How to Install Vinyl Siding

general vinyl siding installation rules

• Always fasten nails in the center of the nailing spot to allow contraction and expansion of the vinyl and never fasten the nails too tight.
• Always use the nailing spot and don´t fasten nails directly on the panel´s faces as this might lead to cracks and leaks.
• Leave a clearance on each side of the panels to allow for expansion
• Refer to the manufacturers installation guides for detailed installation instructions of their vinyl siding

Installing Vinyl Siding

Installing vinyl siding is not rocket science but it does take time, patience, some level of expertise, as well as the assistance of other people. If you are interested in putting up your own siding, the most important thing you can do is pay very close attention to the vinyl siding installation instructions. Since siding is expensive and the job must be precise, you want to know with 100% certainty what you are doing so major mistakes are avoided.

Obviously, the best way to learn how to install vinyl siding is by doing it but just remember that with this type of siding, leakage can be a problem when water seeps through the panels and inside the trim's receiving channels. For this reason, you will often see weep holes punched into the bottom portion of the siding by manufacturers so any water can be released. Therefore, you must be very careful with how you lay your housewrap or tar paper underneath the siding.

To get started, work on the trip, which are used to hold everything together while also hiding the panel's edges and ends. The high trim (soffits, facias, and rakes) should be installed first. For the rakes, blend the aluminum coil stock onto a sheet metal brake that will be used to wrap the bottom and face edge of a 1x rake board. Then, the rake will be furred out using board that is narrower than the rake, which helps to create space for the ends of the siding. Now, you will get ready to install the soffit and along the ends of the trusses or rafters, install 2 x sub-fascias, hanging the soffit panels and then the fascia onto that.

To keep your corner boards nice and straight, you want to snap a chalk line. Once the rakes and soffits are done, you would install the corner boards, which are flexible and hollow. Nail these boards straight up, following the chalk line you snapped. Next, nail the corner board on the top, using sheet metal snips for cutting back the flange where it would line up with the installed soffit trim. The two nails at the top (one on each corner) would then be placed at the upper edge of the nail slots, making sure you set them firmly. The result will be the top of the corner board being locked securely into place. Then, drive the remaining nails about 12 inches apart in the middle of the slots, which would help with expansion. Just be sure you leave about 1/16-inch of the head so the vinyl has some movement.

You would then determine the precise location where the starter course would start on the bottom portion of the wall. Trim off the corner boards just below the bottom of your starter strip and nail them into place, with the exception of the window trim since you have the majority of the prep work completed. Since more and more manufacturers are making vinyl appear as real wood, you need to remind yourself that the panels are still vinyl, meaning they do not behave or respond as wood.

Therefore, when the outside temperature changes the vinyl siding panels would move. In fact, along the length of clapboard style panels, the movement can be significant. You would need to compensate for this by overlapping adjacent siding panels. With this, the panels would be able to slide sideways past one another without the risk of gapping or buckling. In addition, to ensure the nails allow this movement, they are left just proud of the surface. Then, at the place where the vinyl panels meet the doors, windows, and corner boards, you would cut them short; allowing the receiving channels on the trip to hid any gap. Now, trim along the roof slopes, setting them 1/2-inch above the asphalt shingles.

Next on the list is adding the surround for the windows and doors. Not only does this complete the end of the siding but surrounds look great. For this, wrap a receiver channel at the end of the siding to the sides of windows and doors wrapping them with J-channel. The problem is that J-channel announces that your home is sided with vinyl panels. To minimize this, you could choose windows with an integral J-channel or if you prefer, a special slot that would work with the applied cap, which creates the receiver channel.

For the doors, to build the receiver channel, you would use a custom wood door surround or a pre-designed form or plastic piece. The best method is to apply a 1x3 wood spacer over the top of the door jamb, as well as exterior sheathing. Next, the decorative trim would be fastened over the spacer so you end up with a 3/4-inch pocket used to receive the siding ends.

Your siding panels would need to be aligned neatly with intersecting roofs and tops of windows. When done right, you will find this one-step will make your vinyl siding look great. Remember, you want the bottom edges of the clapboards to line up perfectly with the bottoms and tops of both doors and windows. Sometimes getting the perfect alignment can be challenging due to the course exposure not being adjustable. In this case, you could plan the layout of the vinyl prior to the home's foundation being poured. Obviously, if you were adding siding onto an existing home, this would not be possible so you must simply use precise measurements and take your time to get the job done right.

With all of this completed, the light fixtures, outlets, ventilation exhaustion ports, and electric meters must be worked around, which can be done with a J-box. In fact, you will find a number of manufacturers that make special boxes for accessories designed specially with an integral J-channel to make the trimming process quick and easy. In addition, by using these special boxes, you would enjoy a better-finished look that is water resistant.

To notch the panels at the bottom of the windows and at the J-boxes, just be sure the notch is not a joint between the panels. In this case, it would be far easier to cut just one notch than to have to cut two. Again, when finished, you have a much cleaner appearance. Finally, to work around a garage, porch, or any type of intersecting roof, you can install a J-channel that starts with the panel. When you adjust the pitch of the roof somewhat you can butt the line up so it matches the roof and wall intersection, which would be the same for the height of the deck. Remember, it sounds complicated but in truth, with the help of a friend and simply paying attention to the various steps, you can have an amazing looking home with maintenance free siding.