How to Install Vinyl Siding | eHow

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Murray Anderson

I learned home repair and maintenance hands on. Over the past 30 years I've built sheds, decks, fences and gates and planted numerous trees and shrubs. Inside I've done all the common jobs like repairing and installing toilets, plumbing and light fixtures plus I've transformed three basements from bare concrete floors and walls into warm , bright family rooms. I write on home maintenance and repair for DoItYourself.com and answer maintenance and repair questions online at MyHomeImprovement.com.

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Vinyl siding has become one of the most popular home siding materials in North America. New homebuilders like it for its appearance, convenience, low cost and potential energy savings. Existing home owners like vinyl replacement siding for all those reason, plus it gives their homes a modern updated appearance, eliminates the need for house painting, and a relatively handy homeowner can install vinyl siding themselves or with the help of a couple of friends.

Installing vinyl siding isn't just a matter of fastening panels onto your exterior walls. Since vinyl will expand in the heat and contract in the cold, the siding installation needs to be able to handle the changes, yet still look good. So a vinyl siding installation requires not only the siding panels themselves, but a number of trim pieces specially designed to help hold the siding in place, cover up the ends of the siding courses (rows) and allow room for the panels to expand and contract. Standard trim pieces are starter strips, inside corners, outside corners and J-channels.

Ensure the existing surface is smooth and in good repair. This is the time to replace old caulking and replace and repair any damaged or rotting wood.

Consider installing extra insulation under the vinyl siding. Foil backed insulation will provide a moisture barrier and increase the insulation value of your home while providing a smooth surface for the vinyl siding.

Installing furring strips will help hold the insulation in place as well as provide a solid nailing surface.

Installing vinyl siding requires all the trim pieces for a wall be installed before the walls are covered. Trim needs to be installed wherever vinyl siding comes in contact with something else (doors, windows, dryer vents, another wall).

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How to Install Vinyl Siding | eHow