In most cases, vinyl siding installation is best left to professional contractors, who have the experience and equipment necessary to install the material properly and make sure that the final product looks exactly how the buyer imagined it. While vinyl is an excellent option for touch-ups on problem areas, such as neglected wall corners, windows, and doors, there’s a price to be paid. While it appears like traditional siding by a distance, once the faux impression falls away, the practical illusion falters in corners, doors, windows, and utility equipment. That’s when it’s time to call in a Vinyl Siding professional.
The key to a successful vinyl siding installation is to start off on the right foot. That means getting the proper setup in place as soon as possible. Start by preparing for the trim work. That means measuring distances, placing stakes in the ground to mark corners and planning where braces will be positioned. Then it’s time to prepare for the actual installation. Preparation for this involves preparing all utilities as well as tools, such as hammers, drill bits and nails.
Once proper installation has been planned, the actual cutting and trimming begins. For instance, if someone is going to install vinyl siding on the inside perimeter of a door or window, he or she will need to make sure that the edges of the new vinyl are perfectly straight and that nothing can be pulled out during the process. In much the same way, diy vinyl siding installation on the outside edge of a door or window will require one to nail down the corners properly to avoid “backwards corners,” something that can prove disastrous.
When installing vinyl siding installation on a new home, someone might also be required to install furring. This is done using a special cutter that is used to cut away excess wood, plastic or metal that remains after the old siding has been cut away. Installing furring in the right spot means that the new vinyl siding installation will fit exactly into the space without any gaps. This also helps cut down on noise as well as air leaks. Installing furring along the perimeter of a door or window also means there will be no sharp edges along the exterior edges of the home.
Along with proper installation, proper maintenance of a siding can make sure that it lasts for years. However, many people do not know how often they should paint their soffits. The fact is, that your vinyl siding installation will look good for the first couple years, but then it becomes necessary to paint it. Whether you should paint or not depends on a few factors, such as how much sun exposure the siding gets and whether or not there are weeds in the space between the soffit and the house.
If there are weeds in the space, then it is probably a better idea to paint because water damage cannot easily occur between the siding and the house. Another reason to paint is to prevent mold growth between the insulated vinyl siding replacement and the house. Water damage will happen to a siding just like wood once the insulation is broken down. Therefore, it makes sense to prevent mold from growing by painting in areas where there is likely to be water damage.
One last vinyl siding installation step involves the trim around the exterior door. This trim is also referred to as the “cubby.” You want to make sure that the trim is properly installed and glued down properly. Even though a professional could do it, this job is best left to the do it yourself homeowner.
After the siding is installed and the trim is properly installed, you can begin to install the first row of starter strips. You should have two sets of starter strips. The first set should be used to create an open area where you will install the first row of vinyl siding. The second set will be used to create a first row of bricks or trim. This second row of starter strips should be installed onto the first row using the starter strip as a guide. The end result should be a solid first row of PVC siding that complements your home’s exterior.