Siding
Installation Tips for Your House Siding
When you decide on the material what do you do?
If you’ve never before been faced with the task of having siding installed on your house, it may seem like a daunting endeavor. However, it may not be as bad as you think. Knowing a few facts and what to expect before you start can help you plan ahead and make it all much easier.
Indoor and Yard Prep
You’ll need to clear a space in your yard for the contractors to work and put their materials, though siding doesn’t take up a lot of room. Remove things from your yard such as ornaments and lawn equipment that may be easily damaged. Don’t worry- the workers won’t be there long enough to permanently damage your lawn. Make visible boundaries surrounding plants, garden, etc. to reduce the probability of them getting trampled and communicate with your contractor about what areas you’d like the work crew to use and which you want to protect. As far as indoor preparation, there’s virtually nothing to worry about. You can go about your daily routine or even leave while the crew works, coming home at the end of a day to a house that looks completely different!
Length of Project
The entire process will typically take only 2-3 days, depending on the size of your house and the number of people working on it. Sometimes it can be done in as little as one day.
Noise Concerns
Siding installation probably won’t last as long or be as noisy as, say, having a new roof put on, but a courteous move would be to alert your neighbors anyway to what will be happening. They’ll probably return the favor next time they create a disturbance. It also paves the way for plenty of compliments when they see how wonderful your new siding looks!
Old Siding Materials
Removing old siding
What happens to the old stuff?
In a new home the siding is put over the bare wall sheathing, and likewise it’s best to remove the old siding when doing a siding replacement. However, it is not always necessary. Sometimes old siding, if it’s wood or stucco, can be left there and you can have the new siding installed directly over it. If the old siding is made of metal, however, it will definitely need to be removed. It also depends on whether or not the old siding is still in good shape.
You should never install new siding over rotten siding and your contractor will know this.
A siding contractor will either tear all the old siding off one day and then put new siding on the next day, or they’ll have part of their men tearing off old siding and the other part installing the new at the same time. If inclement weather is a concern, it’s obviously better to get the new siding on as fast as possible, but sometimes the removal of old siding can take all day.
The number of workers available may also put a limitation on how the process is conducted.
There are advantages to removing the old siding: you are free to have your house re-insulated or weatherized before installing the new siding, it looks better as a finished product, and it makes it easier to side the parts around windows and doors.
What are Some of the Most Popular Home Siding Materials?
James Hardie – the single most popular option for siding today. Environmentalist detest the long life of James Hardie siding but consumers love the quality, style and longevity of this brand. There are many colors and styles to choose from, which makes it easy to match any timeless style of your home or building.
Fiber Cement – a very popular siding option over the last few years. A middle ground for cost in between vinyl and wood siding this is definitely an option worth considering. Fiber cement is one of the materials used in the James Hardie line of siding products.
Aluminum/Metal Siding – less maintenance than wood siding but not as easy to maintain as vinyl siding. Stainless steel siding requires less maintenance than the more common aluminum.
Wood/Cedar Siding – great beauty and long life characterize wood siding but there is that nasty painting every 4-8 years to contend with.
Brick Siding – About the longest lasting product available it’s cost is the only real negative to contend with.
Stone Siding – As long lasting as brick (or longer)but more attractive and expensive! Both Veneer natural siding and faux siding are more affordable options.
Engineered Wood Siding – available in a multitude of textures and finishes engineered wood will require less maintenance than traditional wood siding but will still need more care than several of the options above.
Seamless Steel Siding – seamless steel siding is custom-fit to your home, eliminating unsightly seams or splits in the surface of your siding. Besides the obvious aesthetic benefits, no seam means less opportunity for exposure to the elements.
There are a number of different ways to figure the cost of siding materials. You can look at the cost the life of the siding, the initial investment in the siding and it’s eventual maintenance cost, or in comparison to the imact a particular material has on the re-sale value of your home. Each perspective has merit and is important to consider when you are choosing siding for your project.
