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Vinyl siding repair in 7 simple steps

Vinyl siding repair in 7 simple steps

If your home's vinyl lap siding is cracked or broken, you can replace the damaged siding panel without having to remove an entire wall of siding. Due to the inevitable fading that occurs with some vinyl siding, chances are that a new replacement panel will not exactly match your home's existing siding. If this is the case, then you can use a siding panel from an inconspicuous portion of your home's exterior to make the needed repair, then install a new siding panel in its place.

Follow these 7 steps to repair vinyl siding:

    1. Using a zip lock tool, which is a specialized tool for removing siding panels, unlock the damaged panel from the siding panel directly above it.

    2. If you are only going to replace the damaged section and not the entire siding panel, then use a strait edge and razor knife to cut through the face of the panel on each side of the damaged area. You will need to pull the panel several inches away from the wall, so that you can use a pair of snips to cut through the nailing strip and the bottom edge of the panel.

    3. Expose the damaged panel's nailing strip and remove the nails that are holding it in place.

    4. Remove the damaged section of siding. Cut a replacement piece of siding that is about 4 inches longer than the piece of damaged siding you just removed from the wall.

    5. Install the piece of replacement siding and make sure that both of its ends overlap the edges of the siding panels already in place on the wall. You may need to trim off an inch or so of the nailing strip and some of the bottom edge of the replacement piece, so that it can fit flush over the adjacent panels.

    6. Once the replacement piece of siding is in place, you can then nail it to the wall with some 1-inch roofing nails. Set the nail in the middle of the horizontal nailing slot and do not hammer the nail all the way flush, because the vinyl panel needs a little room to contract and expand under the nail head.

    7. Using the zip-lock tool, reattach the new piece of siding to the wall's existing panels.

When repairing a section of your home's siding, make sure to work carefully so that you do not damage the underlying insulation and house wrap. You can purchase a zip-lock tool at a home improvement warehouse or any other retail dealer that sells vinyl siding.

For more useful information about vinyl siding maintenance, visit the Vinyl Siding Institute, a trade association dedicated to the product.

 

 

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