Re: siding

 

It is pretty easy, if you have the tools and equipment, and you know
the tricks of how to handle the materials.  The real question is if
YOU can do it.  Pick up a book or video on the subject (most retailers
have such books, and manufactures often have videos available), and
see what you think.

-john-

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John A. Weeks III           952-432-2708            john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications                         http://www.johnweeks.com
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Vinyl siding a *newly constructed* house, garage, etc, is very straight
forward. You can get a tutoral online at vinylsiding.org. You don't need any
expensive special tools as long as you are willing to work a little slower
cutting the pieces by hand. The new windows, doors and other openings are made
to accept siding easily.

But re-siding a house that has existing siding is a whole different story. You
will have to (usually) make your own trim around the windows and doors. You
will need a siding brake to bend all this trim from coil stock, or hire it out.
You need to provide nailing strips to cover the old siding and attach the new,
although that depends on what type of siding is there to begin with.

--
Dennis

 
So you certainly need to add vertical furring strips from the bottom of
the house to the top, every 16" (or rigid insulation board) to have a smooth
surface to nail the vinyl. You can't just put vinyl over clapboards. Now you
have added 1/2" or 3/4" to your siding, plus another inch for the J channels.
The vinyl will not butt against anything around the windows unless your present
windows have exceptionally thick trim.

So now you need to wrap your current windows with custom-made, aluminum trim so
that the existing wood is covered, and the new trim sticks out 1 1/2" past the
current siding, so the J channels can butt against the side of the trim.

This takes expertise to do properly so it both looks good, and seals well. It
is very time consuming. A well done job on the trim uses fancy trim bending to
simulate brick mold, not just a plain wrap. Details like this make all the
difference between a cheapy vinyl job and a nice one, in the look of the
completed house.

--
Dennis

 

I watched neighbors start theirs on a rehab house next door that they
tore down to about one single stud and rebuilt the whole thing.
They're doing nearly all thework themselves.

They started siding it... oh, last October.  It's not done.  Other
things took priority.  

It's not rocket science, but its also something that will take one
long ass time to do with just 2 bodies who've never done it before.  

I watched a crew do mine 2 sumemrs ago, I watche 2 guys replace
windows, wrap new ones in aluminum capping for the better part of 2
days, then a crew of 3 siding guys jay channel, board insulate over
cedar, and vinyl side a relatively straightforward raised ranch home
took the 3 man crew the better part of 4 days solid.  

--
Todd H.  
http://www.toddh.net/