George nash author of renovating old houses replies.
Installing vinyl siding on old house.
Although installing vinyl siding by yourself might save you a lot of money you should.
The reason for the loose nailing has to do with the vinyl s and polypropylene s need to expand or contract as the temperature changes.
To prevent the relatively thin panels from buckling observe these fitting and nailing rules.
Think about why you want to install vinyl siding.
Preparation and planning 1.
The siding slides behind vinyl siding trim pieces that hide the gap and the cut end.
Vinyl siding installation is designed to hang loosely on the sheathing so that it can expand and contract with temperature changes.
Install flashing before starting to apply the siding.
Existing wood siding must be in good shape with no rot or mold and fastened tightly to the wall.
Gap at all ends.
Unless already installed a water resistive barrier should be applied to the house prior to installing vinyl siding.
Common concerns purists sneer at the idea of wrapping houses particularly older homes that have significant architectural detail in plastic.
Refer to important notes for more information on water resistive barriers.
I don t recommend vinyl for re siding old houses.
Long think pieces and mounted side by side horizontally across the house.
Cut into square or rectangular shapes and is layered vertically to give the impression of many layers of shingles.
A flat level wall surface is necessary for proper installation of vinyl siding.
Vinyl siding must be installed against a flat surface.
Also vinyl siding can act like an exterior vapor barrier trapping moisture within the walls and abetting decay.
In a 2015 cost vs.
Best siding value good investment.
Placing vinyl over the old wood siding can mask or even cause water damage.
Vinyl siding costs about 11 percent less than cedar siding and 26 percent less than aluminum according to rod matthews business manager siding for toledo ohio based owens corning.
While wood siding is fastened tightly to the house vinyl siding literally hangs from nails driven through horizontal slots at the top of a panel s nailing hem.
Consider hiring a contractor.
Value report new vinyl.
Gather your tools and.
Vinyl siding is a good option for homeowners who like the look of.
The siding must be installed over a flat surface so unless you re siding a new home or have removed the old lap siding you ll need to line the wall with sheets of rigid foam board usually 1 2.
A 12 foot length of plastic siding can expand as.