Siding is a rapidly gaining popularity modern facing material , distinguished by its low price and ease of installation.
True, there are moments during the installation process that should be paid special attention to, so that the finish is neat and durable. For example, finishing window openings with siding. This will be discussed in detail in this article.
Vinyl Siding Features
Most often, with the help of siding, so-called ventilated facades are created, when a gap remains between the finish and the wall, in which air circulates freely, therefore, moisture or condensation is removed from the walls. The panels themselves are made from polyvinyl chloride, which is resistant to most atmospheric conditions, as well as a fairly high mechanical strength.
Thus, the durability of PVC panels is achieved due to the fact that they:
A significant advantage of siding panels is that they are lightweight, therefore, the structure does not overload the facade and foundation of the building, and can be mounted on walls from almost any material. Maintenance of the cladding is also very simple – the surface can be easily cleaned with plain water or soapy water.
A feature of products made of polyvinyl chloride is their ability to temperature expansion. Therefore, the installation technology involves leaving gaps between the cladding elements so that they can move freely with temperature changes.
As a rule, holes for fasteners in PVC products are already provided by the manufacturer, but in non-standard cases of installation it may be necessary to make additional holes, and then it is recommended to use a special puncher. Using nails, screws or staples can damage the panels.
Benefits of siding
Due to a number of advantages of this cladding method, it is rapidly gaining popularity among consumers. First of all, buyers are attracted by the following advantages of siding:
ease of installation; following the manufacturer’s instructions, even a person far from the construction industry will be able to mount PVC panels on the wall of a house;
affordable price; in comparison with other types of finishes, in particular those that imply the presence of “wet” works, siding finishes will be much cheaper;
goes well with the external insulation of the building;
quickness of installation: it is really possible to complete the cladding of the house by the efforts of two people in a couple of days
complex and expensive tools or fixtures are not required in the lining process;
siding does not require special care and is easy to clean;
the material has a long service life and does not change its quality characteristics over time;
if one or more panels are damaged, they can be easily replaced without compromising the rest of the finish.
Siding Installation Rules
The vertical trim elements begin to be fastened from top to bottom. In this case, a self-tapping screw is attached to the uppermost mounting hole in its uppermost part, and all subsequent ones to the center of the hole. Self-tapping screws are never screwed in all the way, leaving 0.5 – 1 mm. thermal expansion gap. Fasteners must enter strictly vertically to the surface, with a step of no more than 40 cm.All siding elements are fastened with gaps from 1 to 6 mm, less in the warm season, more in winter, since the material is subject to compression at low temperatures, and at high temperatures – to expansion …
How to cut siding
The following tools are used to cut the panels:
- Construction knife. First, the markings are applied, then an incision is made with medium pressure, without cutting through the panel. Along the notch, the material is bent by hand and separated.
- Fine-toothed hacksaw for wood or metal. To avoid damaging the material, cut slowly and carefully with a hacksaw.
- Scissors for metal. This method allows you to cut the siding both in a straight line and in a curly line, but it is quite slow.
- Circular saw. This is a convenient and quick way to cut. A thin blade with fine teeth is set in the opposite direction of rotation and cut.
- Metal discs are not used for working with PVC, as there is strong heating and the edge of the panel melts and deforms at the cut.
During installation, each next panel is snapped into the lock of the previous one. It is not necessary to stretch the panels too much, just pull slightly until it clicks, which means that the panel is in place.
If the panel moves freely along the mounting hole in all directions, it means that the installation is correct.
