in a part of the country prone to hail, you may way to order more than that to have on hand for repairs.
