Siding is a popular material for cladding facades. The practical homeowner chooses this type of finishing external walls Houses. Siding has a lot undeniable advantages. Among them, presentable appearance panels and ease of installation.
The market offers two types of siding: vinyl and metal. There are no fundamental differences in the installation of these materials. But there is a significant difference in characteristics.
Vinyl significantly more susceptible to ambient temperature. When heated it expands and when cooled it contracts. This feature is taken into account in the production technology of the panels: they are designed in such a way that during installation, the damping gap necessary to compensate for the expansion and contraction of the lamellas remains.
Vinyl siding has significantly lower frost resistance than metal siding. Therefore, when exposed to low temperatures for a long time, it becomes brittle. This feature of vinyl must be taken into account by those homeowners who live in regions with harsh climates. When you hit a fragile frozen vinyl lamella, cracks will certainly appear on it.
Unlike metal ones, plastic panels do not have fire resistance. But they can be used as additional insulation of the facade.
IN last years a modernized type of vinyl siding has appeared, which is more resistant to ultraviolet radiation (does not lose its color saturation from sun rays) and has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion. This is siding “like a rounded log”. It looks more attractive than the flat panels that line the kiosks and industrial buildings. Therefore, it is able to make the facade of a residential building cozy and impressive.
Features a wide color scheme, but is much less often used for cladding private houses.
There are several reasons for this:
To cladding wooden house vinyl or metal siding was made to the highest possible quality; at the same time as the panels, additional elements are purchased that are required for finishing window and doorways, gables, slopes, These are elements such as:
To cover a wooden house with siding, there is no point in purchasing a complete set of additional elements. In choosing their type and quantity, they are guided by architectural and design features building. But starting and finishing bars are always required, no matter what. The set of panels begins with the installation of the starting strip and is completed with the installation of the finishing strip.
The appearance of the cladding of the house depends on how well the sheathing is built. A frame installed in accordance with all the rules can hide any flaws and irregularities in the walls and gables of the building. The lathing is the base to which the canvases are attached finishing material.
When installing metal and vinyl slats, two types of frames are used:
Any of them is suitable for installation facing material on wooden walls. A correctly installed frame allows you to lay any of the modern heat insulators on the walls. The lathing provides what is required to eliminate excess humidity ventilation gap.
Installation of the frame is not necessary if the walls of the wooden house are perfectly smooth. You can safely attach siding to such a surface without using a structure of additional supports.
To install this type of lathing, you will need a metal profile, which is used for the device plasterboard walls, ceilings and partitions. These are PN 28x27 and PP 60x27. These planks will be attached to the wall of the house using special hangers, which craftsmen call “pawns”.
If it is necessary to mount a two-tier metal frame, which requires the presence of a protrusion under the roof or in the upper part of the wall, special “crab” fasteners are used to connect the metal strips. They are designed for strong joining of vertical and horizontal planks. SMM 3.5x51 self-tapping screws, which experts call “seeds,” are used as fastening elements.
Step 1: drawing up a sheathing diagram
At this stage of the work, it is necessary to decide what step between the sheathing posts will be optimal. This distance depends on what material is chosen for wall insulation. If it is mineral wool in rolls, then the pitch between the frame posts should be 3-4 cm less than the width of the sheet. This will allow the insulation to be laid in the openings between the sheathing posts so that there are no gaps between its sheets.
Step 2: marking
Markings corresponding to the scheme are applied to the wall. Use a marker.
Step 3: installation of hangers
Using wood screws and a screwdriver, attach the hangers to the wooden wall of the house. These metal strips are placed horizontally, aligning the marking point with the center of the wide slot in the middle part of the suspension. On initial stage When installing siding, the perforated “legs” are not folded back, but are left pressed against the wall.
Step 4: Installing Corner Sheathing Posts
Corner posts consist of two PP 60/27 profile strips connected at right angles. They will serve as the basis for installing the external and internal corners of the siding. When installing corner posts, it is important not to make a mistake and install the corner exactly as needed: for external corners with the protrusion outward, for internal corners with the protrusion inward.
Step 5: installation of intermediate vertical sheathing posts
It is important that all vertical supports of the frame are located in the same plane. If you stretch a thread between the corner posts, installing the intermediate posts will be easier and faster. The lower and upper ends of the PP 60/27 profile are inserted into the PN 28/27 guides and secured with self-tapping screws. Thus, the frame acquires the required rigidity.
Step 7: installation of frame for windows and doors
The metal frame around window and door openings must be a strong frame of correct geometric shape, exactly following the contours of the opening. It is necessary to take into account that the slopes and ebb should have a slight slope from the window installed in the house. Therefore, the frame is mounted in such a way that its vertical and horizontal slats are located at a distance of 1-2 cm from the window lines. The same requirements apply to doorways.
Screwdrivers
Having figured out how to make a metal frame for siding, it’s easy to install a wooden sheathing. It is installed according to the same rules. But other materials and tools will be required:
Lumber must be treated with an antiseptic solution to prevent premature destruction of the wood. It is recommended to apply a double or triple coat of this composition. The bars must be well dried and smooth. A plane is used to eliminate flaws.
The installation of wooden sheathing under siding does not provide for the installation of guides. The ends of the vertical posts are connected to each other by similar wooden blocks.
Siding is suitable not only for cladding walls and gables. It is also suitable for covering the foundation. Since the base is more often exposed to mechanical stress than walls and gables, it is recommended to install metal sheathing. Please note that each basement siding panel must be installed on 4 vertical posts. The distance between them should be the same.
During installation of the panels, trimming will inevitably be required. Sawing is carried out using a grinder and a circle for metal 1.5-2 mm thick. It is suitable for working with both metal and vinyl siding. You can use metal scissors to cut panels and additional elements.
Step 1: Setting up the starting bar
The quality of all further work will depend on how correctly the starting bar is set. Therefore, this process must be taken with full responsibility. Start profile must be installed strictly horizontally along the entire length of the wall. In order to fulfill this condition, self-tapping screws are screwed into the lower part of the corner posts of the sheathing so that the thread stretched between them is positioned strictly horizontally. It will serve as a guide when installing the starting profile.
It is important that when building up, there is a gap of 0.8-10 mm wide between the slats.
Step 2: installing the corner profile
The lower border of the profile should be 0.5-1 cm below the starting bar. When building up the corner profile, trim the side perforation. The optimal overlap of the lower part with the upper part is 2.5 cm. There should be a gap of 8-9 mm between the perforations of the upper and lower corner profiles.
If during work it turns out that the length of the corner profile is not enough to cover the corner, do not rush to the store. You can use existing starter bars. They need to be connected to each other so that the desired angle is obtained: internal or external.
Step 3: design of window openings
If the opening is in the same plane as the facade, install two vertical and two horizontal near-window profiles.
If the window openings are recessed into the facade, installation of slopes and ebb will be required. It is important to correctly connect the window strips to each other so that water does not get inside the facing layer.
Step 4: installation of the first panel
Siding panels are simply inserted into the H-profile maintaining a gap of 5-6 mm
When attaching siding and any additional elements, it is necessary to leave a gap of 1-2 mm, without screwing the screw tightly into the frame. Otherwise, the skin will be deformed under the influence of compression-expansion forces.
The end of the first panel is inserted into the corner profile and the locking connection of the starting strip. After this, they begin to attach the siding to the sheathing. When extending panels, 4-5 cm of perforations are cut off.
Step 5: Panel Set
During installation of the panels, it is necessary to regularly check their correct position using a bubble level of at least 80 cm in length.
Step 6: Installing the finishing strip
Having reached the top of the wall, you may find that there is not enough space to mount an entire panel. In this case, measure the distance from the locking mount of the last installed panel to the top of the wall. After that, they take a new panel, apply the appropriate markings on it with a pencil and cut off the excess. The siding is attached to the sheathing and the finishing strip is installed on top of it.
Under the window everything is about the same - the topmost strip is cut to size and simply snapped onto the lower siding lock
Aluminum ladder
To form slopes, use a plastic or metal L-shaped strip (L-profile). Measure the length and width of the window block and cut strips for the top, bottom and sides of the window.
In order to compensate for the difference between the thickness of the manufacturer's near-window strip and the width of the L-profile, two strips of the same length will be required for each side of the window. One will be inserted into the other, which will simultaneously strengthen the profile.
Take one strip and attach it to the top of the installed window block. Use self-tapping screws SMM 3.5/51. The L-profile is attached in the same way around the entire perimeter of the window.
In order to form the protrusion necessary for installing the near-window strip, a profile of the same length is inserted into the profile fixed to the window. But first apply super glue to it. It is important not to forget that the glued profile must be dry and clean. The L-profile is inserted opposite the one fixed to the window so that the short shelf is connected to the long one.
At the lower corner points of the window towards the frame it is necessary to strengthen similar double strips of such length that it corresponds to the required in this case width of the slope. These twin short strips should sit on the previously installed metal flashing.
Measure the required length of the window strip and cut it with metal scissors. On each side of the plank you need to make a cut at an angle of 45°, which will allow you to form a beautiful slope. Before attaching the planks, cut off the excess perforated junction.
The near-window strip is inserted into the L-profile so that its rectangular perforated protrusion is closely adjacent to the sheathing post located nearby. Carry out fastening.
The self-tapping screws used to secure the siding must be screwed strictly into the center of the factory holes. But the final top trim panel can be secured directly through vinyl or metal.
The finished result - the pediment is sheathed, soffits are installed
All modern materials that are intended for finishing the facades of houses must not only protect its walls from ultraviolet radiation, snow and rain, but also highlight the house with different color solutions, interesting details and outfit. Proper installation of siding with your own hands will allow you to protect and decorate your home, while providing it with important performance characteristics.
Vinyl will look great on almost any facade. It is quite easy to work with it; the main thing is to carefully study all the available technical documentation.
First you need to thoroughly prepare the surface of the walls:
At the next stage, you need to make a sheathing from wooden slats or metal guides on the surface of all walls.
To arrange wooden sheathing, you can use bars different sections made from coniferous wood. And for metal sheathing You should use a profile designed for installing drywall. This profile is made from rolled galvanized steel by stamping.
When installing siding horizontally, sheathing bars must be installed vertically every 40 cm. In addition, metal guides or bars must be secured around doors and windows, at the top and bottom of the siding area and at all corners.
If planned vertical installation siding, then the sheathing should be done horizontally, and everything else is done in the same way as with vertical sheathing.
The sheathing frame must be attached to the wall as follows:
During the installation of the sheathing, you need to be careful, trying to mark as carefully as possible and then check the vertical plane using long rules-levels and plumb lines. If you don't do this, you may end up with uneven, wave-like façade cladding.
If you want additionally, you can fill the space between the sheathing bars with insulation, but the thickness of the insulation layer should be equal to the thickness of the sheathing bars. Therefore, when choosing the thickness of the bars, you need to think in advance about the insulation that you are going to use. This is very important to create a smooth surface.
Can be used as insulation under vinyl siding mineral wool in rigid rolls or slabs. It is not recommended to use loose insulation, as it may become deformed during operation.
Insulation should be performed in the following sequence:
Installing siding with your own hands is necessary in compliance with certain rules:
In order to cut strips and panels of vinyl siding, you can use the following tools:
The panel should be cut from the top edge, where the perforations are located. You need to work very carefully, trying to avoid chipping the surface of the panel.
At the joints of the walls, it is necessary to install external and internal corners. These parts should be secured by driving nails into the upper holes of the panels. Next, the nails should be driven in the center of the holes at a distance of 30-40 cm. If the length of the corner is not enough, then you can join them.
This is done as follows:
The edging of window and door openings can be done using the J-rail in the following sequence:
This strip is used to connect siding panels. It is installed in the same way as the corner elements.
The finishing strip is mounted flush with the cornice at the very top of the wall. Subsequently, the edge of the last panel will snap into the groove of the finishing strip.
After all the connecting and corner strips have been installed, you can begin installing the siding panels themselves. According to the installation instructions, work should begin from the rear of the building, and then move from there to the facade.
The bottom edge of the first panel must be inserted into the starting rail, and then its top edge must be nailed to the wall. Next, the sheathing is done by joining the parts with an overlap (about 2.5 cm). Be sure to remember that the very last nail was located on the panel 10 cm from its edge.
Vinyl siding is very versatile and can be used to decorate any facade, as it can give a building a special chic and decorate old walls.
Siding can even be used in frame house construction, where the walls are a kind of layer cake in which inner side it is sheathed with some kind of panels, the outer one is covered with siding, and insulation is used as a filling.
Currently such frame houses are becoming very popular, since they are erected very quickly and are at the same time very warm (meter brickwork replace only 15 cm of insulation).
Installing vinyl siding will not cause any difficulties, and its price is quite affordable. During installation, siding panels are easily snapped into place and then secured with self-tapping screws, screws and nails, so installing siding with your own hands is reminiscent of playing with a construction set. But the result of such finishing will delight the owners of the house for many years.
Currently, finishing with metal siding is a fairly popular way of decorating and insulating facades. The advantages of this material include the fact that it allows you to work very quickly and without loss of quality, even with large areas.
There are more and more people who want to decorate the facade of their house with metal siding, and this despite quite high cost both the material itself and the work involved in its installation.
Among the advantages of metal siding are:
Among the shortcomings, only a couple of points can be noted:
For example, you can use the ordinary brick house, which must be covered with siding and insulated yourself. In order for the work to be completed at the proper level and for you to work comfortably, you need to prepare in advance all the tools that you may need during the installation process.
For self-installation metal siding you will need the following materials and tools:
Once you have prepared all the materials listed above, you can begin to work.
The profile must be attached vertically to the wall, and for this you will need to mark several marking lines.
When all the work described is completed, your frame will be ready.
It is best to use good mineral wool as insulation rather than polystyrene foam, since the wool will not block condensation from the wall surface and will allow the wall to breathe.
Sold both in mats and in rolls. Mat in mats has a higher cost, but it is more convenient to work with.
Its installation should be done as follows:
After all the insulation has been secured, you will need to carefully check whether there is any free space between the insulation. If everything is in order, then you can begin installing the vapor barrier film:
This is the simplest stage, since the most labor-intensive stages (insulation and leveling) are left behind.
As can be seen from what was written above, installing metal siding with your own hands is not too difficult, so if you wish and carefully carry out all the work, you will get an excellent result.
Is it possible to install basement siding yourself? Manufacturers are constantly improving this finishing material, so it is quite possible to install it yourself. To do this, you just need to take into account some of the features of this material and adhere to a certain sequence when performing work.
Before starting the installation of basement siding, it is necessary to prepare the surface of all walls, install the supporting frame, as well as a layer of hydro- and thermal insulation, if necessary.
First, you need to look at how smooth the walls of the plinth are, since when installing siding, the permissible difference in unevenness between the walls and the plinth should not exceed two centimeters. If there are large irregularities, they will need to be leveled in advance using cement mortar.
The base on which the basement siding will be installed must be clean and dry. It is very important that the moisture content of the foundation and plinth does not exceed four percent at a depth of three centimeters. This is very important for the installation of almost any suspended facades, since high humidity may negatively affect the quality of the facing material, that is, in the future, the siding may become deformed under the influence of moisture. All your work will be in vain and you will have to start all over again.
In addition, it is advisable to treat the base with an antiseptic primer, which can penetrate deeply and prevent the formation of fungal and mold infections.
Self-installation of basement siding must be carried out on a load-bearing sheathing, which must be well fixed to the wall.
It is best to make the frame of the sheathing from a galvanized metal profile, which can be purchased at any hardware store along with the siding itself. According to the installation instructions for basement siding, the frame must be strictly vertical. It is for this reason that it is necessary to begin installation by aligning the upper and lower supporting profiles to the water level.
After this, you can install corner supporting profiles, which must also be leveled using a level or plumb line.
Of course, you can make the frame from wood, but for this purpose you need to use coniferous wood, since it is least susceptible to rotting processes. According to the instructions, the frame should be made of dry wood, which has been treated in advance with some kind of antiseptic, and its humidity should not be more than 20%.
The standard sheathing pitch when installing basement siding should be 46 centimeters, which is determined by the size of the panel of cladding material.
If the building has absolutely smooth walls, then you can attach basement siding to them without sheathing. The main thing is not to forget to leave ventilation gaps between the material and the wall so that the walls and foundation do not absorb moisture.
But still, the best option is a frame that can provide the necessary ventilation between the wall and the panels. In addition, with the help of the frame it will be possible to waterproof and insulate the base of the house and the foundation.
To fasten the frame, it is best to use galvanized nails with a hidden head, the length of which is at least three centimeters. When installing the frame, it is necessary to make a strapping around the door and window openings.
You should also take into account the location of drains and other engineering structures:
If they lie close enough on the site groundwater or the site is located in the northern regions, it is recommended to install an additional layer of thermal insulation and waterproofing material before installing the basement siding.
Most often, a special polyethylene film is used as waterproofing, but in addition to the film, you can waterproof the foundation and base using a special mastic, which is based on artificial and natural water-repellent resins.
The following materials can be used for the thermal insulation layer:
Before you begin installation, you must carefully study the videos and photographs that are presented on the Internet, where the entire process is described step by step. There are several types of basement siding and there are some nuances when installing each. Most often, instructions for its installation are included with the siding itself.
The basic requirements for installing basement siding with your own hands, compliance with which will allow you to achieve a good result:
Having detailed information and carefully studying all the instructions, you can easily decorate your house with siding.
In this article I want to talk about how to install siding with your own hands. I’ll tell you why the house was sheathed with siding and not with another material. I will give examples possible errors during siding with your own hands and how to avoid them. As a result, this article can become for people planning to install siding installation instructions from the selection and calculation of siding panels to the final installation of siding.
It has been 15 years since the construction of my house was completed. The house is built of timber, the inside walls of the house are covered with fiberboard, and the façade of the house is covered with clapboard. I live on the eastern coast of Kamchatka, where winter lasts at least 5 months.
During this time, the outer sides of the walls of the house in winter were exposed to frost, angry cold winds, as well as frequent snowstorms, and in the fall - frequent rains and fogs. All these atmospheric phenomena had a negative impact on the condition outer skin walls of the house.
The lining of the outer wall cladding dried out, warped, cracks formed at the joints, the rooms became noticeably colder and there was a clear feeling of dampness. The question arose about replacing the covering of the external walls and, first of all, the north-eastern pediment, which was the first to bear all the blows of the changeable Kamchatka weather.
I needed to solve two fundamental questions:
The answer to the first question was quickly found - the lining will not work. Why? Just having re-covered the house with clapboard, I will have to paint it again every year, and still in 10-15 years the house siding will have to be replaced. The house needs to be sheathed with such material that it will last longer, unlike lining, does not require annual maintenance (painting) and that this material is resistant to precipitation.
Having gone through various options, I decided to go with vinyl siding. Installing vinyl siding with your own hands is quite simple; in addition, the siding itself is quite cheap, durable, and does not require any repairs or painting during its entire service life. Caring for siding is also simple - just remove dust and dirt stuck on top, you can even use a stream of water from a hose. Service life - up to 50 years. Temperature range - from -60 to +60°C.
Siding. Vinyl panels
I chose panels that were 6m long (to reduce waste since my maximum gable length is 5.8m). One such panel has an area of 1.37 square meters. m. The price of these panels in our construction stores— 180 rub./m2 ($5.2).
The range of colors and shades of commercially available vinyl siding is very diverse. I chose the color “Sandstone” as it goes well with the gray slate and white cornices.
Note: the piers are indicated in Fig. 3
The answer to the second question (how to sheathe a house with siding) - I decided to attach a new layer on top of the old one. Why?
After this, it was necessary to calculate the siding and decide on the number of purchased panels and finishing strips for them. To do this, I carefully measured the pediment and made it detailed drawing in scale 1:25. Minus the window openings of the house and veranda total area the pediment was 22 m2. Based on the drawing, I determined exactly where and what scraps from the six-meter panels would be installed, so I bought all the materials with a minimum reserve for waste. As a result, there was practically no waste left.
An example of calculating the area of a pediment:
I calculated the area of the pediment using Heron's formula (calculating the area of a triangle):
S=√ p(p-a)(p-b)(p-c),
where the semi-perimeter is calculated using the formula:
p=(a+b+c):2
Scheme for calculating the area of the pediment
Now let's write down the derived data, where
a - 8 m, b - 8m, c - 6 m
Calculation of the semi-perimeter of the pediment:
p= (8+8+6):2=11 m
Having calculated the semi-perimeter of the triangle (pediment), I calculated the area (S) of the pediment:
S= √ 11(11-8)(11-8)(11-6)
S= √495 = 22.25
The gable area is 22.25 sq.m.
Vinyl siding components
In addition to the panels, it was additionally required to purchase:
Note: The J-bar is sometimes called: “J-channel”, “J Channel”, “Edging rail”, “J-rail”, “J-profile”, and in stores sometimes “Finishing bar”, although this name refers to a completely different part... Further in the text we will call it “J-bar” in the future.
I decided to cover the house with siding myself, since such work costs us on average 50% of the cost of materials. But why pay “extra money” when you can do this work yourself.
Before we could begin covering the gable, we had to start installing secure scaffolding. It is unrealistic to work at a height of about 6 m while standing on a ladder. In addition, due to the lack of assistants, there was simply no one to hold the 6-meter end of the panel on the other side. In old stock building materials I found two 6-meter beams 150x50 mm and smaller beams with a section of 100x50 mm.
For the flooring, I bought 40 mm boards (with the expectation that I would later cut them into veins for a new fence). I coped with this task, which was previously unfamiliar to me, quite easily...
I started installing the siding myself from the bottom of the house. But... I won't get ahead of myself. I will describe all the work in order, step by step, what needs to be done and in what sequence, as required by the installation instructions.
Basically, you need the most common tool, which is familiar to any summer resident who has ever been involved in construction or carpentry work. Here is a list of what you need to have on hand:
Although not the most difficult, but very important stage, and also the key to a high-quality and successful installation of siding, is careful preparation of the base. First of all, you should remove all climbing plants and tree branches in contact with the walls. Remove drainpipes, light fixtures and other parts from areas of the house walls where they may interfere with the installation of panels.
If covering a house with siding with your own hands will be done using the old existing clapboard siding, as I did, then you must first carefully inspect and evaluate the condition of the old siding (if any) and wooden elements wall structures. Loose boards and panels must be nailed tightly.
Note: It is better to replace rotten boards, since the process that has begun under the cladding will most likely not stop. It would be a good idea to additionally treat areas of the walls that are problematic in this regard with an antiseptic.
Elements of the house that need to be dismantled before finishing the house with siding
1 - pier, 2 - trim, 3 - shutters, 4 - outer corner, 5 - wind boards, 6 - plank (transition) between the foundation and walls of the house, 7 - external window sill.
You will have to remove all the trim, if any - shutters, protruding window sills, as well as drainage and decorative elements around windows and doors.
When the listed parts are removed, using a long rod, plumb line or level, you can easily check how smooth the walls of your house are.
Vinyl siding panels have a thickness of no more than 1.1-1.2 mm and are not capable of bearing any significant load. Therefore, when installing them on a curved surface, the slightest unevenness will appear on the outer side of the skin.
Note: At this stage, it turned out that the window openings were made by me at one time, to put it mildly, not strictly according to the level. Or maybe the foundation has sunk.
In order to install the windows evenly in the window openings, I had to remove the glass from the windows, trim the frames and window units to insert them evenly into the window openings.
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Window unit installation diagram
1 - wooden linings (slats), 2 - window frame, 3 - plumb line, 4 - level
When leveling the window blocks, I placed pre-prepared slats under one of the sides, the length of which was equal to the width of the window block. I checked the horizontal installation of window blocks using a level, and the vertical position using a plumb line.
Fragment of a wooden window frame
I also replaced the dowels in the joints of the window frame bars and reinforced them with metal corners.
Then window frames and blocks, primed and painted. After the paint had completely dried, I installed the glass and at the same time replaced the cracked glass.
You can get more detailed information about installing windows from the article and.
For new buildings made of wood, sheathing is usually not required. Siding can be mounted on any wooden walls, as well as on walls covered with chipboard, fiberboard, plywood and other similar materials. However, the walls of old buildings most often have noticeable unevenness.
On such walls it is necessary to install sheathing made of boards or slats. Do-it-yourself lathing for siding is made from wooden slats with a cross-section of 50x80 mm. I attached the slats to the walls using nails 100 mm long.
Sheathing for siding made of wooden slats
For horizontally oriented siding panels, the sheathing battens must be nailed (50 mm sides) vertically at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. They should also be installed around windows, doors and other openings or openings, at all corners, along the bottom and top edges of the panel installation area.
Note: simultaneously with the installation of the sheathing, the wall can be additionally covered with insulation. To do this, I filled the space between the slats with 50 mm thick foam boards. But not only foam plastic can be used to insulate walls; there are many other types of insulation, which everyone chooses at their own discretion.
More detailed information about insulating the walls of a house can be found in the article.
All instructions recommend installing siding with galvanized nails. Quote:“Nails must be made of aluminum or galvanized with a head with a diameter of 0.9-1 cm. The shank of the nail must have a diameter of 3 mm and a length sufficient to penetrate the base to a depth of at least 2 cm.”
After some thought, I decided that it would be more convenient to fasten the panels with self-tapping screws. You can screw in a screw with a screwdriver (or just a Phillips screwdriver) using a magnetic attachment with one hand, but to drive a nail you need both. This was the decisive factor in favor of self-tapping screws.
Scheme for installing a starting strip for siding of a private house
I started installing the siding by installing the starting strip:
Note: Since we are talking about installing siding parts, we need to list the basic rules for its fastening (this applies to both panels and fittings).
Installation (nailing) options for vinyl siding
Options for gaps between the nail (or screw) head and the vinyl panel
Attention! Nails should be driven in strictly at right angles! Even one bent nail, interfering with the free movement of the panel, can cause local “swelling” of the siding.
The outer corner is a piece that covers the end edges of the siding panels at the corners of the house and allows you to match wall sheathing located in two mutually perpendicular planes.
External corner of siding panel on corner of house
I installed the outer corner so that at the top it was 6mm short of the cornice or J-bar, and at the bottom the end was 8mm below the level of the starter strip tabs.
Note: nails must be driven in the center of the existing fastening holes, leaving the part open to expansion and contraction with temperature fluctuations. The distance between adjacent nails is from 20 to 40 cm.
Corner piece for attaching siding
Sometimes you need to cover the upper or lower end of an external corner installed on the wall. The covers required for this can be made from pieces of J-planks with a length equal to twice the width of the outer corner.
Cover from a section of J-flap for the outer corner of the siding
I bent the blanks prepared in this way and nailed them to the wall, and then inserted the outer corners into them.
J-bar installation diagram around window or door openings
To connect the wall siding panels to the window and door openings, I installed J-straps around the latter. The most difficult thing here is to correctly form the corner joints of the vertical and horizontal planks. You can do this as follows:
Joints of vertical and horizontal J-planks
First, in the bottom of the horizontal J-bar installed above the window opening, I cut an eyelet 2 cm long and bent it down. He did the same on the other side of this bar. Then I cut the front folded part of the J-bar at a 45° angle.
Connecting the corners of J-bar framing around a door or window opening
At the side J-bar of the frame, I made a rectangular cutout 2 cm deep in the bottom and connected the top and side bars. In the same way I connected all the other corners of the frame.
I installed the siding panels in rows from bottom to top. First, I brought the bottom edge of the first panel behind the protrusion of the starting strip, and then nailed the top edge to the wall. The installation of the next row began only when the installation of the previous one was completely completed.
All panels must stand freely; gaps of at least 5-6 mm must be left between their end edges and vertical parts (outer corners and J-planks).
Joining panels with molding
If the dimensions of the panels installed horizontally are smaller than the width of the house wall, then they have to be increased in length.
Docking H-molding (profile)
I did this using a special connecting H-molding (profile), which I installed in in the right place on the wall strictly parallel to one of the nearest corners of the house or any other vertical design on the wall.
Joining siding panels "overlapping"
Another method of joining panels when extending them along the length is also allowed - overlapping. In this case, each subsequent panel should overlap the previous one in length by 2.5-3 cm, and the joints should be spaced apart.
When installing short panels in narrow openings, such as between windows, I left the vertical J-bars not nailed on top so that when inserting the panel they could be bent slightly. I nailed these strips once the short panel was in place and secured.
On one side, the siding panels have a number of holes for fastening to the wall with nails and a protrusion of the locking part, which allows the panels to be connected to each other. On the other hand, there is a longitudinal edge curved inward; this bend is the counter part of the lock. The panels are mounted with an overlap - first, the locking part of the top panel is brought into engagement with the protrusion on the bottom, and then the top panel is attached to the base (sheathing) with nails or self-tapping screws.
Installation diagram of overlapping siding panels
I spent approximately 22,500 rubles - $650 - on finishing the house with siding (the amount is indicated without taking into account the cost of insulation).
Note: The surface area of the walls and gable covered with siding was 112 square meters. m.
Preparatory work - minor repairs old sheathing, installation of sheathing and insulation of the walls took me about 4 days, installation of siding panels - 3 days. In total, I spent 7 days completing the work of covering the house with siding and insulating the walls.
What happened? Let's look at the photo:
Photo of a house with old cladding
Photo of a house with new vinyl siding as trim
Also, finishing with siding and installing an additional layer of insulation brought me another positive point:
Attention! This article shows prices as of 2009.
Even a beginner can cover a house with siding. It is enough to know the procedure and some installation nuances. If you decide to choose vinyl siding as the facing material, DIY installation is more than simple.
PVC siding is plastic and pliable, which reduces the likelihood of damage to panels and injury. Step by step guide will allow you to cover the facade of a house with gardening even without construction experience.
Based on the material below, you will learn how to attach siding to the wall correctly.
For greater clarity, each stage is accompanied by photos, diagrams, drawings and videos.
Please note that these installation instructions are for vinyl siding, which is installed differently than metal siding.
Good to know. If you are planning to use a grinder to cut siding panels, this is acceptable. However, keep in mind that at high speeds, the sheet cut will begin to heat up and melt. This will lead to its deformation. Therefore, use the grinder at low power.
Despite the fact that fastening siding with self-tapping screws is the most common in domestic practice, you can also use fasteners such as nails and staples.
Generally speaking, the installation of vinyl siding can be divided into several stages:
Good to know: attaching siding to metal sheathing or wood, or even to the base of a wall surface, always starts from the bottom. This allows each subsequent panel to be placed above the previous one. Thus, it is achieved additional protection surface or insulation from moisture.
Installation of siding panels always occurs using a starting strip. It is attached along the perimeter of the building (or that part of it that is planned to be sheathed).
The initial strip is covered with a number of panels, so there are no special requirements for it. It can be put together from scraps or use a strip of a different color.
The starting bar sets the tone for the entire work. It's better to spend more time leveling it than trying to even fix it. minimum slope during installation work.
Before you start attaching it, you need to designate the location of the future attachment.
To do this, drive a nail (screw in a self-tapping screw) at the lowest level of the wall.
The distance from the nail to the ground should be equal to the width of the starting strip.
Next, stretch the thread between the nails. Check the correct thread tension using a building level. Next, using chalk, draw a line along the thread between the nails. This will mark the line where the starting strip is attached.
The more often you use the level, the more correctly and evenly the siding installation will be completed.
However, at least every third row of siding strips should be checked for possible deviations from level.
After this, fix the bar.
When installing vinyl elements, you need to properly fasten them. Namely, it is important to adhere to the following conditions:
- the distance between two adjacent screws should be about 250-300 mm.
You need to tighten the hardware or drive a nail strictly perpendicular to the plane.
- fasten the screws only in the middle of the nail hole, which has an oval shape, this is precisely the trick that allows the panel to slide when expanding. The right way shown in the figure. 
- the self-tapping screw is not tightened completely. A gap of 1 mm must be maintained between the surface of the material and the screw head. Achieved required clearance two ways.
First, you can attach a coin.
Secondly, you can screw it all the way, and then loosen it one turn. 
There should always be a gap of 5-7 mm between two starting bars located next to each other.
The gap compensates for the linear expansion of the material.
The installation of the strip at the corners is not complete. Because a special corner strip is used to arrange the corner. 
Using brackets as fasteners, you must also maintain a gap of 1 mm. Good to know. Some builders recommend immediately installing the starting strip on window and door units. However, this should not be done, because the need for it does not always arise. The window dimensions are not so ideal that the ordinary siding strips will be exactly at the level of the strip during installation.
The corners are installed before the installation of the main planks begins. It is in them that the row panels are installed.
Fastening a vinyl corner also has its own characteristics:
Firstly, the angle is set to 5-7 mm without touching the ground. When heated, the corner will expand vertically and the gap left will prevent it from deforming.
Secondly, it is important to secure the screws correctly. As you can see in the figure, the corner is attached starting from the top nail hole. Moreover, the self-tapping screw is screwed into its upper part. On this self-tapping screw (nail), the entire angle seems to hang in the air.
Thus, the material can only expand downwards and to the sides.
The rest and last screw twist in the same way as the starting strip - clearly in the middle of the nail hole.
Thirdly, the bottom edges of the corner are cut to the width of the starting strip. This avoids deformation of the material when heated. 
It will look as shown in the figure. Selected cases in vinyl siding installation technology
The length of the corner strip is up to 4 meters. But you may need to extend the angle.
Mount the bottom corner strip, then cut off the fastening points on the sides from the top one and “put it on” the bottom one, leaving a gap of 5 mm for compression under the influence of temperature.
The amount of overlap is 20-25 mm.
The picture shows how to lengthen the bar
Good to know:
Since the corners of vinyl siding are flexible, they can be used to trim obtuse and sharp corners building.
For an obtuse angle, the profile needs to be pressed down, for an acute angle, it needs to be narrowed.
For the internal corner the procedure will be similar.
Considering the cost of the corners, you can save on them if you mount two J-bars in their place. The installation process is shown in the figure.
This type of work will also not take much time and effort. Here it is important to correctly calculate the location of the bar. Fastening is carried out similarly to fastening corners.
Keep in mind, the starter bars must be adjacent to the H-connector, not the other way around.
Good to know. You can do without installing an H-shaped profile; in this case, the siding strips will overlap.
The photo shows what the wall should look like before installing regular siding panels.
Let’s immediately make a reservation that row panels can be attached in a circle, or you can finish one wall. From the point of view of siding installation technology, this does not matter.
Installation takes place in several steps:
3.1. The first strip of siding is inserted into the vertical grooves of the corner or H-shaped profile and secured with a self-tapping screw exactly in the center of the nail holes.
In this case, hardware is attached from the center of the panel to the edges, towards the vertical strips.
Good to know.
To make it easier to insert the strip, you need to slightly bend it outward.
As already mentioned, the siding panel is installed in the outer or internal corners. If you are using a budget installation option, arrange inner panel possible using the methods shown in the figure.
At the same time, do not forget to leave a gap for expansion.
3.2. The siding panel must be lowered to the starting strip and clicked into place. To do this, you need the lock of the strip to catch on the starting bar. Do not “pull” the panel under any circumstances. Because in this case the radius of the panel will stretch and the locks will be deformed. How to install the siding panel correctly - see the picture.
Good to know.
If, after the lock of the next strip snaps onto the lock of the previous one, the panel can be moved horizontally, then its installation was carried out according to the rules.
3.3. Once the panel is installed, it can be secured with hardware.
3.4. All remaining rows, with the exception of the last one, are performed in the same sequence.
If you need to connect the panels to each other, and you did not provide an H-shaped profile or you do not like the way it looks, you can do it as follows.
The photo shows what it looks like in practice
For your information:
There are two possible ways to position openings relative to the wall surface.
In practice it looks like the one shown in the photo.
Installing a panel into such a design is also not difficult. Since vinyl is quite flexible, the panel is simply bent slightly and installed into the J-profile. The main thing here is to cut the siding strip correctly.
Docking lugs are holes in a strip of material intended for fastening hardware. They are done using a punch. 
If the openings in your home end in an arch, this is not a problem for installing plastic siding.
Finishing an arch with vinyl siding differs from finishing a regular opening only in the method of installing the J-plank.
Flexible J-bar makes finishing easy arched openings. To do this, notches are made on the profile and the smaller the radius, the more often the notches should be made. The process is clearly shown in the photo.
Installation of siding around protruding objects occurs by cutting the strip and overlapping it.
This is done like this: first the finishing strip is fixed.
Then the distance from the last row strip is measured from it. This is the value that the last siding panel should correspond to.
The horizontal strip is bent in an arc and inserted into the lock and the finishing strip.
If the frontal board is small, it can be closed using a wind strip. To do this, a finishing strip is mounted along the upper edge of the front board, and the wind strip is attached so that it top part was fixed with a finishing profile.
Then the J-profile is attached to the wall and a soffit is installed between it and the wind strip.
In this case, the soffit can be installed in one of two ways shown in the diagram.
In this way, installation is carried out if the front board is wider than the wind bar.
Wherein outside corner is mounted on the edge of the frontal board, and the J-profile is on both sides of it at the required distance. The soffit is cut to the required size and placed between one of the corner parts and the J-bar.
The second side is finished in the same way.
It is not recommended to install a dark-colored soffit in this way, since it is highly susceptible to fading on the front strip.
Installing a gable is no different from installing regular strips of siding. Produced as follows:
9.1. installation of the starting strip. Occurs in full accordance with the rules described above.
Good to know:
You can use all the remnants of the J-profile that you have accumulated during your work to finish the gable. Still under roofing material he is not visible.
This work is performed as shown in the photo.
To do this, the J-planks must be placed on top of each other and the front part must be cut diagonally. Don't forget about the gap.
9.5. Preparing the planks. In order to cut the siding strip correctly, you need to measure the angle of the roof slope.
This can be done using a simple technique: place a piece of a strip of material against the surface of the gable, and the whole panel in a level with the J-profile.
Then you need to draw a sharpened pencil along the overlapping sheets. The result will be an accurate angle of inclination. Next, remove the short piece and cut the siding along the drawn line.
The process is shown more clearly in the drawing above.
Cut the corner of the last siding panel and insert it into the J-profile.
This is an exceptional case in the installation of vinyl siding, in which a hardware or nail hits right through the panel.
In this article we tried to reveal all the features of installing vinyl siding. We hope now you know how to install façade siding with your own hands, as well as the components for it.
Anyone can cover the walls of a house with siding. However, before you start work, you need to take into account all the subtleties of installing this material. Today there are many types of siding: vinyl, metal, aluminum and others. However, the installation is pretty much the same.
The first thing you need to do before work is to draw up a detailed drawing, in which literally everything will be calculated down to the smallest detail: the amount of material and fasteners, cutting of siding, fastening method. Otherwise you may make mistakes.
Siding is never rigidly attached. During installation, thermal expansion must be taken into account. Therefore, the nail should be driven in taking this fact into account.
To install siding you will need the following tools:
You will also need a ladder for work.
To strengthen the siding elements, you need to purchase nails. To work with siding, nails must be galvanized and have a wide head. The length of such nails should not be less than 5 cm.
"Siding" is a word that implies a number of elements. The kit includes slats (profiles), panels and corners, or more precisely:
This number of elements requires very careful planning before laying the siding. Any shortcomings will immediately affect the appearance of the skin.
It should be remembered that when transporting siding panels you need to be very careful. There is no need to stack them in one row of more than ten pieces. You also need to ensure that the panels are not damaged by rough or uneven surfaces.
Before installing siding, a number of works must be carried out. They are mainly related to the preparation of the building facade. It is necessary to remove shutters, doors and all unnecessary elements that will interfere with installation. It is also necessary to level the plane of the walls. All cracks and cracks should be sealed. If there is a drainage system on the walls, then it must also be removed. Once the siding is installed, working above the surface will no longer be possible.
After the walls are prepared, you need to install the frame for the siding (sheathing). It can be made from wood and profiles, as well as from more modern materials, for example, PVC. Wooden bars for sheathing should have a cross-section of 60 by 40 mm.
If the walls are brick, then wooden base won't work here. For such cases, it is better to choose galvanized steel lathing. Basement siding must also be finished with steel profiles. Wood is unsuitable for the reason that it quickly absorbs moisture.
When choosing fasteners (nails and staples), you should opt for galvanized ones. This will prevent corrosion.
In some cases, panels are attached to a wooden house without lathing. However, its use is desirable in any case. Lathing allows you to install panels better and expands functionality siding.
Before installation, the panels must be cut and trimmed. Cutting can be transverse and longitudinal. Longitudinal cutting is carried out using metal scissors, transverse cutting - circular saw. In this case, uneven edges should be avoided.
You can lay a layer of insulation under the siding. This is quite simple: you need to install insulation blocks between the sheathing bars and secure them inside. Siding panels have only one function - they create an attractive appearance of the house. However, no additional load can be placed on them.
