Remove Vinyl Siding
Has your vinyl siding become warped, damaged or stained over time? Is the exterior of your house in desperate need of a face lift? There are many reasons why it may become necessary to remove, or replace, your exterior vinyl siding. The good news is that, with the right knowledge, the right tools,and a bit of time and energy, the removal of your existing vinyl siding is a fairly simple do-it-yourself project. Read the article below to learn how to remove vinyl siding.
Steps
- Prepare your work area.
- Clear any obstacles or ground debris that may interfere with the proper use of a ladder.
- Provide yourself with ample space in which you can handle and manipulate large sections of vinyl siding, once detached from the house. You may need to temporarily relocate patio furniture, large planters, etc.
- Locate the specific section of siding that needs to be removed, or select your starting point for a top-to-bottom removal. Also, find the seam above your selected section.
- Raise the selected section of vinyl siding in order to expose its anchoring nails.
- Use a vinyl siding removal tool, or a zip tool, to raise the siding by sliding the tool into the gap between your selected section and the section directly above it.
- Tug the upper section of vinyl firmly downward to unlock it from surrounding pieces, particularly the selected section below it. Continue tugging gently along the length of the entire piece until the siding hangs freely.
- Lift the detached section of siding to expose the top the section of siding you wish to remove. The anchoring nails of the selected section should now be clearly exposed.
- Remove the anchoring nails by pulling them out with a claw hammer or by using a nail punch set. Work methodically from left to right, taking care not to skip any nails.
- Take off the now unanchored piece of siding and dispose of it properly. If the siding does not come off easily, you may need to slide the piece out of the channel moldings located at each end.
- Repeat the process row by row to remove all other sections of vinyl siding.
Tips
- Remove the left, right and top channel moldings as well as the bottom starter strip.
- If removing more than one section of vinyl siding, start at the top and work your way down.
Things You'll Need
- Zip tool
- Claw hammer
- Nail punch set
- Ladder
- Work gloves
