Any Cold Weather Vinyl Siding Tips

all vinyl

FINGERS DONT HURT UNTILL THEY WARM UP AND THEN

A W Smith

oh mine hurt right away.

Hazlet? I spent the first 10 years of my life living in Hazlet. 1955-1965

Easter Sunday in 63 I blew the manhole up in front of 19 West Richard street, There was a problem with defective steel in the gas lines adjacent to the new sewer lines there and i knew it, Well yaknow cartoons back then and everything influenced me. I dropped a match in a pick hole.

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Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

Smileydog

[QUOTE=Home Serve;560364]Looks like we might be in for a brutal winter here in Central MO. We have several small vinyl siding jobs and so I was looking for tips you have learned over the years to make the job go smoother.

I used to cut vinyl siding longways by scoring with a utility knife along a straightedge, until an ex roofer showed me an easier way: Mark both ends of the sheet, make a small V shaped notch on one end. Hook the end of your chalkline into the notch to hold it in place, then snap a chalk line. Then make your cut freehand along this line, using a hooked blade roofers knife. (This is the older style of utility knife used by roofers and drywall installers.) If you hold your knife at a 45 degree angle to the siding, it's very easy to cut. Then, use a small hand plane to take the bumps off your cut. It's really very fast and easy, maybe everybody does it this way? I always work alone, so I don't really know what method others are using.

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Patrick

[QUOTE=Smileydog;569928]A second utility knife with a hook blade in it,
Chalk line
blockplane

Thats three tools more than I wanna carry around in my pouch with me

Make a pencil mark and cut it free hand with the utility blade! Faster, and requires less tools.

If you cant cut free hand, put your speed square on the siding, find your cut mark, and hold your pencil against the square and drag the square and the pencil along the panel.

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Originally Posted by Celtic
Like I said...I'm sure you are very good at what you do ~ whatever that is and where ever it happens.

A W Smith

i burn through rips with the skillsaw and plywood blade in backwards, rip backwards holding the guard up on an old sheet of plywood bench top. That way the rip has a slightly dull rounded edge from the heat which wont cut my hands to shred's. I don't plunge all the way through you have to just ride the saw backwards over the panel on the rip line. If i go forward its too aggressive, even though the ply blade is backwards it pulls the panel up against the shoe. backwards it pushes the panel against the bench. I know it sounds like a hack way to do it but it works really well. and theres little chance the panel will tear at the corners when you try and hang it in cold weather. Which occasionally would happen when i used a knife.

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Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

Smileydog

There doesn't seem to be much difference in the two methods; whether to mark with pencil, or chalkline, whether to cut with hook blade or regular utility knife. If anyone were to try a hooked blade, you will find they go thru vinyl siding like butter. The hand plane is handy to keep in your toolbox, because freehand cuts can veer off, and it is a fast way to take off any irregularities. It is not a necessity, but could be used with either method. The hook blade knife is a handy tool, to get into tight places with, say if a cornerpost needs to be trimmed after it's in place. And a chalkline; I'm sure you use one to mark out for your starter.

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Red Adobe

My best advise is to make sure its pulled up extremly tight if put on when cold, When it warms it will also grow verticly a bit as well as horizontily.
I have 200 houses i do work on that werent locked in good and I stay busy replacing entire sides when the winds rip them off.

Another thing is to chase the sun.......work east side in AM south midday and west after 2 pm

Tom Struble

pulling up vinyl sidings is definitely not recommended IMO
the vinyl expands much more in length then width
and most quality siding locks compensate for this movement.
Most likely what your seeing is plate and band shrinkage
causing the siding to unlock or poor installation and nailing schedule

Patrick

agreed.

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Originally Posted by Celtic
Like I said...I'm sure you are very good at what you do ~ whatever that is and where ever it happens.

odellconstruct

i agree too , hang it not nail it .. i also found that you can use your brake to make straight cuts score as if it was a piece of coil .. makes for a perfect cut . ive also seen jigs that suppose to help mark and cut but not a fan of them .. i do it the way everyone else mark and cut freehand with a new sharp blade , and keep it sharp

Tom M

A block plane for vinyl? New one for me. I cant see it being worth the trouble.

Tom Struble

there is a tool that slides along the panel with
holes or slots that your supposed to put your knife into
and slide the tool to score your panel.My rips never seem
to be the same on both endstho

A W Smith

yes i have one, I don't know why because i never use it. Its in the bottom of one of my bucket buddies, I think?

http://www.malcoproducts.com/product...ngvinyl/sd.asp

which works just like the "rock ripper"

http://www.johnsonlevel.com/jl/product.php?id=sqrsRTS

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Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

mattp

When crimping the last piece for the undersill heat your crimpers with a torch so the sidiig wont crack. I do this on any day below 60

critter

As for the locking issue, I've found that a few quick chalklines to hold the 8" interval makes the whole job clean and straight. Cold weather makes the lock a little tighter, but holding the 8" multiple will still keep a clean install no matter what the weather does. Everyone is aware that you hold back a little more out of the channels in cold weather to allow for the extra expansion creep, but keeping to slot centers is more important. Cutting in any weather, I have found that a 4 1/2 inch grinder with a thin disc does a sweet job. I can hold it in one hand and progress in the direction that keeps the wheel pushing down on the siding - never up. It doesn't care about profile, lock lips or nuthin'!. Also works for those wierd corner post top trims that we encounter sometimes. It also works for overlap slots in tall corner post installs. Consider a cordless with a lanyard or hook to keep up on your installation rig to make quick adjustments in case your ground man makes an unheard-of boo-boo on the cut!?? Just takes a little care not to pass too far on inside corner cuts. Anyone esle using a grinder?

Tinstaafl

I love my little Makita; use it for all sorts of oddball things. But I have to admit I never tried it on vinyl siding. No problems with the vinyl wanting to melt?

Home Serve

This sounds like a good idea for easy and portable cutting in most any weather!
I'd like to try it since we already have a grinder.
I can't picture what type of "disc" that you are talking about here. Can you elaborate?
Thanks,
Dave C

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Missouri Remodeling Company with services for Replacement Windows Vinyl Siding and Entry Doors

PA woodbutcher

and what are you using for a disc?

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Smileydog

I have been using the same saw cutting jig since 1977. I work all winter in the coldest city on this continent; Winnipeg. (I'm currently on my 3rd. saw, the lightweight 10 amp. Skilsaw 5700 RPM, probably not sold anymore, but any high RPM saw will work) Honestly I have worn out 2 of these, and I'm now on my 3rd. I have it permanently mounted on a two track system that also hinges up and down, the slide is 20" long for most soffit and all vinyl siding used up here. You mount the blade (7 1/4" plywood blade) in the regular way, but you cut backwards, like you do with a radial arm saw. I use it to cut all my trims, vinyl and aluminum siding, cornerposts, soffit, it never chips, but you have to cut a little slower in winter. I firmly believe you are only as good as your equipment, how can you do professional installing if you can't make a decent jig? Also you need a decent work table. I do all my lengthwise cutting by marking with chalk line, cutting freehand with a hooked roofers blade, and yes, fine tuning with a small Stanley plane, where a precise fit is needed. Lordy Lordy, I think I will change my signature to "Don't knock it if you haven't tried it" Here are pictures, I would love to also see what others are using, for example: Pro's like Patrick, who "doesn't want to carry around a chalk line"

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"Monster trucks are for people who don't understand wrestling": Red Green

Tinstaafl

Name it and I probably have it (or you'll make me go out and get it!). Most commonly, I have a thin diamond-coated blade installed, but I also use a couple of other concrete-eaters as well as generic metal cutting blades--which come in handy in a pinch to sharpen up my junk chisel, too.

Haven't invested in sanding discs at all. That goes to either the belt or palm sander.