How to cover a wooden house with plastic siding. How to cover a house with siding - all stages of work. Openings level with the facade

Siding is famous for its simplicity and low cost of installation. With proper installation of the panels, it will last for several decades, without fear of sudden changes in temperature, wind, or precipitation.

The duration of finishing work, their cost and quality directly depend on the skills of the installer. If you already have some experience in construction, then covering a house with siding will not seem too difficult a task.

In this article, we will step by step explain how to cover a house with siding with your own hands, and also tell you what materials and tools you will need for this.

Finishing a house with siding: preparatory work

Preparing to cover a house with siding begins with cleaning the exterior walls. First of all, all protruding parts that will interfere with the installation of panels are removed: gutters, brackets, ebbs and shutters on windows, trim on doors - everything that sticks out from the flat surface of the walls.

Private houses made of stone and brick are cleaned of old plaster, covering all cracks with cement mortar or polyurethane foam. Wooden houses are cleaned of dirt and mold, and then covered with a layer of antiseptic.

Finishing a house with siding requires an accurate calculation of the required amount of materials. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the width and height of the walls in advance, then subtract the total area of windows and doors from their total area. You also need to calculate the perimeter of the house and all window and door openings, so the total length of the connecting structures will become clear.

Formula for calculating materials: (area of all walls of the house − area of windows and doors) ÷ area of one panel × 1.10

Only the usable area of the siding panel is taken into account, that is, without the upper fixing part. 1.10 in the formula is a 10% supply of material, which usually goes to waste during inaccurate cutting and final fitting.

It is most convenient to use a schematic house plan - you can use it to calculate the required number of panels piece by piece, and you will immediately see where the full-length panels will go and where trimming will be required. Any siding manufacturer will help you with calculations for free. This can be done in advance in the online services “Alta-calculator” and “Alta-planner”.

Tools and materials

To quickly and easily install siding with your own hands, you practically do not need a special tool - just what you already have in any private home is enough.

Tape measure, square and metal ruler - for measurements.
Construction level of at least 120 cm - to check the accuracy of installation of the sheathing vertically and the accuracy of laying siding panels horizontally.
Electric drill, screwdriver or screwdriver for fastening.
A knife cutter, electric jigsaw, grinder or hacksaw (with small and sharp teeth) - any of these tools will be needed to cut the panels. It is better not to use a hacksaw when installing siding in the cold season, because the panels may crack. The grinder should operate only at low speeds: at a high speed of rotation of its disk, the material of the panels at the cut site will melt.
A siding hammer, also known as a punch, is needed to create hooks to secure the siding into the finish strip.

The punch is the only tool for installing siding that will have to be purchased specially. Photo No. 1.

Connecting structures. Siding panels are not the only structural element that will be required during installation. They are connected to each other by special strips: starting, connecting, finishing, etc. Separate structures are used for cladding window and door openings, as well as building corners. The use of additional structures makes it possible to cover a house of any design with siding.

Plastic structures used in siding installation. Photo No. 2.

Areas of application of connecting elements. Photo No. 3.

Insulation. A private country house, used only in spring and summer, in most cases does not need additional insulation. A house in which people live all year round is usually insulated with mineral wool - it is placed outside the building, in the cells formed between the sheathing floors.

Scheme of sheathing and installation of insulation. Photo No. 4.

The lathing is installed on the entire surface of the facade. First of all, it is mounted along the side surfaces of the building, corners, windows, doorways and other protrusions. The standard distance between floors is 40 cm. But the heavier the panels, the smaller the sheathing step needs to be. More dense sheathing should be used on houses that are located in areas of strong winds and possible hurricanes.

Windows and doors are surrounded by sheathing along the entire perimeter - a reinforced contour is created on which window and door frames are attached. Photo No. 5.

Simple wooden slats are usually used as sheathing on log houses. Their main disadvantage is the high probability of distortion. Therefore, it is important to choose only dry, straight slats without knots, thoroughly soak them with an antiseptic and install them only in dry weather.

Another option is galvanized profiles. They are more versatile, but can expand when installed in extreme heat. When it gets colder, the siding installed on such profiles becomes deformed.

The main advantage of polymer profiles is the quick and accurate installation of siding panels on them. Photo No. 6.

How to install panels correctly

During all preparatory work, it is better to store siding panels in a covered, dry room, protected from direct sunlight, in a horizontal position on a flat surface, at a temperature of –30 to +50 °C.

Fastening sequence. Siding panels are mounted on previously installed connecting structures: starting, connecting and corner strips. Facing starts from bottom to top from left to right. First, the starting bar is attached. It must be mounted absolutely horizontally: the evenness of laying all subsequent layers depends on this.

The first front panel is inserted into the starting bar and slightly pulled up until it snaps into place. Then the panel is screwed to the sheathing through special mounting holes: the first screw is screwed into the middle of the siding panel to avoid its deformation in the future. When screwing in the screws, the panel should not be pulled up - it should hang freely under its own weight.

After fixing the first siding panel, the next one is installed on it using exactly the same technology. In order to cladding the facade evenly and accurately, it is recommended to assemble the panels simultaneously along the entire perimeter of the house - in a circle, visually monitoring the evenness of the installation and checking the horizontality of every third layer of panels with a building level. This way there will be less waste during installation - you can immediately see where the cut pieces can be used.

The finishing strip is attached after the last layer of siding panels is installed. In the very top panel you need to make hooks - for this you will need a punch. These hooks are then snapped into the finishing strip clamp.

Thermal expansion gap. The main installation rule is that siding and accessories must move freely and not rest against anything. Due to natural temperature changes throughout the year, siding is subject to expansion and contraction. Therefore, when rigidly fixed to the sheathing, it becomes deformed and moves in waves.

This is what errors look like when calculating gaps for thermal expansion. Photo No. 7.

Be sure to leave 5–8 mm free between the siding panel and the side fastener. After installing the panel, it should move freely left and right, but not dangle.

Fastening elements. The most convenient way to fasten the siding to the sheathing is with galvanized self-tapping screws with a sharp tip and a wide head. They are not subject to corrosion and over time will not leave unpleasant rusty stains on the facade.

There should be a distance of 1.5 mm between the screw head and the panel. The easiest way is to tighten the screw completely and then loosen it one turn. Photo No. 8.

The screws are screwed exactly in the middle of the mounting holes so that the panels can move. Photo No. 9.

Extension of panels. Often the building is longer than the siding panel. In such cases, a connecting strip is used. In this case, panels of standard length have to be cut. When calculating their length, it is important to remember the temperature gaps.

Installation of siding panels with a connecting strip (left) and extension of panels with an overlap (right). Photo No. 10.

The second way to lengthen panels is overlapping installation. So that the junction points are not noticeable, the joints of the next layers are made offset. But still, after a few years, due to thermal expansion between panels mounted overlapping, gaps will appear and the joints will become noticeable.

Cladding a house with siding - video

For even more information on how to properly and quickly cover a house with siding with your own hands, see the instructions from the Alta-profile company and on video.

For any person who knows how to use construction tools, decorating a house with siding with their own hands is not a problem. This is facilitated by the instructions issued by the manufacturers. If you strictly follow these instructions, everything can be done, but do not forget about some subtleties that require special attention.

Preparatory work

Installing siding should begin with preparing the walls. It is necessary to dismantle all interfering components: shutters, trim, metal grilles, doors, drains.

If there are gaps around windows and doors, they should be sealed.

Frame

At the second stage of work, the sheathing is installed. It can be made of galvanized steel profile or wooden slats. When using wooden slats, make sure they are dry and treat them with an antiseptic.

For metal siding, steel sheathing is made. Vinyl - attaches to any sheathing. However, on brick or concrete walls, it is better to install steel sheathing.

The reason for this is that the wooden sheathing will absorb moisture from the brick wall. Even the use of special moisture-proof impregnations will not help much in such a situation.

In addition, when installing basement siding, they also use exclusively metal sheathing. Or moisture will be absorbed from the ground. In this case, you will need to remove the panels and install new ones.

Facade ventilation

There must be air flow in the space from the siding to the wall. For this reason, the connection of vertical slats should not be made in a horizontal plane - this will interfere with ventilation.

When covering with siding, you can also do insulation. I lay the insulation between the vertical slats of the frame. A waterproofing layer is laid on top so that the insulating material does not become saturated with moisture.

But even here, ventilation of the facade is required. To ensure ventilation, a gap should be left from the waterproofing layer to the siding surface. This is done using an additional sheathing (25 mm), which is mounted on top of the main one.

When fastening, use only anti-corrosion nails, staples or bolts. They should be tightened no less than 20 mm.

Siding fastening

Siding must “breathe”. A person finishing a house with siding must follow this rule unconditionally. Siding panels should not be rigidly attached.

Siding is attached this way because when it heats up, vinyl siding becomes longer, and when it cools, it shrinks. The same strip can change length by 10 mm, depending on the time of year.

For this reason, the shape of all mounting holes is oblong. Nails cannot be installed from the edge of the hole or through the panels - only in the finished hole and in the center. Otherwise, the siding will deform.

The same goes for deepening nails. The cap and siding plate should be 1 mm apart. In this case, the profile will not be pressed and it will move freely.

And, naturally, sheathing with siding is not done by surprise. For free movement of the siding, a small gap should be left from the end edge.

When installed in summer, the gap will be 6-9 mm, and in winter – at least 10 mm. If the gap is not maintained, swelling of the siding panels will occur, and possibly even destruction.

Siding is one of the types of building materials for wall cladding. With its help, you can completely change the appearance of a private house at low cost, if the house is still good, but already quite old. In addition, finishing and siding are used for the outside.

Layed on top of the insulation, it not only hides it, but also improves the entire exterior of the house. It is for this reason that many home owners decide to make such changes to the appearance of their home. Step-by-step instructions on how to cover your house with siding yourself will help you do all the work correctly.

A little history

This type of cladding was invented by our Pomors. For hunting, durable, light vessels were needed. It was in shipbuilding that this type of ship plating was used. Actually, the word siding itself is translated as plank. Northern peoples adopted this technology to insulate their homes, lining their houses with planks. In addition to insulation, this technology made it possible to speed up the construction of houses on the northern coast, and was very popular among Russian pioneers.

Nowadays, siding is made from modern building materials:

Vinyl;
Metal;
Cement (fiber cement siding);
Tree.

Various types of siding allow you to completely change the appearance of a private home without significant financial costs.

Preparation for sheathing

Preparatory work for covering a house with siding is not very difficult. The entire building will need to be carefully inspected and several measurements taken. If sagging of masonry mortar is visible, you just need to knock them down. Either drive the protruding nails back or remove them altogether. If possible, small protrusions more than 6 mm in height should also be eliminated.

Inspection

When inspecting the house, it is also necessary to identify unevenness of the walls, base, corners, window openings and other architectural elements - in general, wherever siding work is planned. It is better to carry out such measurements using a long standard metal rod, cord and tape measure. Deviation from the plane is permissible no more than 12 mm. In local places – no more than 6 mm.

Simply put, if the entire wall is not rectangular, but diamond-shaped, then the difference in diagonals should be no more than 12 mm. The same option, but for a window or door – 6 mm.

The general unevenness of the entire wall (pediment, cornice, plinth) should not exceed 12 mm.
Over time, the building may sag on one side and tilt. The inclination of a wall or the entire building is checked using a plumb line. Deviation from the vertical is allowed no more than 25 mm. If the slope of the entire building is greater than permissible, then it is already in a pre-emergency condition. If it is not eliminated, then further work on siding is simply pointless.

Preparatory work

After checking the geometry of the building, a set of preparatory work is required. Platbands, drains, grates, etc. are removed. If you find cracks in the walls, near window and door openings, seal them either with polyurethane foam or simply with cement mortar. If you find: broken plaster, peeling paint, areas covered with mold - thoroughly clean such areas. Treat wooden walls with any antiseptic.

Tools and materials

Before starting work on siding your house, make sure you have a full set of available tools:

Electric screwdriver and screwdriver;
Hammer;
Roulettes (laser tapes are easier and more convenient to work with);
Construction level;
Stairs.

How to cut boards

When cladding a building, part of the finishing panels is used entirely. But in some places you will have to make extensions from the same material. Depending on what material will be used for cladding and siding, the tool for cutting the panels is also selected.

For vinyl

Electric jigsaw with fine-toothed blade;
Bulgarian;
Sharp Cutter;
Universal;
Hacksaw for metal;
Shoe knife.

Metal siding

hacksaw for metal;
metal scissors;
electric circular saw with pobedit teeth.

Advice! The use of an angle grinder (grinder) is accompanied by heating of the metal siding at the cut site, damaging the protective top layer.

Material

If you want to do all the cladding work yourself, in order to purchase all the necessary material, you can simply contact a large hardware store. The seller simply needs to describe in detail the area of the walls, the number of windows and doors, etc., and he will calculate and select the necessary set of materials for the job.

And in order to control the quality of the product, you need to know what characteristics the material for covering a house with siding must meet:

Same thickness throughout the entire panel.
The presence of special markings on the inside of the panel is mandatory. This marking carries all the necessary information on the material: color, batch number, production date. If there was not enough material for covering during the work process, you can always purchase more, focusing on this marking.
The quality panels have a hurricane lock. It is made in the form of a bend on top of the panel and is located above the holes for fasteners.
A sure sign that a company cares about its image is the presence of additional elements and accessories included with the materials.
All products must be provided with certificates and warranties. The minimum warranty period for coverage must be 50 years.
Responsible sellers will definitely include instructions for installing siding with the purchased product.

Installation of sheathing

First, markings are made. Straight lines are drawn on the walls of the house so as to create a closed contour. To make the line horizontal, a horizontal level helps. At the corners of the house from the horizontal line, it is necessary to take measurements with a tape measure to determine the minimum distance to the base. When the minimum distance is set at this level, the string for the contour is pulled. The starting bar will be mounted on it.

The next stage is the installation of elements of vertical metal guides from the installation horizon, starting from the corners. The distance between the vertical slats is 35-45 cm. Additional guides are made near windows and doors. The main condition is that they should not intersect anywhere.

This is necessary to ensure that air constantly circulates under the siding, preventing the formation of mold.
For walls made of brick and concrete, the guides are made from a special profile. For log walls, slats with a cross section of 60x40 mm, treated with an antiseptic solution, are used.

Waterproofing and insulation

If the sheathing is installed on wooden and aerated concrete walls, waterproofing must be installed.

Insulation of walls with mini-slabs is carried out at the request of the house owner, but a moisture-and-windproof membrane must be installed in any case. If there is no insulation, the film is attached to the wall of the house. If there is a layer of insulation, a layer of waterproofing is attached on top of it. Since a gap for ventilation between the insulation panels and the siding is required, a sheathing is constructed on top of the insulation layer.

Guides

Now that the insulation is in place and the sheathing is ready, it’s time to install siding accessories, such as:

external and internal elements at the corners of the structure;
strips for window and door openings;
ebbs on the base of the building and windows.

The basement drainage is fixed at the intended level under the lower siding strip so that the upper edge runs along the line. The corner elements are attached rigidly to self-tapping screws at the very top of the outer hole. The subsequent screws are screwed into the middle of the slot in increments of 50 cm.

Advice! If the profile is not enough, it can be built up with another one, overlapping with the previous one with an overlap of five centimeters.

Window framing begins with the installation of the ebb. It protrudes beyond the window opening by 8-10 cm on both sides. The side window strips are installed on this protrusion. From below, the ebb is held in place by a j-profile. After installing the siding, the window design is completed by installing the trim.

The process of edging a doorway is almost identical to that of a window.

Installation of panels

The process of installing siding panels is somewhat similar to a LEGO set. Each element is connected to the other in turn. The first row from the bottom is attached to the first (starting) bar with light pressure until a click appears from below. At the top, through the slots, they are fastened with self-tapping screws in the center, so that the siding moves into them without visible effort. Fastening is carried out from the center to the edges of the building, in increments of 40 cm.

All subsequent panels are attached in the same way, rising from the foundation to the roof. The topmost row ends with a finishing strip.

Basic installation rules

Be sure to avoid rigid fastening of siding panels. It should be remembered that the material itself has the property of shrinking in the cold and expanding in the summer. Therefore, the screw is screwed into the center of the hole so that there is a gap of 1 mm between the screw head and the plate.
Maintain a 10 mm gap between the slats and the guides. This will prevent the siding from being damaged when it expands in hot weather.
Facing a house with siding can be done in any weather, but it should be taken into account that in frost the material becomes brittle and therefore requires more careful handling during installation.

Watch the video:

I have the following problem. The house is old, and it is simply necessary to insulate the corner room; in winter it is cold, damp and there is mold on the walls. There is not enough money to cover the entire house, so we decided to start from this place. This is an extension, and not made very well. Deviation from the plane is about 20 mm. So far we have decided that horizontal cladding will show all the shortcomings, and vertical cladding will hide it, but we doubt whether this is so.

The question arose before winter of covering the house with siding. Since I am not a builder myself, I encountered this for the first time. I read a bunch of different tips, websites that tell you what to do and how to do it. But I haven’t been able to find anyone who can put it all in concrete terms. I came across this article. I read and understood everything very carefully. What, how to do and what will be needed. As a result, I bought beige metal siding and got to work. Since I was on vacation, my friend and I did everything quickly. It’s good that the house is recently built, so all the corners and walls are even. There were practically no difficulties. The result is a satisfied wife and a beautiful home. Thanks for the article, it turned out to be very useful.

Wood is a wonderful building material proven over thousands of years. But at the same time, we have to admit that, in comparison with other building materials, wood is characterized by the least resistance to the negative influences of the external environment, which adversely affects not only its appearance, but also its working qualities. In this regard, it is highly desirable to provide effective protection for wooden enclosing structures, and for this purpose today siding is most often used. Next we will talk about how to choose it and how to properly cover the walls of a wooden house with your own hands.

Before you start finishing

When planning to decorate a wooden house with siding, you should take into account some features of such buildings:

If a house is built from logs or solid timber that have not been processed in drying chambers, it will shrink over a long period of time. This means that the geometry of the structure will change in some way. To the naked eye, the shrinkage will be invisible, but if the finishing is fixed to the walls, it will probably be deformed and in some places may even collapse. Shrinkage is also taken into account when constructing the roof: the rafters are not fixed rigidly, but according to a sliding pattern.
Depending on the design, wooden walls can have a vapor permeability from 0.06 (across the fibers) to 0.32 mg/m*h*Pa (along the fibers). Siding, be it vinyl or metal, has zero vapor permeability. If we screw the facing panels close to the wall, then the steam that has penetrated into it from the inside, having no outlet, will turn into condensation on the outer surface (under the siding).

Moisture is dangerous for any building material, as it increases the thermal conductivity of the structure and, when freezing, creates gradually increasing cracks in it. And in the case of wood, it also leads to rotting.

Therefore, it is very important to ensure effective steam removal: the siding is mounted so that there is a ventilated gap (builders say ventilated) between it and the wooden wall.

There is no need to install a ventilated gap only if the inside of the wall is covered with a vapor barrier film or trimmed with some absolutely vapor-proof material, for example, covered with vinyl wallpaper. But this solution has a drawback: to remove excess humidity, it is necessary to increase the ventilation performance, which leads to an increase in heat loss and, accordingly, heating costs.

Houses made of laminated veneer lumber, as well as those built using frame technology, are not characterized by shrinkage: all wooden elements from which they are built are thoroughly dried before starting construction work.

Material selection

Siding today comes in three varieties:

fiber cement (another name is fiber cement);
metal;
polyvinyl chloride (for short called vinyl or simply plastic).

Vinyl siding is the most popular - it accounts for 70% of all sales.

This is explained by a number of advantages of this material:

Low cost.
Light weight, due to which there is no need to strengthen load-bearing structures and foundations, and delivery and installation are extremely simplified.
The widest selection of colors and textures. PVC plastic, like any other, can easily be given any shape, which manufacturers successfully use: siding is produced that imitates wood, brickwork, straw and other materials.
Resistant to all weather conditions.
Sufficient mechanical strength.

When choosing vinyl siding, consider the following:

The cheapest panels are those that imitate wood. They are also the most popular - they account for approximately 80% of consumer demand. Siding with a more complex texture may cost more.
You shouldn’t buy cheap siding from a little-known manufacturer out of a desire to save money. Some buyers think that there is not much difference, they say, siding is just a piece of plastic. In fact, a lot depends on adherence to technology: low-quality siding does not burn evenly, but in spots. In addition, the material itself is less resistant to ultraviolet radiation, which causes the destruction of polymers.

Siding in pastel colors is considered the most preferable. Compared to brightly colored panels, it has the following advantages:

fades less quickly and less noticeably in the sun;
less susceptible to thermal expansion;
has a lower cost.

Among the manufacturers of vinyl plastic, the Russian companies Alta-Profile, Docke, FineBer, Grand Line, Northside, Belarusian Atlantic, U-Plast, Vox, Polish Royal, Canadian Vytec, Mitten and American Elixir have proven themselves well. Variform.

Equipment

Here are the parts included in the cladding kit:

Narrow long panels are the main element from which the cladding is assembled.
The corner is external, usually 3 m long.
The corner is internal, has the same length.
The starting plank, into the protrusion of which the lowest cladding panel is placed. Installed above the plinth and above window/door openings. Typically 3.8 m long.
J-section plank. This part covers the ends of the panels if the cladding is open. For example, if the siding is not installed along the entire perimeter, or there is an extension adjacent to the house, which it was decided to leave unfinished. In addition, the J-plank is used as a frame for gable trim, and if desired, it can also be used as a finishing strip.
Planks with T-shaped and H-shaped sections. They are used to design joints between siding panels - mainly when extending them along the length. The length of one part is 3 m.
Near-window slats. They are used in cases where windows and doors are recessed into the wall. Length - 3 m.
Platbands. They are used for finishing openings, the filling of which - a window or door - is located in the plane of the outer surface of the wall.
Window tides. Before purchasing, you should make sure that you have not already installed them: these parts are usually supplied complete with metal-plastic windows.
Drain plate. An additional accessory designed for installation above a window.
Wind board.

In addition to the above, you will need soffits - perforated panels that line the space under the eaves of the roof. Thanks to perforation, ventilation of the ventilated gap under the roof is ensured.

Calculation of the number of siding elements

It is better to purchase siding for finishing a wooden house at one time. If you subsequently have to buy additional parts, they may not match the color of the main set, since two batches of even the same color usually have slightly different shades. And the additional time and money spent on delivering the missing elements is unlikely to please the homeowner. Based on this, it is very important to calculate with sufficient accuracy the required number of all parts before purchasing.

Number of panels

Determined by the formula: N = (Sst - Sok - Sdv + Sfr)/Spanels,

Sst - wall area;

Sok - total area of window openings;

Sdv - total area of external doorways;

Sfr - the total area of all gables;

Spanels - useful (!) area of one siding panel.

If the panels in a row are connected end-to-end, then the usable area should be taken equal to the actual one. This value is indicated on the packaging and in most cases is 0.85 m 2. If the panels are supposed to be installed with an overlap, then when calculating Spanel, you need to subtract the overlap from the actual area.

Number of external and internal corners

Economy option: sum up the lengths of all external corners of the building and divide them by 3 m (the length of one corner). But with this approach, the framing of all corners, except the first, will be made from several fragments of corners (at least two), unless their lengths are exactly 3 m. The joints between the fragments, even with the most careful installation, will be noticeable, as a result of which the cladding will greatly lose its aesthetic merits. If the user wants to get a flawless finish, he should not skimp and purchase one whole corner for each corner.
As a compromise option, you can purchase whole parts for the corners on the street side, and those located on the yard side or hidden, for example, by green spaces, can be laid out from several pieces left after trimming.

Total length of starting bars

Calculated using the following formula: Lst = P + Wok,

P - perimeter of the building;

Wok - the total width of all window openings.

Example: to cladding a house that is a rectangle in plan with dimensions of 10x6 m and has 8 window openings 1 m wide, the starting strip will be needed:

Lst = 10 + 6 + 10 + 6 + 8x1 = 40 m.

The number of parts can be easily determined by dividing 40 m by their standard length of 3.8 m. For the house in our example, you will need to purchase 11 starting strips.

Calculation of the needs of other elements

The number of other elements is calculated as follows:

The number of J-planks, if any, is used, is determined by dividing the total length of all ends, except those converging at the corners, by the length of one part 3.8 m.
Planks with T-shaped and H-shaped sections are counted individually on the cladding diagram, which must first be drawn.
Near-window strips are calculated individually in such a way that they, like the corners, are used only in one piece. The same applies to platbands.
When calculating soffits, their area is determined in m2: the total length of all parts is multiplied by the width, determined by the design features of the cornice.

The length of the wind board is taken equal to the total length of the gable slopes.

Experienced craftsmen add 7-10% of the margin for scraps to the calculated volumes. It is better for a novice installer to add 15%.

Advice. Instead of manual calculations, you can use special online calculators located on the websites of some siding manufacturers and suppliers. It is enough to enter into the program several sizes that interest it, and it will instantly display the exact number of panels and additional elements.

Preparatory work

Before directly installing the cladding, you must perform the following steps:

The main material of the walls is freed from the old cladding, as well as from the dust and dirt present on it.
Rotten or moldy areas are cut off and sanded down to “healthy” wood. The inspection should be carried out with the utmost attention: even a small colony of microorganisms hidden under the siding will have time to cause considerable damage to building structures before being discovered.
Next, the walls must be thoroughly lubricated with antiseptic impregnation.
After the impregnation has dried, the walls are covered with a waterproofing, vapor-permeable membrane. Be careful: this film must be installed on the correct side. At this stage, it will be enough to grab it lightly, for example, with a construction stapler. In the future, the membrane will be more firmly fixed by the frame.

Note! The plaster, if it is in good condition, does not need to be knocked down. During the installation of the siding frame, it may fall off in places, but this does not threaten any special building structures.

Frame installation

First of all, you need to decide on the frame material. Wood is cheaper and easier to work with, but two circumstances must be taken into account:

The maximum permissible humidity for timber is 20%, and it must be dried in the open air. Finding such material is not so easy, since, as a rule, freshly sawn wood with a moisture content of over 50% goes on sale. A frame made from it will undergo the shrinkage already mentioned here, that is, it will dry out and become deformed.
Even after treatment with the most effective antiseptic impregnation, the wooden frame will not be durable, since it does not have waterproofing protection.

Slats in a wooden frame have to be installed quite often - every 30 cm.

A more practical material is galvanized steel. Profiles made from it are not afraid of humidity, will not change their shape under any circumstances and can be installed in increments of 40 cm.

The frame elements are installed perpendicular to the siding panels. That is, if the cladding will be mounted horizontally (the most common option), then the slats or frame profiles should be screwed vertically to the walls. The construction of the frame begins with the installation of elements at the corners of the building, then the profiles framing the window and door openings are screwed in. After this, you can install intermediate elements.

When the profiles are positioned vertically, their installation is controlled using a plumb line, and when the profiles are positioned horizontally, using a building level.

Do-it-yourself siding on a wooden house: step-by-step instructions

A feature of PVC plastic is its relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion. Therefore, vinyl siding must be installed in such a way that it remains able to change in size with changes in temperature. The master must adhere to the following rules:

Leave a gap of 1–1.5 mm between the surface of the plastic and the head of the nail or screw. The fastening element should be located in the very center of the oval fastening hole.
Expansion joints should be left between adjacent siding elements.

The size of the guaranteed gap depends on the ambient temperature during installation:

at a minimum temperature (for most brands of siding it is -5 degrees, for some - up to -20 degrees C), parts must be installed with a gap of 9–10 mm;
when installing in warm weather, the seam width is 6 mm;
in hot conditions, the gap should be reduced to 3–4 mm.

If the siding parts are tightly clamped or installed close to each other and to other elements of the building, the cladding will warp when it warms up.

Step-by-step instructions for installing siding

Step 1: installation begins by securing the starting strip. When installed horizontally, it is placed along the bottom, controlling the position with a building level (if there is no reference point such as a plinth).

Step 2: Install the first panel. With one edge it is inserted under the protrusion of the starting bar, and with the other it is screwed or nailed to the frame. In this case, there should be no stress or tension in the panel.

Advice. Siding can also be attached to a wooden frame with nails, but it is better for a novice craftsman to use self-tapping screws - driving a nail with a hammer can very easily damage the plastic panel.

Self-tapping screws should be galvanized, 25–30 mm long, equipped with a press washer. Their approximate quantity is 20 pieces. per 1 m 2 of cladding. As already mentioned, the screws should not be tightened all the way, so that the plastic part has some freedom of movement.

Step 3: continuing the installation of the first row, screw the second panel. It can connect to the first in two ways:

Overlapping. In this case, both edges of the panels (they are called lock and nail) are trimmed so that the overlap is 25 mm.
Butt joint with temperature gap. In this case, the ends of the panels at the junction are closed with a T- or H-shaped profile. Do not forget that this profile should also be able to expand freely: a gap of 3 mm is left between its upper end and the cornice (or soffit), and 6 mm between the lower end and the plinth, porch or similar restriction. In this case, the lower end of this part should be 6 mm below the lowest edge of the starting bar.

Note! If the house was recently built and has an extension, it is necessary to take into account the different amount of shrinkage of the foundations of both structures. Based on this, their cladding should be done separately, even if the wall of the extension continues the wall of the house. In this case, the panels at the border between buildings must be joined using an H-shaped profile.

Step 3: start laying the 2nd row. Having placed the panel with the locking edge down, it needs to be interlocked with the panel of the previous row; in this case, the nail edge is screwed to the frame. The subsequent rows are laid in the same way.

Step 4: having reached the window openings, the panels that will be located under them are cut by an amount equal to the width of the opening plus one expansion joint on each side. Next, it is necessary to create hooks on these panels (cut out and extruded with a special punch), with the help of which they will engage with the platbands or near-window strips.

The panel located above the opening is also trimmed and equipped with hooks, through which it will “grab” the upper frame of the window. You can screw the starting bar over the opening - then there will be no need for hooks.

Step 5: Having laid the penultimate row, we screw the top edging - finishing strip, J-profile or inner corner - close to the cornice or soffit. Next, you need to estimate how much to trim the width of the panels of the last row: to do this, measure at several points the distance between the lock of the penultimate row and the recess in the final part, subtracting the temperature gap of 1–3 mm from this value. In accordance with the obtained size, it is necessary to narrow the panels of the last row, cutting them from the upper (nail) edge. For fastening to the finishing strip or a part installed instead of it, hooks pressed outwards are made in the upper part of the panels. Their pitch is 20 cm. The upper edge of the panel with hooks is inserted into the finishing strip, and the lower edge into the lock of the row below. The panel is then pushed upward so that the lock at the bottom and the hooks at the top are latched simultaneously.

Step 6: move on to facing the gables. To do this, the ends of the panels must be cut at an angle equal to the angle of inclination of the slope. The easiest way to do this is to use a pre-made template.

Before starting work along the overhangs, it is necessary to secure J-profiles, under which the ends of the panels will be hidden. Further actions are carried out in the same way as when facing walls. The panels must be positioned in such a way that there is a gap of 6 mm between them and the J-profiles.

Step 7: All that remains is to fix the soffits that line the under-eaves space. This is done like this:

We draw a line on the wall, which is a projection of the lower edge of the cornice.
Along this line we screw a receiving profile for the soffit to the wall and another one along the edge of the cornice.
We measure the distance between the inner walls of the profiles and subtract 6 mm from the resulting figure.
We cut the soffit in accordance with the calculated value and install it between the profiles.

Vertical installation of siding is carried out in a similar way, only the frame profiles are screwed horizontally, and the starting strip is laid vertically so that its position coincides with the central axis of the wall.

Installation of siding with insulation

If the walls of the house do not consist of insulated sandwich panels (frame technology), but of solid logs or timber, they should be insulated. The heat insulator is selected taking into account the vapor permeability of the wall:

if the inside is covered with a vapor barrier or trimmed with a vapor-proof material (vinyl wallpaper or polymer plaster), you can use polystyrene foam;
if nothing prevents the penetration of steam into the wall from the inside, insulation should be done with basalt wool. The vapor permeability of foam is 0.05 mg/m*h*Pa, so if it is installed on top of a wall that allows steam to pass through well, moisture will form on its outer surface.

Basalt wool is produced in the form of flexible mats (this design is also called rolled) and rigid slabs.

The mats are glued to the wall, then covered with a vapor-permeable waterproofing film and finally fixed with frame profiles.

Plates - both basalt and foam - are mounted slightly differently:

A wooden frame is fixed to the wall, the bars of which are placed parallel to the siding panels. That is, if horizontal installation of the cladding is assumed, then the wooden frame for the insulation should be installed horizontally. The pitch between the bars should be equal to the width of the heat insulation slabs, and the height of the bars should be equal to the thickness of these slabs.
Thermal insulation slabs are laid between the frame elements. For convenience, they can be secured with glue.
The insulation is covered on top with a waterproofing film, which is sewn to the frame using a construction stapler. Please note: it should be vapor-permeable only if basalt wool is used as a heat insulator. Polystyrene foam can be covered with cheaper film, for example, polyethylene.
A siding frame is installed on top of the insulation frame, the profiles of which are already perpendicular to the cladding panels (in our example, vertically). At the same time, these profiles will hold the insulation in the gap between the bars.

Do not finish finishing at temperatures below those specified in the siding documentation. Under such conditions, the material becomes brittle and will crumble when cutting parts.

Installation of vinyl siding should begin at the back of the house, that is, the side that is not visible from the street. At first, novice masters, until they get the hang of it, always make mistakes, and here they will be the least noticeable. This installation order is all the more desirable if the panels are overlapped in length, since the joints from the street side will be practically invisible.

Every 3rd row must be checked for horizontalness using a level.

Video: do-it-yourself siding on a wooden house

Installing siding is a wonderful way to finish a wooden house, which provides protection to the main building material, allowing you to give the house the desired appearance. The most popular is PVC siding, which is easy to install yourself.

To get an attractive, reliable and inexpensive finishing option, you should choose to install siding yourself on a wooden house. This material is available in different colors and textures, among which everyone can find their own option.

Selection of materials

Before covering a wooden house with siding, it is worth studying basic information about the types of material. The following brief description can be given:

plastic siding is the cheapest, most practical, but is afraid of mechanical stress;
metal - strong and durable, but needs protection from rust (does not apply to aluminum);
wooden - fits perfectly into the properties of a wooden house and will be the best option, but buyers may be put off by the price;
fiber cement - not so popular, not flammable, durable, but difficult to install and has a large mass.

Next, you need to select the sheathing material. It can be made of wood or light metal profile. Installing metal sheathing is easier on uneven ground. Such a frame will be strong and reliable.

But covering a wooden house with siding on a wooden frame yourself will cost less. You also don’t have to worry about protecting the wall and sheathing at the points of contact with the element, since they are made of material with similar properties. When purchasing and selecting wood for sheathing, it is important to ensure that the wood is:

without delaminations;
without deformation;
without bluish spots or signs of rot.

Before starting work, the wooden sheathing is impregnated with fire retardants and antiseptics. The former increase resistance to fire, and the latter to mold and mildew.

Preparing the base

Before you cover a wooden house with siding yourself, you will need to carefully inspect the wall. You need to check its strength and absence of severe damage. Next, you need to remove the old finish, which may interfere with the installation of the new finishing material. The base is cleaned of dirt and dust.

Frame installation

Finishing a wooden house begins with the installation of guides. The vast majority of siding requires the sheathing to be mounted vertically. Its pitch is selected depending on the insulation. The clear distance between the guides should be a couple of centimeters less than the width of the mineral wool. For polystyrene, the distance is selected exactly to match the width.

To make wooden sheathing, bars measuring 40x40 mm or 50x80 mm are most often taken. When using the metal version, you will need a set of special profiles of different sections.

The frame slats are installed in increments of 40 cm, incl. around openings. There should not be any slats at the very bottom

Nails or self-tapping screws are used to attach the frame to a wooden wall. The former must have an anti-corrosion coating made of zinc or aluminum.
Before fastening the sheathing with a construction stele, a vapor barrier is installed. To do this, you can use regular plastic film, but it is better to buy a special vapor barrier membrane. The choice of materials in a wooden house should be taken extremely responsibly. It is not recommended to use those that will block the movement of air through the walls. For this reason, membrane is better than film.

When finishing a wooden house with siding, the vapor barrier is attached with an overlap of 10 cm. Before starting work, it is recommended to read the manufacturer’s instructions. Next, the guides are attached at the required increments, starting installation from the corners. Levelness is checked using a building level.

Insulation is placed between the sheathing guides. It is better if it is mineral wool - due to its good air permeability. A layer of waterproofing and wind protection needs to be fixed on top of the wool. The best option would be modern vapor diffusion (not to be confused with vapor barrier) windproof membranes.

Securing the starting J-profile

Cladding a house with siding with your own hands at the next stage involves the following procedure:

Finding the lowest point on the sheathing using a level. It is necessary to measure 50 cm upward from this point and mark this point (for example, with a loosely screwed screw).
Sequential marking of lines with self-tapping screws along the perimeter of the building.
Pull the cord at a distance of 50 cm from the bottom along the screws.
Marking the location of corner profiles on slats. The profile is laid to the corner, its edges are marked.
Fixing the first starting profile along a rope with a gap of 6 mm from the future border of the corner profile.
Fastening the remaining starting strips with a gap between adjacent ones equal to 10-12 mm for thermal expansion.
Checking the level of the starting bars.

The profile must be mounted perfectly straight. If there are deviations at this stage, the entire siding of the wooden house will be distorted.

Corner profiles

Before you attach the siding, you will need to install the corner strips. They can be for external and internal corners. The first ones are mounted in this order:

Marking the location of the edges of the spotlights.
Attaching the guide to the corner of the building. There should be a gap of 3 mm between the profile and the soffit (roof). The lower border of the profile is located 6 mm below the border of the starting profile. The bar is secured with self-tapping screws in the upper part.
Check verticality using a building level or plumb line. Adjust the location if necessary. Fastening the bottom and middle with self-tapping screws. Fasteners do not need to be provided too often.

Installation of corner profile

If it is necessary to join the profile in height, the joining place is located at the same level in all corners of the building. The joining is done with an overlap. The part with holes for fastening the top panel is cut so that there is a gap of 9 mm between it and the same part of the bottom panel. Instead of a corner profile, when installing siding on a wooden house, you are allowed to use two starter ones.

Step-by-step instructions for installing profiles for internal corners look almost the same. But in this case, other strips are used.

Options for interior corner solutions

Opening frames

When securing the siding with your own hands with insulation, you may encounter difficulties at this stage of the work. The fastening in this case depends on how the opening is located relative to the plane of the outer wall: flush or recessed.

Waterproofing is required around windows

In case of flush openings, the façade should be finished in the following order:

Performing waterproofing of openings.
Fastening trims or J-type profiles. For each opening you need to use 4 platbands: 2 horizontal and 2 vertical.
The profiles are connected to each other. A bridge cut is made on each side of the upper profile. They are bent down to divert precipitation into the lower profile. Areas of material on the vertical strips that prevent connection with the upper ones should be removed. The side and top profiles are connected so that the bridges are inside.
The operations are repeated with the lower casing. But in this case the bridges are cut in the side elements.

Installing profiles around windows

To work with recessed openings, you need to follow the same recommendations as in the previous case. The differences lie in the use of profiles of different shapes.

Installing the first panel

Work should begin on the side of the building that is least noticeable. In this case, there is an opportunity to practice and get better. The first panel is first inserted into the corner profile and into the locking connection of the starting one, snapped into place. A 6 mm gap must be left between the bottom of the lock and the first siding element to compensate for thermal expansion.

The next step is to fix the first cladding strip to the sheathing. Self-tapping screws are used for this. The siding has elongated holes for fasteners; the self-tapping screw must be placed in the middle of this hole. All fasteners are placed strictly perpendicular to the wall surface. The screws do not tighten too much; this is necessary to prevent deformation and damage due to thermal expansion.

Installation of remaining panels

Finishing with siding with insulation (or without it) is then performed in two ways:

overlap extension;
extension using H-profile.

With the first method, you will need to first shorten the panel locks and fastening frames so that the overlap length is 2.5 cm. Installation of the H-profile is carried out according to the same principle as the corner elements. It is necessary to remember about the gaps of 0.6 cm from the starting strip and 0.3 cm from the soffit.

Every 2-3 rows it is worth checking the horizontal position of the siding using a building level. When passing through openings, a piece of trim falling into a window or door is simply cut off.

Completion of finishing

How to properly sheathe a building under a roof? You need to follow this algorithm:

Measure the distance between the bottom of the finish strip lock and the penultimate siding panel. From this distance, subtract 1-2 mm per indent and obtain the required width of the last panel. The element is marked and the upper part, in which the locking connection is provided, is cut off.
At the top of the last plank, hooks are made, which are located in increments of 20 cm. To do this, make cuts and bend them outward.
The prepared strip is inserted into the penultimate panel and snapped into the finishing profile.

To sheathe the pediment, use profiles for internal corners or starting ones. The installation technology is similar to cladding the main part of the wall. In the same way, you need to trim the panels and remember the gaps of 6 and 9 mm. The last, uppermost section of the gable can be secured with a self-tapping screw directly through the panel material. This can only be done here; in other cases, drilling holes is not allowed.