How to Change Your Siding

Even top quality siding isn’t indestructible. A bad storm could send an object flailing into your siding and freezing cold temperatures can cause unwanted cracks. If you’ve noticed cracks, breakage or warping in your siding, it could be time to change it. But a crack here and there doesn’t mean you need to replace the whole exterior, you can easily replace a few pieces if need be.

The key thing to keep in mind when replacing your siding is to get the closest colour match. If you recently renovated your home and know where your siding is from, head there to get the right match. If your siding is older or you don’t know where it came from, you can head to your nearest Gentek distributor to find the closest match. Make sure to bring in the broken piece of siding so they can colour match for you.

If your siding is in need of replacement, take a look at how to change your vinyl, aluminum or steel siding.

How to Change Vinyl Siding

A crack or break in your vinyl siding isn’t something to lose sleep over. Vinyl siding is actually quite easy to replace once you know the tools and steps you need to take. With a handy zip tool (which you can get for $5 at any home hardware store) and flat bar, you can get the job done in a cool 15 minutes.

Slide the zip tool along the bottom of the piece of damaged siding, releasing it from the piece below it. Push the zip tool under the siding until you feel it hook the bottom lip. Once it hooks, pull it downward and out to unhook the bottom lip, and slide it along the edge to unhook the rest of the siding. To take out the nails, use a flat bar to pry them out. To install the replacement piece, hook the lip of the upper siding piece into the slot and lock it into place.

How to Change Aluminum Siding

Replacing aluminum siding is a little more difficult. If you feel like the job is too much to handle, you can always contact a local contractor to help you out. If you want to go for it yourself, the first step is making a vertical cut at each end of the damaged piece with tin snips, and cutting horizontally along the center of the piece.

The upper section will be nailed in. Leave it in place and remove the bottom half. Then, cut the nailing tab off the top of the replacement piece and spread butyl gutter seal along the upper nailed section. Put the lower replacement piece into place, pressing it firmly into the gutter seal. Caulk the joints using the butyl gutter seal or silicone caulking compound,

How to Change Steel Siding

Steel siding is extremely durable, but there still may be times when you need to replace it. First, you’ll need to take out the nails holding the siding in place. Slide a zip tool along the damaged piece of siding and you should be able to catch on a nail. Grip the nail firmly with the zip tool and pry it out. Do this with every nail, with extra caution when it feels like the piece of siding is going to come off.

Once the nails have been removed, the siding will loosen and you can separate it and set it aside. For the new piece of siding, you’ll want to place a nail every 16 inches. Make sure it’s snug, but not tight, because if it’s too tight it can snap.

If it’s time to change a section of your siding, you can do it yourself or enlist the help of a siding contractor to help you out! Don’t fret, it will be back looking gorgeous in no time!