Your siding replacement project may not be as successful as you may expect if you turn to amateurs that do not carry the right credentials. Improper installation due to lack of knowledge and skills may affect your new siding system’s performance, beauty and longevity. To avoid compromising your siding’s health, entrust your replacement endeavor to professional installers.
Twin Cities Siding Professionals, a siding company in the area, shares some common siding installation mistakes that a reliable contractor will avoid to maximize your siding’s service life.
Improper Clearances
Your siding contractor should leave at least a quarter of an inch clear space between the siding. The flashing vertical siding, on the other hand, should be attached to the structural framing when a gypsum board or a non-structural sheathing is used. As they get closer to the final grade, your siding installer will leave at least one and a half inches above the roof lines and decks.
Poorly Installed Panels
Fiber cement siding panels should be blind- or face-nailed, but never both. Your siding contractor should use the right nail size (6d nail), and the nails should be driven in straight. Remember that the nail used to hang fiber cement siding should penetrate at least an inch and a quarter into the studs or the structural framing.
Other Fiber Cement Siding Installation Tips
Fiber cement siding should be installed over plywood, oriented strand board (OSB) or sheathing. The siding material should also be dry during installation to avoid shrinking at butt joints. Most building codes require installing siding over water-resistant barriers in the studs every 16 to 24 inches.
Turn to Twin Cities Siding Professionals for your siding replacement and other home improvement projects. Call us today at (651) 967-0873 to learn more about our products and services. We serve residents of Minneapolis, MN, and other nearby areas.
