House Siding

Leo Voisine

Member
Messages
5,703
Location
East Freeetown, Massachusetts
Have you ever sided a house before?

I am wondering if I should do it myself - 60 years old and not as energetic as I used to be.

I don't care if it takes 3-5 years or so.

How is the trim done?

OR

Should I hire a contractor?

What kind of siding is good - not so good --- WHY?




What do I need to know that I do not know?
 
Should you DIY? Depends on the siding type, complexity, difficulty of install, house elevation (are you going to spend more in scaffolding than you would paying an installer?) and possible warranty implications (some siding mnfgs will warranty diy siding others not). Hard question to answer at this point :D

As for types, personally I'm fond of the "fiber cement siding" if you're looking for a "do it once and its done" siding imho this seems to be the stuff. Failing that either Western red cedar or redwood would be my second choice durability wise.

I had some sort of paper mache stuff (the pressboard and glue precursor to the fiber cement) on the last house (subject of several class action suites and settlements) so am perhaps a big gun shy on the various "fiber board" sidings like T-111 and the like (I know they can be ok but they're fussy to install just right and knowing if its a good type seems difficult).

The fiber cement can be DIY, but its heavy and because the boards are so long they're kind of fragile until they're in place so two people is a LOT easier than one and there are some installation tools that make alignment much easier. You also have to be careful about proper installation since over or under tightening the fasteners can dramatically affect the expected lifespan/durability of the install.

The other consideration against (or maybe for depending on the quality of contractors in your area :D) DIY is that the devil is in the details (in response to your question about trim). Just putting up siding isn't to hard but getting the vapor barrier properly installed and all of the trim in the right places in regards to it (especially around penetration points like windows) so that water is properly drained away from the house is a wee bit of an art.

There are some really good guides out there though:
To start with browse through the jlc guide: http://www.jlconline.com/building/exterior/siding-and-trim/
at least thier best practices videos: http://www.jlconline.com/exteriors/best-practices-from-jlc-live_o.aspx?dfpzone=building.exterior
This is worth it imho even if you outsource because its nice to have at least enough knowledge to know if the contractor is doing it right :D

Also when you have the siding off is the time to check your insulation and energy barriers as well
I may be weird but I enjoyed reading this book and it paid for itself fairly quickly (I got it used):
http://www.amazon.com/The-JLC-Guide-Energy-Efficiency/dp/1928580467
 
I don't have any siding right now. The sheathing is T1-11, so I have nothing to tear off. Being that I am a pretty fussy person I will do some exterior work. The trim wood is rotted in a lot of places and it will all be removed.

I am fussy in how the work is done, but not really fussy about bells and whistles sort of stuff.

I have 4 windows to replace. I do that. It takes me 4 hours to do that replacement.

After talking to a couple of guys at work that has done it - the job sounds really easy.

I'm leaning towards vinyl at this time.

I stopped by Lowes on the way home - and I did a little walk around the house tonight.

I think this may be a doable DIY project.

I don't really care if it takes me 4-5 years to get it done.

My house is a small ranch, but my attached garage is 26x26 and 19' to the peak.

I may need a little help on the front at the high places - but I should be able to do the rest of it.

I have a friend that has done the hardie plank - I'll ask him how it was.

I don't want to ever paint the outside ever again.

I am 60 - so if I can get 20 - 25 years out of it - I will be golden.
 
Unless you have a fire, vinyl is pretty good. Neighbor did his home, taking his time in under a week. The back, due to the land layout was about two stories (bungalow on a hill).
He went somewhere and bought seconds (I couldn't see anything wrong with them) and had a total of $1500 in the project. It certainly tempted me.
 
Be interested in first hand experience on the vinyl, have sort of a knee jerk negative reaction on the "plastic" aspect which is probably unfair and living in fire country the non flammable character of the cement is also attractive.
 
I am just starting to look into it. I am at a minimum - a full year away from the project.

So far I am seeing some really awesome stuff on the market.

Certainteed Cedar Impressions looks like a GREAT product with the lifespan I want.

I don't think this is a low cost item - but I am not looking for the lowest cost either.

Consumer reports rates this one as a recommended product.

To everything - there is a compromise. There will be plusses and there will be minuses.
 
Best bet is to steer clear of any cement siding in this part of the country. Sitting with snow piled up on will rot it out in less than 5 years.
You most likely will find the vinyl to be to your liking. fast and easy to work with. Follow the instructions the guys that wrote them know what they are talking about. LOL I have seen more people think they know better than the instructions and end up with a huge mess on their hands. If it says punch a hole that is what it means. Not that it will be alright if I just nail it this one time.
 
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