Aluminum siding is a practical choice for homes as it is durable, fireproof and weatherproof. This type of material will protect the exterior wall of your home from damage from external influences such as snow, rain and intense sunlight.
Aluminum panels are lightweight and easy to install, so anyone with experience in DIY should be able to do this job themselves. Aluminum siding can get scratched and dented, but as it does not rust like steel siding minor damage can be easily repaired by sanding, reshaping and repainting the surface.
You can purchase aluminum siding installation packs and these will provide you with all the materials you need as well as detailed fitting instructions.
Materials and Tools You will need certain tools to fit aluminum siding including:
- Radial-arm Saw or Circular Saw (with fine-tooth blade).
- Metal snips
- Sharp utility knife
- Chalk line
- Heavy duty hammer
- Stepladder
- 4d (1 1/2-inch) aluminum nails
- 3/8-inch foam board
- Aluminum panels and trim
Aluminum Siding Installation Make sure you read through the manufacturer’s instruction manual thoroughly before you begin installation, as even minor mistakes can be costly in terms of time and wasted materials. You can find out more detailed guidelines on installation at Hometips.com.
Step 1 – Preparation Clean the walls down carefully and remove any dirt and grime. If you find any nails hammer them flat and fill in any holes or large depressions. You need a clean, smooth surface to install aluminum sidings, otherwise the finish will be poor not matter how careful you are.
Step 2 – Underlay
You also need to take care installing the backing, as this must be smooth and flat. Install the 3/8-inch foam board over the clean walls and brush down when finished.
Step 3 – Aluminum Sidings When installing the sidings work on one wall at a time and use the chalk line to ensure the sheets are straight. Overlap each sheet by at least two inches, as this creates a solid, impenetrable barrier. Aluminum siding sheets from packs will have machined holes ready for the fastenings and you must only use aluminum nails (otherwise the holes could get damaged). Simply hammer the 4d (1 1/2-inch) aluminum nails into the prepared holes and fix the siding to the walls. Make sure you do not hammer in the nails too tightly as the metal will need room to expand and contract with varying temperatures. You will also need to leave gaps over around 3 to 4 inches for the corner caps.
Step 4 – Corner Caps Once the aluminum sheets have been fixed in place the corner caps need installing. This is fairly straightforward and all you need to do is slide the rims under the edges of the aluminum sidings and then nail in place.
Step 5 – Painting
Check that all the panels are firmly nailed in place and then finish off the aluminum sidings by painting them. Once painted, the sidings will need little maintenance, just clean once a year and add a fresh coat of paint every around 5 years.
