Vinyl siding is made from extruded PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a durable lightweight plastic. It doesn’t dent, rot, or corrode, and is impervious to water. Older formulations may be quite brittle from extended exposure to ultraviolet light, however, these days most formulations are a co-extrusion of a UV-resistant capstock and a resilient substrate.
Vinyl Siding Coverage
When estimating vinyl siding quantities, add up square footage, and add 10% for waste. As with wood siding estimates, do not deduct the area of windows and doors. This will provide an allowance for waste. If the window and door areas are over 50 sq. ft. (such as garage doors or sliding glass doors), deduct 75% of the total openings. For dormers and gable-end walls, add 1 ft. in height to the original measurements to allow for waste.
Add up lin. feet of outside and inside corners needed, and add 10% for waste. Include other trim accessories, as shown in the figure below.
When estimating vinyl siding quantities, add up square footage, and add 10% for waste. As with wood siding estimates, do not deduct the area of windows and doors. This will provide an allowance for waste. If the window and door areas are over 50 sq. ft. (such as garage doors or sliding glass doors), deduct 75% of the total openings. For dormers and gable-end walls, add 1 ft. in height to the original measurements to allow for waste.
Add up lin. feet of outside and inside corners needed, and add 10% for waste. Include other trim accessories, as shown in the figure below.
When estimating vinyl siding quantities, add up square footage, and add 10% for waste. As with wood siding estimates, do not deduct the area of windows and doors. This will provide an allowance for waste. If the window and door areas are over 50 sq. ft. (such as garage doors or sliding glass doors), deduct 75% of the total openings. For dormers and gable-end walls, add 1 ft. in height to the original measurements to allow for waste.
| Amt. Required per 1,000 sq. ft. of Siding | |
|---|---|
| Starter Strip | 100 lin. ft. |
| J-Trim Typically available in 12-ft. lengths | 200 lin. ft. |
| Utility trim Typically available in 12-ft. lengths | 30 lin. ft. |
| H-Trim Available to cover butt joints between hardboard panels | 60 pieces |
| H-Trim Available to cover butt joints between hardboard panels | 80 pieces |
Vinyl, metal, and hardboard siding require trim accessories, such as those listed in this table. Check with the siding manufacturer for its suggested siding trim package.
Typically, vinyl siding is available in horizontally applied panels that simulate lap siding — with one, two, or three siding courses per panel.
V-groove and board-and-batten panels are the most popular forms of vertical vinyl siding. Usually, they are used in combination with horizontal siding on gable ends.
Vinyl thickness varies from about .035 in. (the minimum thickness allowed to comply with the ASTM D3679 standard) to .055 in. While thicker panels are less likely to droop and wave in hot weather, they are not necessarily the best choice, as overlaps between panel lengths are more noticeable with thicker panels. Most installers prefer a “midrange” panel thickness of .042 to .044 in.
The stiffness of panels depends much more on the shape of the panel than on the thickness of the vinyl. The thicker the butt at the locking edge, the stiffer the panel will be and the less likely it will be to droop or wave (below).
The stiffness of a vinyl panel is more affected by the butt dimension and the lock profile than by the gauge of the vinyl. A square butt (near right) will stay straighter and droop less than a post-formed edge (far right).
While advances in materials science have improved the performance and durability of darker shades of vinyl siding, vinyl is typically available in light colors to reduce surface temperatures. If vinyl gets too hot, it can droop. Also, vinyl chalks as it oxidizes, particularly in humid climates. The white film is more noticeable on darker panels. White siding will be the least likely to show any staining from oxidation.
Because vinyl siding must be applied loosely, it may be susceptible to blow-offs. Panels with reinforced nail hems are less likely to be torn off in a storm (below).
A double-thickness nail hem like the one on the left is less likely to rip in a windstorm.
Of all the siding choices available, vinyl is the only one that does not need extra work to create a drainage gap. Properly nailed, it should hang loosely over the wall, allowing water that gets through to drain down and out (Drainage Plane for Vinyl Siding, below). However, because vinyl must be installed loosely to accommodate expansion, it’s critical to flash and wrap walls carefully.
If vinyl siding is nailed loosely (as it should be to accommodate expansion), water that gets behind the siding will be able to drain. Well-detailed sheathing wrap and flashings behind the siding protect the wall from water.
Aluminum covered trim has become the norm in the vinyl siding business. It offers a virtually maintenance-free finish, but how good it looks depends entirely on the skill of the installer.
Trim is typically bent from two types of aluminum — smooth and striated. Smooth trim coil is a thin aluminum flashing finished with polyester or acrylic paint. Striated coil has a textured finish made with a vinyl paint that forms striated patterns as it dries. Vinyl-coated coil marks up a little easier, requiring a bit more care, but in general the difference is largely a matter of personal preference.
The gauge of almost all aluminum trim coil, whether smooth or striated, is a “nominal” 0.019 in., which can be as thin as .0175 in. and still meet spec. Less common, and about 20% more expensive, is a heavier gauge coil with a nominal measurement of 0.022- to 0.024-in.
Trim coil can ripple as it expands in warm weather. This is a problem only if it is face-nailed in cold weather. In addition to limiting face-nailing, try the following to avoid ripples:
Aluminum trim coil will ripple if nailed. Although small pieces of trim coil may be nailed tight, long lengths of fascia should be secured with utility trim or nails in slotted holes.
To reduce ripples in aluminum fascia, install a 1x2 to create a two-piece fascia. To keep coil stock stiff, hem the top edge and slip it under the drip-edge.
Window trim is typically framed with J-channel to receive the siding panel (Trimming a Window, below). The side pieces should be run long enough to receive the mitered head trim (top detail of Trimming a Window, below), and the sill corners should be flashed with trim coil to divert water running down the J-channel.
Notched wall panels, which have the nail hem ripped off, can be locked in place with dual utility trim (Dual Utility Trim, below).
When trimming a window, first run J-channel around all four sides. Slip a notched piece of trim coil at each corner of the sill to direct water running down the J-channel over the top of the siding beneath.
Use dual utility trim to secure notched panels without a nail hem. Use the outer channel for siding panels ripped near to the butt edge; use the inner channel when the rip is made closer to the nail hem.
Vinyl siding has a high coefficient of thermal expansion. A 12-ft. length can expand 5/8 in. from winter to summer. To allow for expansion and contraction of the material, layout is critical.
Outside corners (at right) are handled with vinyl corner posts. The corner should be wrapped with foam insulation or sheathing warp first. Inside corners (center) should be flashed with aluminum before installing the siding.
Siding should be installed level. When foundations are out of level, extend the nail base with a piece of plywood that matches the thickness of existing siding.
To clean vinyl siding, use a long-handled brush with soft bristles (such as a car washing brush), and a handle that fastens onto the end of the hose. Avoid using stiff bristle brushes or abrasive cleaners, which may change the vinyl’s gloss and cause the siding to look splotchy.
When cleaning soot and dust from the house, use the following cleaning solution, starting at the bottom and working up to the top in order to prevent streaking:
To remove mildew, add 1 qt. liquid laundry bleach to the solution above. Clean stubborn stains using the recommended cleaners shown in the figure below.
| Stain | Cleaner Cleaning materials are listed in alphabetical order |
|---|---|
| Bubble Gum (70%) | Fantastik®, Murphy's Oil Soap® or solution of vinegar (30%) + water |
| Crayon | Lestoil® |
| Oil-based caulk | Fantastik® |
| Felt-tip pen | Fantastik®, Lysol®, Murphy's Oil Soap®, or Windex® |
| Lipstick | Fantastik® or Murphy's Oil Soap® |
| Lithium grease | Fantastik®, Lestoil®, Murphy's Oil Soap®, or Windex® |
| Mold and mildew (30%) | Fantastik® or solution of vinegar + water (70%) |
| Motor oil | Fantastik®, Lysol®, Murphy's Oil Soap®, or Windex® |
| Oil | Soft Scrub® |
| Paint | Brillo® Pad or Soft Scrub® |
| Pencil | Soft Scrub® |
| Rust | Fantastik®, Murphy's Oil Soap®, or Windex® |
| Tar | Soft Scrub® |
| Soil | Fantastik®, Lestoil®, or Murphy's Oil Soap® |
