Updating your home whether it is a kitchen or bathroom update or replacing that old siding the rewards can be tremendous. Siding it the first thing that anyone sees when they look at your home. Sometimes you aren’t totally in love with your siding or sometimes you just want a different look for your house. While it is always smart to call on a professional to do siding, if you are trying to save money and are willing to learn and keep adjusting your work, by all means install the vinyl siding yourself. Lucky for you, if you choose vinyl siding, you’ll be choosing one of the most durable types of home exterior cladding AND installation is fairly straightforward and an easy process.
Tools: Materials:
Level Nails
Tape Measure
Snips
Hammer
Chalk Line
Step 1: Cut the Corner Post
Measure and cut a corner post, so that there will be a ½-inch gap between the top of the post and the eave of the house.
Step 2: Cut Vinyl Siding
Measure the length of the siding needed. Mark and cut the piece to length. Use snips to cut through the flanges. Continue to cut through the material, cutting the rest of the J-flange.
Step 3: Nail the Corner Post
Nail the corner post at the top of the post. Check for plumb. Fasten the posts every 12 inches.
Step 4: Make a Chalk Line for the First Piece
Determine the lowest part of the wall that will be sided. Make a chalk line across the house for the first horizontal piece.
Step 5: Lay Toy Strip
Lay out the top of the strip along the chalk line. Check for level.
Step 6: Attach the Starter Strip
Nail the starter strip to the house every 10 inches.
Step 7: Attach Trim Piece
Miter the ends of a J-channel trim piece to fit two channel widths wider than opening of a window. Attach the trim piece under the window. Cut the side trim pieces to length, and install them on either side of the window. Nail the trim piece in place on top of the window.
Step 8: Install First Piece of Siding
Cut the first piece of siding to length. Then install it over the starter strip.
Step 9: Install the Rest of the Siding
Nail each siding piece so that it is not driven all of the way into the house. There should be a gap of about 1/8 inch. Overlay each successive piece of siding to cover the house. When planning to overlap siding, you may want to overlap the material so that the top piece is closest to the house’s front door. By overlapping away from the house, the siding appears seamless when looking at the exterior from the front door.
Finish the new look with a fabulous door and hardware and you have just increased your property value and curb appeal!