i freakin hate vinyl siding !
 

let me begin by saying that i have hated vinyl siding since the first day i saw it. it just looked like too much of a compromise to use this cheap plastic crap as an ingredient in what i like to be a solid shelter called home.

my house has siding only on the extension in the back and i thought that wasn't too much of a compromise to make since the rest of it is solid brick.

make no mistake, within the first year, the siding just peeled off on one side. it happened because the wind simply widens the holes around nails until they crack longer and the the row of that cheap crap falls off. last night we the wind started ripping off the next side (that attaches to the side that is completely torn). my question is, can i somehow remedy it by affixing it back somehow or should i just peel it off ?

the good thing is that, under the siding, the extension is actually made of mortar/concrete. what i plan to do in a long term is to apply a mortar facade or stucco or wood to resemble logs. but that is in a long term - what do you guys suggest i do to remedy the situation for the time being ?

let me end by saying: I HATE SIDING !!

thanks,

- a -

If it ripped off in one year, it wasn't installed correctly. Did you install it the first time?

I hate it too, but if it came off like that something was done very, very incorrectly.

no, it came with the house.

let's say i want to replace it with 1x6 wooden planks that are tilted as the bottom side of each rests on the top of the one below, forming a shape kind of like on a louvre door.

what type of wood would i use (regular framing softwood or hardwood of some sort, which, i guess, would cost more) ? the underlayment is concrete but i think in conjunction with some wood framing. so i would be hesitant to shoot powder-actuated nails as they may break the concrete and also the framing is not too visible to be able to nail it there. what do you suggest ?

If at all possible, you might consider using hardi plank in place of dimensional lumber for the 1x's. It's much more durable.

i think i want to go with cedar siding, 1x8s. it is $1.53/ft. will that be doable DIY, you think ?

It sounds as if the nails used were to short, or not enough of them used, and perhaps the siding is lapped the wrong direction. If the wind is catching the seam ,It can & will tear it off. Vinyl, hung properly should look good & stay on for quite some time:thumbup:

How was your siding originally attached to the cement walls? I wouldn't nail your siding on with powder actuated gun.

nails of some sort, as far as i was able to see.

Applied correctly it should have been fine. Sounds like a bad install to me.

What was it nailed to? I'm just asking cause it might help to try and find out why it failed so you can have a better idea on how to fasten your new siding, or how not to fasten it.

okay guys - we have established it was a bad install. but i am stuck with it now and need to remedy the situation. will i be okay doing it myself with cedar siding ? i have done much harder things DIY. are there guides online how to do it ? while nailing 1x8s seems pretty straightforward, how do i do trim around the sliding door entrance and trim on corners ?

it was nailed into the cement underlayment.

No wonder it failed, it was a numb nuts install.
To install the wood siding you will need to install a proper nailing surface. The question is, do you have the clearance to do this? Typically siding nails are 2" for proper holding of the 3/4" siding. That would mean installing 2x 4 thick material to hold the siding to the wall. Seems like alot of effort for a temporary fix.
Ron