Vinyl siding can be installed over a range of different materials. But, vinyl siding is nailed to the wall or surface underneath. Doing so is not possible with metal, so today I will explain whether it’s possible to install vinyl siding over metal.
In general, you can put vinyl siding over metal. Vinyl siding can be attached to metal using screws instead of nails which are typically used. Another option is to install a wood frame called furring over the metal. Doing so allows you to nail the vinyl siding to attach it.
Some metal walls have metal framing, in which case you can attach the wooden framing using metal ‘L’ brackets instead. Both methods are about the same in terms of how long they take, and how difficult they are. Below, I will explain if it’s a good idea to install vinyl siding over metal, as well as, step by step, how to do it.
Can You Put Vinyl Siding over Metal? (Building/Mobile Home) (How To)
Vinyl siding is easier to install than other types of siding, and is also very easy to replace if it gets damaged. It’s easiest to install it over wood such as plywood or OSB. But, this is whether it’s possible to install vinyl siding over metal, and if so how.
You can install vinyl siding over metal. Vinyl siding can be nailed or screwed to the surface it’s being attached to. But, it’s not possible to nail into metal. Therefore, you should attach them using screws. Another option is to install a wooden frame over the metal first.
Installing wooden framing over materials such as concrete or block is common and is known as furring. For example, to cover a concrete or block wall with plywood. Each plank of vinyl siding needs to be attached every 16 inches (40.6 cm) using screws or nails.
So, if you are going to install wooden framing then the columns of the frame should be 16 inches (40.6 cm) apart. The main advantage of doing this for metal is that attaching vinyl siding requires a lot of nails to attach it to the material underneath.
Drilling screws instead of nails requires pilot holes to be drilled into the metal. As a result, screwing the vinyl siding directly into the metal requires a lot more work.
Should You Put Vinyl Siding over Metal? (Building/Mobile Home)
Vinyl siding is easier to work with than other types of siding materials, and looks great. Vinyl siding is attached to a surface using nails typically, but can also be attached using screws. Below is whether it’s possible to put vinyl siding over metal.
In general, it’s a good idea to put vinyl siding over metal. For metal a wood frame can be installed first. Alternatively, it can be attached using screws rather than nails. A wood frame is typically required for metal that is not flat such as corrugated metal.
Vinyl siding needs to be attached at regular intervals but if the metal is corrugated this may not be possible. Here is why.
Corrugated metal typically requires a wood frame
Metal that is not perfectly flat such as corrugated metal has raised areas. Vinyl siding needs to be attached every 16 inches (40 cm). You may find that where a nail needs to be is in a recessed part of the metal rather than one of the raised parts.
So when you attach the vinyl siding to the wall using a screw the screw won’t be fastened properly. If this happens depends on the size of the ‘mountains and valleys’ in the metal.
If this is an issue then you need to install wooden framing over the metal. Doing so will provide a perfectly flat surface to nail each vinyl plank into.
What Tools Do You Need to Put Vinyl Siding over Metal? (Building/Mobile Home)
There are only a few tools you need to put vinyl siding over metal. Most are common tools you will already have. Here is a list of all the tools you need to install vinyl siding over metal.
A tape measure, electric drill, metal drill bit, spirit level, pencil or marker, tin snips or utility knife, saw (only if installing wooden framing), and hammer are required to put vinyl siding over metal.
A saw is only required if you are installing wooden framing over the metal siding. Otherwise it is not required. There are also a few ways to cut vinyl siding.
Either a utility knife or tin snips work. But, other tools like an angle grinder, or jigsaw can be used.
What Preparations Do You Need to Put Vinyl Siding over Metal? (Building/Mobile Home)
Before installing vinyl siding there are a few things you will need to do, depending on what method you are using to attach the vinyl siding. Below, are what needs to be done before you install vinyl siding over metal.
In general, there are no preparatory steps required before installing vinyl siding over metal unless you are installing wooden framing first. If you are installing wooden framing the wood frame needs to be installed first. After that the vinyl siding is attached to the wood using nails.
There are two methods of attaching vinyl siding to metal. One is to screw them to the metal. The other is to install wooden framing over the metal first and then nail the vinyl planks to the metal.
Generally, wooden framing is required if the metal is corrugated. Otherwise, it’s optional. It’s a good idea because it will cut down on the total number of screws you need to install.
With a wooden framing you can nail in the vinyl planks which is a bit easier. But, overall the time it takes to install the wooden framing and the time you save is about equal.
How to Put Vinyl Siding over Metal (Building/Mobile Home)
Installing vinyl siding is fairly easy once you’re aware of the method for how to do it. Below, I will provide full step by step instructions for the two methods to install vinyl siding over metal.
In general, you can put vinyl siding over metal. But, you first need to install a wood frame called furring over the metal. Vinyl siding needs to be nailed to the wall, which is not possible for metal. Installing a wood frame is also done when vinyl siding is installed over concrete and block.
Installing wooden framing called furring is commonly done for concrete, metal, and block. But, it is only absolutely necessary if the metal is corrugated.
The reason is if the metal is corrugated the screws won’t sit flush against the vinyl siding and the metal. With that said, here are the steps to install vinyl siding over metal.
1. Install wooden framing (optional)
Wooden framing called furring is reasonably straightforward to install. The method to install it over metal is the same as installing it over concrete or block.
The difference is you should use screws that are designed for metal rather than masonry screws which are made for concrete. Any regular type of screw designed for metal will work. The main consideration is getting screws that are long enough so that they penetrate 1 to 1 ¾ of inch (2.5 cm to 4.4 cm) into the metal.
If your metal is thinner than this, it won’t be an issue because the frame, and vinyl siding is very light weight, and not load bearing. In that case you should get screws that penetrate all the way through the metal. But, not so much that there is a significant amount of screw poking out on the other side.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on December 24, 2022.
The exact length of the screws will depend on how thick the metal is you’re installing the vinyl siding into. If you have metal framing around the metal you are attaching the wooden frame to, it’s also possible to use metal L brackets instead.
2. Install the vinyl siding F-channels and starter strip
The F-channels are pieces of vinyl siding that go along the sides of where you are installing the vinyl siding. The end pieces of the vinyl planks slide into them. The starter strip is installed along the very bottom of the area where you are installing the vinyl siding.
It is where the bottom of the first row of vinyl planks fits into. Install these by attaching them to the metal using screws or nails. To see the entire process and step by step instructions for each of the steps refer to this video by the Vinyl Siding Institute:
3. Attach each of the vinyl planks one by one starting from the bottom
Now you’re ready to install each row of vinyl siding. Start from the bottom, and install one of the edge pieces into the F-channel. You then attach the next vinyl plank on the side of the previous plank creating one continuous row.
After that the next row on top is installed. And you install each row one by one until you get to the very top. At the very top often the last row needs to be trimmed, because the space will be narrower than the width of a vinyl plank.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 24, 2022.
If this is required the final row is screwed or nailed at the top edge. And a piece of vinyl siding called a J-channel is installed over the top to create a really nice finish. This step is also shown in the video above by the Vinyl Siding Institute.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 24, 2022.