Have a couple small sections of my house (my house is mainly brick, except for the ends) I want to vinyl side, but don't have any experience with vinyl siding.  Easy to do?  I'm fairly handy and have lots of relatives who are extremely handy, but hate to look like a total bafoon putting the stuff up.  Any suggestions? Thanks.

vmax84

Once you get the first piece up nice and level, its pretty much all snap on and a few nails.  If you go to any home store, they have pamphlets that show how to do it all.  

Keving67

It's easy, but start in the back of the house in a spot not seen from the road.
I worked as a vinyl sider for 9 weeks and 10 years later did my house by myself in 2 weeks.

be sure to make sure the nails are driven in properly. If you drive them in all the way, then the siding will buckle. The instructions should explain it in detail.

It's as easy a making a peanutbutter and jelly sandwich...

Remember one very important thing.

HANG it, don't FASTEN it.
It expands and contracts with hot and cold temps.
It needs to "float" on the nails.
That's why you'll see slots instead of small holes to put the nails through...

If you nail it fast to the wall, you will get a wall full of wrinkled siding, the first day it gets hot outside...

If I remember correctly, there is marks on the back of the siding showing where to locate the nails depending on the avg temp in your area...

Thanks a lot.  Looking forward to giving it a whirl (on the back side of the house!!).  Thanks again.

vmax84

[url]http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/pages/h00110.asp[/url]

It can't be that hard but remember there is a trick to EVERY trade.

Find out what the tricks are FIRST.

I'm with you on that.  Of course, my favorite type of siding is what I have on my house and the only type I've ever put-up, asbestos.  Mine is as good as the day I installed it over 50 years ago.  The siding in the sun looks just like the siding that's always in the shade.  Try that with vinyl siding.

With that said, I've seen a few non-professionals hang vinyl siding.  You could tell by looking at it that it wasn't quite right.  Spend some extra time making sure you get everything level and even.z

Just finished the whole house in Hardi-plank,  painted it a light khaki.  Looks a hell of a lot better than my neighbors vinyl siding. Actually came out less in cost,  mainly because of the trim and soffit pieces costing an incredible amount of $$$ in vinyl.  

One point to consider,  you get a reduction in your insurance with the cement fiberboard,  it counts as an all masonry house. Plus, with the Tyvek wrap and the foam sheathing the house is a lot better insulated.  You can really tell the difference in how much the AC runs.

Hanging it is a breeze,  snap a line,  hang a plank. No special tools needed, treat it just like wood, although it's pretty hard on table saw blades.  The only real grunt work involved getting the old wood siding off and replacing all the windows.

The only thing I would do differently are the soffit vents,  I used metal vent strips because I didn't realise Hardi-plank can be had with the vent strips molded in.

Took me three weeks of evenings and weekends. Materials cost was a little under 4,000$, but included some custom windows and a roof over the 14'x16' deck.    

Not to hijack the thread, but where do you get this cement fiber board? and is there someone that installs it, as I am not inclined to do it.
Is this the same as the green boards they use in bathrooms?

[url]www.hardiplank.com[/url]

I've not used this stuff (yet), but I'm intending to re-side our "place in the hills" with it. Presently this place has western red cedar that is getting badly weathered. I have two uncles who have installed HardiPlank on their entire houses and they swear by it.
Kevin

Edited to add: One of my uncles said that installation of hardiplank requires a nail gun and that you're house should be wrapped in Tyvek (or equivalent).

I bought my Hardi-plank from McCoys,  Home Depot and Lowes also carries it.  McCoys had it for about 10% less.  You can get it as 12' planking, trim,  or 4x8 sheets in a variety of wood or stone textures.


Be careful with using nail guns,  Mine put nails right thru the stuff, (I think because of the foam and Tyvek backing) and tended to crack  the board surface.  I gave up and attached it with screws and a Dewalt cordless drill.  I think if you were attaching it straight to the studs over tar paper a nail gun wouldn't give you any problems.

Thanks for the link. They even have someone I used before listed as an installer.

I agree it is some bad looking stuff but it's cheap and easy to learn to put up yourself.requires very little after installation care.
Now my advise would be to check out some real wood siding but not cedar it is good looking but won't stay on the house.
Brick is nice but it is not a strong house cover because it just sits in a big stack this is the best looking in my opinion.
A local building inspector who inspected My sons house said in his opinion real wooden siding is the best you can have, it does require painting and all the stuff that goes with that Chipping paint, sanding Etc.
But thats why you see 100 + year old houses made of real wood still standing.