Is DIY Home Panel Siding Easy to Install?

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Home panel siding looks like quite the monumental task. Yet, if you asked an insulation contractor to check your insulation on the outside of your house, you might be surprised to see him/her just pry up the panels and prop them up to look underneath. In actuality, most home siding is only secured by the vertical ridge pieces. Everything else pops in and lays on top of the next horizontal piece. After witnessing this, you may just be able to DIY your home siding after all. Here is how.

Secure a Construction Permit

Any home remodeling and construction or deconstruction requires a permit from your city or township. Most permits require a fee, from $35 to $250, depending on the project and where you live. Once you have the permit, you have to post it in an obvious location, such as a window or taped to your front door, so that you will not be fined.

Rent a Big Dumpster

Next, rent a big dumpster. This is the receptacle into which all of your old siding will go when you pull it down and off of your house. It also makes it easier to dispose of the contents because the dumpster rental company will take it away for you.

Remove the Vertical Ridge Pieces

When you remove all of the vertical ridge and corner pieces, be ready to watch the rest of the siding fall. Each of these vertical pieces will be secured to the house. You will need to pull out the fasteners in order to get the vertical pieces off of the house.

Remove the Horizontal Slats

With the vertical pieces gone, there really is nothing holding the horizontal siding to the house. In fact, it is quite unusual to have any fasteners involved with the horizontal slats. If you run into some pieces that are secured, the claw end of a hammer is sufficient enough to remove the fasteners. Toss it all into your dumpster.

Install the New Vertical Ridge and Corner Siding Pieces

Now, install your new vertical ridge and corner siding pieces. Try not to nail or screw them on in the same holes as the previous pieces, or these new bits will let go and fall off. Make sure every vertical ridge and corner piece is on before proceeding.

Install the New Horizontal Slats

Finally, install the new horizontal slats. Each of these vinyl pieces is quite flexible, so you can bend them slightly in the middle to pop the ends into the vertical sections. If you have a horizontal slat that is too long, measure twice, and cut once. Repeat this entire process until you have successfully installed all of your own siding.

For more information about supplies and the process, contact services like JD Metals.


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