World Executives Digest | 3 Ways to Repair Vinyl Siding Like A Pro | One of the best ways to protect the walls of your home, reduce your energy bills, and even prevent water ingress is by installing cladding, also known as vinyl siding. It’s a great product, designed to last for years and needs minimal maintenance.
In most cases, you’ll just need to pressure wash it once or twice a year. But, vinyl cladding is not invincible, it can be damaged. Over-eager children with footballs, heavy storms, especially snow or hail, or even accidental contact with your garden spade or fork; all of these things can cause damage to your vinyl cladding.
The problem is that once it’s been damaged, water can get inside the cladding and potentially into your home. That’s why you need to use one of the following 3 methods to repair it as quickly as possible.
- Using A Zip Tool
It’s rarely the bottom piece of cladding that gets damaged, which means you’re looking at removing all the pieces of cladding from the ground to the damaged one. That’s a lot of cladding and an increased potential for damage.
However, you can use a specialized zip tool for cladding that should cost you less than $10.
All you have to do is slide the zip tool under the bottom of the damaged piece of cladding. Then slowly move along the bottom edge of the piece, pulling up and out as you do. The cladding piece will come away from the pieces below it. You’ll then need to locate the nails holding the cladding in position.
Use the zip tool to pull these out as well, allowing you access to remove the nails from the damaged piece.
You’ll then have the damaged piece of cladding or vinyl siding in your hand and can replace it. Put the new piece in first, using the zip tool in reverse to ensure it is clipped into the piece below. Then put new nails in before sliding the other pieces of cladding back into position. You’ll never know there was any damage.
You’re best to do this in warmer weather to reduce the risk of the cladding cracking.
- Patching The Hole
Another option is to patch the hole, this is generally the better approach for larger areas of damage.
The first thing you’ll need to do is find some vinyl cladding that matches what you have on the house. The closer the color the better!
Don’t forget the color will have aged on your home, it may not be the same color that you originally fitted.
In fact, this technique requires you to remove the damaged pieces of cladding in the way described above.
But, instead of simply replacing the cladding, you can cut a piece of cladding approximately 3” longer than the damaged area. You can then slide it into position on the damaged panel, making sure you remove the nail hem for approximately 2” on each side.
You should hear it snap into place as you push, you can then use a little silicone around the edges to seal it in position. Again, if you can color match, you’ll end up with an unnoticeable finish.
- Cover It
If you’re struggling to remove the damaged piece, or not confident in your ability to repair it properly, you can always add a new piece over the top. However, you want to make this an effect, as though you’ve designed the cladding this way.
A good tip for doing this is to choose cladding in a different color and then mount it over the damaged cladding, creating a pattern that runs around your home. In many ways, it’s like putting a border up in a room.
The new cladding will need to be sealed in place to prevent leaks but it can add a touch of flair to your home.
