Friday 25 May 2012

Applying Vinyl Siding

In order to apply Vinyl Siding you need to prep your walls with a house wrap. Next you will choose the color of the siding and have it delivered to the location of the home.

Tools:

• Hammer
• Tin Snips
• Chop Saw
• Measure Tape
• Ladder
• Scaffolding
• Large Square
Material:

• Siding
• Corner Beads
• J-Beads
• Drip Cap
• Nails
• Building Wrap
• Starter Bead
Before you start with the siding, wrap the whole building with Building Wrap, then apply the Starter Bead at the bottom of your building. Ensure that it is about 1/2'" over the concrete and level!

First Row:

On the first row snap the siding into the starter strip tightly, so it will stay in place and not come loose. If it is not tight, the wind will rip it off the wall. When you nail the siding, do not drive the nail all the way in. Leave enough space to move the siding from side to side. The siding will shrink and expand with the temperature change. If you nail it solid, it will buckle when it expands or shrinks.

On the outside corners of the building you will need to nail the Corner Bead before you start with the siding.

Also, pay attention to the openings of windows and doors where you need to apply the J-Beads. When applying the J-Bead around it, the bottom and top pieces should be flush with the window. The pieces on either side should be the length of the top and bottom of the J-Bead. When you work around doors, follow the same procedure except the bottom. If there is a step in the elevation of the foundation, apply a J-Bead on the side and overlap it unto the concrete, then nail it to the wall.

The best way to overlap the joints is by determining where the drive and walkway of the house are. If your driveway is from the right side, then you want to overlap the joints from the left to the right. If your drive and walkway are from the left, then you want to start and overlap them from the right to the left. This procedure will hide the joints while the appearance will be smooth and consistent.

As you work your way up the wall and come to the top of the window or door, apply the Drip Cap over the top of the J-Bead according to the Building Code.

If there is a Sun-deck or patio, you will come to a point in the siding where it will be necessary to trim it. Here you will need a J-Bead at the base of the deck to hold the bottom piece of the siding in place by trimming it with a tin snip. At the top of the wall finish the project by applying a row of J-Bead. Now slide the last piece of siding into it.

Enjoy the amazing looking job you did!