How to Install Sidings

When it comes to the installation process of sidings, many people don’t know how to do so. So let me guide you through the process. After going through this guide, you can easily install siding for your home. However, I would recommend contacting a professional beforehand.

You’ll learn about:

• What are sidings, and why are they useful
• How to install sidings

Let’s start with what sidings are?

What Are Sidings and Why Are They Useful

Sidings are panels that are attached to the exterior of a house. They are typically made of wood, vinyl, or metal, and they provide a variety of benefits for homeowners.

Sidings can help to protect your home from the elements by creating an additional layer of defense against wind, rain, and snow. Additionally, they can help to insulate your home, which can lower your energy costs.

Furthermore, sidings can enhance the curb appeal of your home, making it more visually appealing to potential buyers.

If you're considering adding sidings to your home, it's important to weigh the pros and cons carefully. Sidings require regular maintenance and can be expensive to replace if they become damaged.

However, the benefits of sidings far outweigh the disadvantages, making them a wise investment for any homeowner.

How to Install Sidings

Here's how to install siding on your home step-by-step.

Step 1: Gather Supplies

Here are the materials and tools you'll need:

• Siding or siding panels to install. The siding should be made of a durable material like wood, vinyl, aluminum, or fiber cement. Additionally, you should choose a material that complements the color scheme of your house. If you're unsure about what type of siding is best for your home and budget, consult with an exterior remodeling contractor for advice.
• A framing hammer for installing nailing strips around windows and doors.
• A box nailer for attaching primary panels over sheathing (wooden boards) on the walls inside the house that face outward from its structure—in other words, those visible from outside at ground level—and anywhere else where nails could be seen from close-up angles such as doorways into rooms if you've got any in your home.

Step 2: Measure the Length of the Structure

Measure the length and height of the structure you are siding. Be sure to measure both sides as well as any additional parts that might be attached, such as a gutter or downspout. You will need this information when shopping for materials at your local lumberyard or home improvement store.

Before starting any project, make sure all tools and materials are available to you. It will be difficult to complete the job if you don't have these things, and unexpected expenses may cause you to pay more than you intended.

Step 3: Lay Down the First Row of Siding

The first step in installing siding is laying down the first row of siding. Before you begin, ensure that all your materials and tools are ready to go.

Measure the length and height of your structure to determine what size sheets you need before ordering your siding. Once it arrives, lay out a few sheets on the ground next to each other, so they match up perfectly. Then cut along their edges with a utility knife or circular saw until they fit together like puzzle pieces.

Step 4: Apply the Next Layer

To keep your siding as straight and level as possible, you can use a chalk line if you have one. If not, try using string or even a piece of tape to make sure that the edge of your siding is aligned with the row below it.

Chalk lines are also great for marking where to cut out holes for windows in your exterior walls. Just lay down a piece of masking tape on top of where they're going to go, then run your chalk along with it.

So that when you remove the tape later there's nothing but an accurate outline left behind. This makes installing windows much less intimidating than trying to measure everything by hand.

Step 5: Continue Applying Rows

Continue to add rows, staggering them like bricks, until you reach the top. If a piece of siding is too long to fit between two studs, cut it with a reciprocating saw at the middle of a stud and then nail it in place on both sides.

For the corners where adjacent pieces meet, use either galvanized metal corner trim or aluminum corner bead that's available at most home improvement centers (not shown).

After installing each row of siding, position a level alongside it and make sure that it's straight by placing shims under high spots as needed; then nail each piece in place with 1-1/4" galvanized nails spaced every 6".

To avoid bending over these nails when nailing them into place (which can weaken them), drive an extra nail next to each one before pulling out your hammer—it'll keep everything sturdy while you hammer.

Step 6: Make the Openings for Doors and Vents

To cut out the openings for windows, doors, and vents, use a jigsaw to cut along the pencil line. Make sure you carefully measure so there is no gap between the siding and opening.

To cut out an opening with a jigsaw, clamp a straightedge onto one side of your siding panel, so it forms an angle with the edge of your blade. Set up your saw as usual and cut it this way along one side until you get to where you want your new window/door/vent to be (measuring first!).

Move onto another line that will make up part of the opening's perimeter. Use this same technique along any other lines that create corners in your design (you may have vertical or horizontal lines). Remember not to remove too much material; these pieces are supposed to overlap.

Once all cuts are made from inside out, drill pilot holes near each corner (top/bottom left/right) before installing any screws or nails into place.

Step 7: Nail the Siding to the Walls

Once you've nailed the siding into place, use a hammer to drive in any nails that weren't completely driven or were bent over by the staple gun. Make sure that no siding pieces are hanging out too far and could be damaged if someone walks past them.

To make sure that all of your sidings are straight, use a level on top of each piece as you nail it into place. After every few rows, check to see if any pieces need to be adjusted vertically or horizontally, so they line up properly with each other.

Step 8: Make Sure That No Nails Are Sticking Out

Hammer in any nails that weren't completely driven or were bent over by the staple gun. Make sure you hammer in all nails, even if they seem to have been hammered in enough.

While it is difficult to tell whether or not a nail is properly set without seeing it from a different angle, you can judge this by looking at how much of the nail head is still visible above the surface of your siding. If only half of it sticks out, then you need to hammer closer to get more penetration into your wood casing material.

Conclusion

By following the above-mentioned method, you can easily install any siding you want on the sides of your home. However, it's not a safe process.

Siding installation can be very dangerous. You can get injured, or the siding to your home will be applied incorrectly. It will, in turn, cost you a lot of money to remove and reinstall the siding.

That's why it's best to approach a professional like TQRR, who has been in this industry since 1982 and has always provided the best service. Other than siding installation and repair, we provide both roofing and painting-related services. So call us at 410 844-3111 to get a free quote.