What Happens During Siding Installation?

Be Prepared For These Steps After Your Siding Installers Arrive

If you’re here, that means you’re thinking about getting new house siding. Congratulations on this important home upgrade!

After you get the details out of the way – siding installation costs, choosing your siding colors, and getting on the contractor’s calendar – it’s time for construction to begin.

Here’s what to expect during the process. Keep in mind that the steps may be slightly different depending on the siding product you choose for your home.

The Siding Installers Remove Your Old Siding

Before your new siding can be installed, your team will likely remove the existing siding on your home. This includes removing any pre-existing installation brackets and vapor barriers.

Reputable siding installers will clean up construction materials after removal to prevent stray pieces, including old nails, from littering your property.

Evaluating Your Home’s Sheathing

Behind your old siding and vapor barrier is a layer called backer board or sheathing, usually made of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). This is the material your new materials will attach to; it also strengthens your home’s structure.

If your old siding leaked at any point, your sheathing may have sustained rot damage or mildew in those areas. If necessary, your siding installation crew will replace these damaged sections with a material of similar thickness after walking you through the damage they see and what needs to be done to make it right.

Attaching a New Vapor Barrier and Flashing

Modern siding installation techniques use a vapor barrier that is sometimes called “house wrap” or “weather resistive barrier” (WRB).

This house wrap is like an insurance policy for your home because it acts as a layer of protection against moisture, preventing water from entering your home and reducing your home’s risk of damage from trapped moisture. You’ll need it whether your team is installing vinyl siding or installing polymer siding, engineered wood, or other siding materials. In short, the vapor barrier helps your home breathe and keep it healthy.

At this step, your siding installers also will attach flashing around doors, windows, and other transitional areas of your house exterior. Flashing helps prevent water from entering your home via these vulnerable areas.

Siding Installation Begins With a Starter Strip

Now that your home is properly protected with sheathing, a house wrap, and flashing, it’s time for your crew to install the starter strip. They’ll make sure it is level, so everything else above it is in the right place.

When installing vinyl siding, for example, the starting strip attaches at the bottom of the exterior wall, and siding attaches to pieces that stick out from it. Other siding materials may require a different starting strip process. Remember, steps in the process can vary depending on the siding product you’ve chosen.

Installing Inside and Outside Corners

Both inside and outside corners of your home exterior require special treatment. Let’s take installing vinyl siding as our example again. Corners should extend past the bottom of the starter strip by about three-quarters of an inch. Your installation crew will nail them into place.

Continuing the Siding Installation Process

With the corners installed, your crew will now attach each plank of siding, piece by piece, until they cover the rest of your home. Careful installers will ensure each piece firmly attaches before applying the next.

Some types of siding, such as seamless polymer siding, extend from corner to corner without interruption. Other siding materials come in standard lengths, usually about 12 feet long, so your siding installers will do their best to conceal seams.

Trimming Around Windows and Doors

The next step in the siding installation process is installing the trim around doors and windows. These pieces create a smooth edge to guide water runoff on the exterior of your home, rather than allowing it in.

The Finishing Touches On Your Siding Installation Project

Now that your home exterior features brand-new siding, your crew will likely put the finishing touches on it. This can include re-attaching your gutters if they were moved during the siding installation process.

You also may ask the siding installers to attach your mailbox or house numbers next to your front door or add shutters around your windows. These elements identify the house as yours and can add even more character and charm.

That concludes your siding project! Now you can enjoy admiring your home exterior while you mow your lawn or pull into your driveway.

Different siding products require different installation techniques. This article is intended for educational purposes. We hope you found it helpful!