Covering a country house with siding - step-by-step cladding technology

A little history

The first siding is planed boards that are laid to the facades of frame houses at an angle so that the lower edge of the upper board covers the upper edge of the lower board. This cladding was painted so that the wood would last a long time. True, I had to paint with enviable consistency. Today, wooden siding is present on the market, only in Russia it is called lining.

In the fifties of the last century, a vinyl variety began to be produced in Canada as a cheaper one with a longer service life. Vinyl siding had one very important property - it did not need to be painted. Therefore, he immediately became popular.

Later, manufacturers began to offer metal siding and cement siding. That is, the modern market has a fairly wide range of designated finishing materials.

The better to cut

You can cut vinyl siding with any sharp cutter or saw. There must be support on a rigid base. The material becomes brittle at low temperatures, so working with it in cold weather is not recommended.

It is better to cut metal siding with tin snips. Even if burrs remain, they will hide under the slats and will be invisible. Abrasive tools are prohibited for use because they burn out the protective layer, which causes rapid corrosion of the metal at the cut site.

Types of siding and its characteristics

Wooden coverings on the market are represented by three positions:

from solid wood, dried to 6-18%;
thermally treated wood is when finished products are heated to +220C with high humidity;
impregnated wood - impregnated with antiseptics under high pressure.

Today, manufacturers offer lining made of wood-polymer material. These are sawdust and polypropylene.

Wooden siding on the wall of a house Source ro.decorexpro.com

Vinyl siding is a product made of PVC (the composition of this polymer is 80%, the rest is various additives that improve its characteristics). If we talk about inexpensive siding for a summer house, then this is exactly the option. Service life – up to 50 years. The original decorative design is not lost over time; the product is quite durable, although very light. Tolerates sudden temperature changes well. Vinyl siding has zero water absorption.

Metal siding is made from either aluminum panels or galvanized steel sheet. Until recently, it was a material painted on the front side. Today, manufacturers offer products coated with a polymer composition, which increases their service life and color design.

House finished with metal siding Source 2gis.ru

This variety has one serious drawback - sheet metal siding does not withstand impact loads well. Under their influence, it wrinkles, forming dents that do not recover on their own.

And the last type is cement, or more precisely, fiber cement, because in addition to cement mortar, cellulose fibers are used in production, which serve as a reinforcing frame.

The main advantage of this type of siding panels is zero flammability, so they are often used for cladding those buildings to which fire services have complaints. As for the disadvantages, these are, first of all, the heavy weight, which requires the installation of a reinforced frame, and the high price.

Cottage lined with cement siding Source pinterest.it

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in facade materials.

Advantages of vinyl siding

This material has a number of advantages that set it apart from other types of this finish.

Ease. Allows you to transport and move elements without much difficulty. In addition, it can be installed both on new buildings and on old ones.
Protective functions. Vinyl siding perfectly resists temperature fluctuations, humid environments, and the effects of microorganisms.
Wide selection of colors and textures.
Affordable price.
Unpretentious care. For cleaning use ordinary water. More serious stains can be removed with a sponge and detergent. But ordinary melt or rain water can easily remove dust.
Long service life. Some manufacturers indicate a figure of about 50 years. But be careful when choosing colors. Often, to reduce the cost, low-quality dyes are chosen, and bright colors lose their attractiveness after the first sunny season. Therefore, it is better to choose pastel shades.

Siding installation technology

It is necessary to immediately make a reservation that siding installation is carried out only on a frame installed on the wall of the house. The latter can be assembled either from wooden blocks with a maximum cross-section of 50x50 mm, or from galvanized metal profiles used for finishing various surfaces with plasterboard. The second option is preferable because metal profiles do not change their dimensions and do not warp when exposed to changes in humidity and temperature.

If you decide to use wooden blocks for lathing, then you need to choose well-dried ones. After installation or before installation, the bars must be treated with an antiseptic.

The frame structure of the wall cladding is called a ventilated facade. This design got its name because, firstly, thermal insulation material is usually laid under the cladding. Secondly, a gap is left between the insulation and the façade finishing material, which serves as wall ventilation.

In fact, the installation process itself is divided into two stages: installation of the frame and installation of siding. As an addition – repair of wall surfaces, installation of insulation. Therefore, next we will tell you how to decorate a country house with siding step by step.

Scheme of a ventilated facade Source pinterest.ca

Installation of frame structure

This is an important stage in facade finishing. The quality of the final result depends on it. Therefore, first of all, all unnecessary elements and accessories are removed from the walls: window and door frames, lamps, switches, decorative ornaments, etc. The wall should remain bare.

After which the surface is examined for defects: cracks, grooves, which are sealed with repair solutions or sealants. If a wooden wall will be covered with siding, it is recommended to treat it with an antiseptic, after drying with a fire retardant. If the wall is a plastered surface, brick or block, then it is treated with a primer.

There are two types of siding panels that differ from each other in the installation method: vertically installed and horizontally. For the facades of private houses, the second type is used. This means that a sheathing with vertically installed elements is mounted under it.

Frame for horizontally laid siding Source ms.decorexpro.com

Where does the assembly of the frame for siding at the dacha begin:

First of all, vertical lines are applied . The distance between them is 50-60 cm. For this, use a regular plumb line. The two extreme lines are drawn from the corners of the building at a distance of 5 cm.
On these lines, in increments of 50-60 cm, direct hangers are installed , which are attached to the wall surface with self-tapping screws and plastic dowels.
The sheathing elements are mounted to the suspensions located at one of the corners of the building . Set it vertically with a plumb line.
The block or profile in the same way At the same time, it is placed not only vertically, but also in the same plane as the first installed element. To do this, three or four threads are pulled between them, which are aligned with each other so that they form one vertical plane.
Intermediate elements of the frame structure are installed along the tensioned threads .
to install profiles on hangers around window and door openings.

Metal profile frame for siding Source ko.decorexpro.com

Material calculation and preparation

The technology for finishing a house with siding is almost the same for all types. To cladding a house, you will need to prepare some tools for the job:

a universal hacksaw with small teeth;
scissors for cutting metal;
screwdriver;
pliers;
hammer;
construction plumb line;
roulette;
pencil.

A complete list of necessary tools.
The work is easier to do with two people. They start with calculating the material. This is necessary in order to immediately purchase the required quantity and avoid additional transport and time costs during the work process.

The amount of material can be calculated approximately. To do this, calculate the area of the external walls, plinth and cornices. To calculate the required number of panels, the result must be divided by the area of one element. In order to think over the location of the joints and more accurately calculate the quantity, it is worth making a sketch of the external walls of the building. It is recommended to add 5-10% to the amount of siding received for trimming and various unforeseen expenses.

Calculation of surface area for cladding

Wall finishing begins with surface preparation. It includes the following steps:

cleaning from dirt and dust;
removal of plants, dried lime;
removal of worn-out plaster and other finishing materials;
dismantling drainpipes, window sills, various decorative elements that may interfere with the work process.

Video description

In the video, the specialist talks about some of the nuances of the installation process that improve the quality of the final result:

Connecting profile for siding on the wall of a house Source montazh-saidinga.ru

And one more point that concerns the decoration of window and door openings. For this purpose, special slopes are used, which are part of the additional elements for siding. They are also easy to install. The main task is to accurately form the openings.

Frame installation

If the house is built of brick or lightweight concrete, it is recommended to use light metal profile sheathing. For a timber or frame building, it is wise to choose a timber frame.

The wooden sheathing is made from slats measuring 50x50 mm. They can be attached to the wall with nails or self-tapping screws. When installing wall siding, the sheathing is placed vertically. When finishing the base, both vertical and horizontal frames can be used.

The frame slats are installed in increments of 30-40 cm, as well as around the openings. There should not be any slats at the very bottom

First of all, the corner elements of the frame are installed. Their evenness is checked using a building level. To secure the frame posts, you should use nails with an anti-corrosion coating (zinc, aluminum). The distance between the frame slats depends on the type of siding. For metal panels it will be 40 cm, and for vinyl panels - 30 cm. But this information should be clarified with the manufacturer.

Siding size for house trim

Siding panels differ in manufacturing material, color design, and size. Different manufacturers have their own size range. The table below shows the possible options.

Type of siding	Thickness(cm)	Width(cm)	Length(cm)
Wood	0,4	9-18	200-600
Metal	0,5-1,3	19-21	50-600
Fiber cement	0,6-3,5	30,5-150	45-360

Installation of H-profile

The installation of the H-profile is carried out simultaneously with the installation of the corner strips (immediately after the starting strip). The same rules apply as for corner profiles - trimming nail strips for joints and mandatory temperature gaps. The use of an H-profile makes the longitudinal joining of panels more aesthetically pleasing and allows you to immediately cut the required number of panels to length for a given area.

Video installation instructions

The technology of covering with vinyl or acrylic siding is described in detail in this video. We are talking about how and in what order to install profiles, how to mount and join external and internal corners. The process of covering a window with siding is described in detail.

Installation of facade siding is not much different. Is it just because the sheathing is required “in a cage”. Otherwise, everything is the same: we install the screws in the center of the mounting holes, do not tighten them.

This is what the sheathing looks like for basement siding (under stone, brick or tile)

There are small peculiarities in the joining of elements. There are stops on the back of the panels that prevent the panel from moving further. When installing siding under stone or brick, you must not miss this point: the stops may break under strong pressure. The features of installation are well described in the advertising and training video of the German manufacturer Docke (Dock or Deck).

To see how a large wooden house was covered with vinyl siding to look like stone, see the following video. This is no longer a commercial, but an experience: laying siding with your own hands was done for the first time. What happened and what the sensations are - look.

Features of covering a frame house with siding

Frame houses covered with OSB panels have a relatively flat wall surface. You can sheathe it immediately after its construction, there will be no shrinkage. It would be good if the house was built by the same company that will do the cladding. This will affect not only the cost of work. The wind and hydroprotection must be placed on the OSB outside. This creates better conditions for air circulation. If you do not initially plan to cover it with siding, the wind-hydroprotection will remain between the insulation and the OSB board. There is no need to install it a second time.

The ventilation gap between the OSB board and the siding must be left. Therefore, even with a perfectly flat surface, you need to make lathing. Judging by the reviews about which siding is best to choose for cladding a frame house, fiber cement wins.