Vinyl siding, window replacement

Dennis....If you are a skillful handy person you can replace the windows. I have a ranch style house with the standard sliding windows in it. I replaced them 23 years ago. The main thing to worry about is that they are square and level before you nail the nailing flange. Use plenty of good quality caulk. Be sure to insulate any gaps between the window frame and the interior trim. I prefer cutting strips of fiberglass insulation and pushing it in with a wooden shim or other thin device (putty knife) versus using the spray cans as you can overfill a cavity and warp a window and prevent it from functioning properly. It's not that difficult if you don't get in a hurry and pay attention ot detail. 23 years later...they still function correctly and look good.

I've never installed siding so I can't comment.

Good luck!

Ken
 
in agreement

with ken on the windows, as for siding goes the main thing you need to pay attention to is gettin the starter strip level... then to make sure you dont nail it to tight, vinyle needs room to move. also you need to think threw the veiw of it as for the lapping on the jints you want to look over them from the most looked at veiw. they will show up on the frontal veiw but not from the side. and dont use to many short cut pieces use as many longs as you can. a skill saw with a plywood blade will cut it easily..on the corners and when going up the widows make sure they match both sides so you dont pull it to tight on one side and not the other.
 
Dennis, the first time I installed vinyl siding, the building center I purchased the materials from had a good video and a video room that you could watch, and it covered everything very well. You might check in your area and see if anyone has a setup like this, as it will answer all your questions, and show you the little tricks to make everything fit properly, including all the laps for expansion,(some need to be trimmed), corners, use of J rail, etc. It's normally free for customers and you can watch it as many times as necessary. Note: All the info Larry gave was correct, especially about not nailing the nails all the way in so it can move without buckling when it gets hot and expands. It's really easy once you get started and the learning curve is pretty short if you have seen the video.

I will make one suggestion though, and that is to use vinyl for the siding, and soffits, but use steel, or even aluminum for the fascia. I have never been happy with the vinyl fascia, and no longer use it anywhere. I have been very pleased with the simulated woodgrain steel fascia.
 
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I haven't installed a whole house full of siding, but I did do part of my parent's house and the garage at my first house. If it is reasonably warm, the vinyl is easy to work with. I made all of my cuts with a pair of tin snips and a razor knife. The hardest parts as far as skill are doing around windows and any angles (espeicially when two edges have angles on them like a section on my parents house where an addition was added and there are two overlapping roofs. However, by far the hardest part is climbing up and down a ladder, all day, for several days.

I also replaced the windows in the old garage, added one to my current shop, and replaced one of the house windows. I then paid to have the rest of the house windows replaced. The one house window took me the better part of the day. The pros did 10+ windows in the equivalent of about six man-days, including replacing one set of double windows with a sliding door, making custom aluminum trim to dress up the windows, replacing some other aluminum trim, and doing some drywall work around the new sliding door.
 
dennis, i`ve installed both professionally......yes a reasonably "handy" person can do the job. lots of the dificulty involved will be what shape the existing house is in and exactly how "handy" the person doing the work is. be prepared to invest in new tools,either bought or rented and for the job to take much more time than you figure. don`t get discouraged and don`t do anything less than perfect work......when it`s all over you want to be proud to look at it every day. tod
 
Dennis, part of what I make a living at is installing vinyl siding and installing windows.

Although you have received great advice so far, I'd reccomend fully understanding how vinyl is installed and what can happen if not done correctly before you start.

I had to be "certified" as an installer by Certain-teed corp. to be listed on their "preferred contractor" list which means I needed to take a class and be tested on their application methods.

Best of luck!:thumb:


BTW Matt, I just got done with a 2 story reside which meant a lot of up and down ladder work, wears out the legs.
 
Vinyl siding & new windows

Thanks everyone for your replies, I think I'll go with a professional.

Steve...any thoughts on how to find a good professional locally?(New Jersey)
Thanks again
Dennis
 
Steve...any thoughts on how to find a good professional locally?(New Jersey)
Thanks again
Dennis

Dennis, I'd start with finding a siding that you like, ask the supplier for a list of references. Another option is to look in your local yellow pages. Anyone you know had vinyl siding done recently?...if so ask them who they used and IF they were happy with the job that was done.

Don't count yourself out...just get informed on correct install procedures and remember it will probably take you a lot longer than a professional but the money saved and satisfaction may be your reward.

Either way you choose, I hope it goes well.
 
I have a related question. I wouldn't hesitate to try and do windows and siding. However I have a son living in a place that has the siding and needs new windows. It looks as if this would add a lot effort to installing the windows and making everything look right.


On my own house I had a bay window that wasn't installed right It only had two knees placed under it and sagged bad. My wife and I pulled all the siding off that area, jacked the window up, installed a center knee and reinstalled the siding. But I would hate to pull all the siding off a two story house to replace the windows..

By th way its probably obvious to every one here but I drew a sketch of all the siding pieces and numbered them. Then as I removed the siding I wrote the numbers on the back of each piece. No jig saw puzzle to figure out.

Garry
 
We had all our windows replaced without removing the siding. Actually I removed some around the window I did but the contractor didn't. They used a cutoff wheel in a grinder to carefully cut the siding about 3" away from the window, then pulled out all the short pieces and replaced the window. They then bent up a new aluminum trim piece that replaced the J-channel and covered the space. That saved a ton of siding work, but it actually looks nicer than before because our windows now have some trim, where they didn't before.
 
I've installed siding professionally so I guess I am qualified to reply. My suggestion is, if you have the funds get a professional to do it. A well sided house looks great, but a hastily sided home looks like crap, especially when using vinyl for some reason.

If your house is pretty rectangular, straight, square and simple, then I would suggest you do it yourself. Vinyl is easy enough to work, and you can get plenty of help here a long the way, but if your home has a lot of bump-outs, different roof pitches and basically a complex home to side, I would hire it out. I think you would be far better off.

The biggest mistake I see is that people nail the siding on way to tight. After a season or two, the siding ripples like board coming out of a broken planer.
 
I've installed siding professionally so I guess I am qualified to reply. My suggestion is, if you have the funds get a professional to do it. A well sided house looks great, but a hastily sided home looks like crap, especially when using vinyl for some reason.

If your house is pretty rectangular, straight, square and simple, then I would suggest you do it yourself. Vinyl is easy enough to work, and you can get plenty of help here a long the way, but if your home has a lot of bump-outs, different roof pitches and basically a complex home to side, I would hire it out. I think you would be far better off.

The biggest mistake I see is that people nail the siding on way to tight. After a season or two, the siding ripples like board coming out of a broken planer.

Travis
I think your tag line says it all. All a pro is is someone that gets paid for it. I would say get a proven pro. I see thousands of new houses that I am sure were done by a pro that have the ripples everywhere as well as the bottom strip flapping in the wind because they didn't pull the first course tight enough..

Maybe the difference between a pro and an expert..

I think you want an expert not just a professional...and I am sure you qualify as both... :)

It's a case where I would like to do a drive by some houses they have done...
Garry
 
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