Vinyl siding advice please

[Rob D]

I am wrapping up a new shed build. In the materials that the gentleman sold me from the siding company, he says that you install a J trim under the soffit and your last row of siding tucks into the J trim... Would it not be loose and floppy in the edge that goes into that slot in the J trim?

Sorry for the dumb question,but I'm new to this.

 

[CraigStu]

Yeah seems to me it will be loose. I hope someone w/ experience will chime in because all I can suggest is some clear silicone.

 

[cgrutt]

J channel and a piece of finish strip. The last piece tucks into the finish strip and clamps it down. J channel hides the finish strip. See inset.

 

[The Cobbler]

depending on where the cut ends up on the sheet, you use J and/or or undersill
basically, if you're just cutting off the nail flange you use undersill inside the j trim to take up the space
if you cut deeper in tot he panel, you just need J

poster above was typing the same time I was. his pictures show it well

 

[The Cobbler]

you can also get crimpers that make a tab that will help hold the siding in place, but some inconspicuous screws will help to hold the panel in place

 

[Rob D]

Thanks very much guys, this will do perfectly. Much obliged

 

[tmp]

You have a somewhat tricky situation with the Dutch lap siding. You need undersill / finish trim to clamp the cut edge in place, but with the depth of the Dutch lap you can’t just slap on standard undersill / finish trim tight to the sheathing. You will either need to shim out behind the finish trim to catch the edges at the right depth, or if you can find it you can use a “dual undersill” trim that will accommodate the extra depth. It is harder to find dual undersill in a matching color.

This only really matters on the front and back wall. On the side walls you will get plenty of fasteners through the nailing fin, and you can just tuck your mitered ends under a piece of J channel with no concern.

Don’t caulk it. Don’t put screws through it. Both of those will cause the vinyl to buckle.

Dual undersill example - https://www.menards.com/main/buildi.../vt2dut21/p-1444437164863-c-1495119088651.htm

There’s a recent JLC video that reviews the best practices for vinyl where this is discussed with some graphics that might help it make sense - https://players.brightcove.net/403604197/default_default/index.html?videoId=6359627970112

 

[DGersic]

I had a similar question a little while ago.

Thread 'School me on vinyl siding'
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/school-me-on-vinyl-siding.535791/

 

[impactims]

The very top piece of vinyl siding is always "loose."

It hooks onto the piece below it and slides into the j channel above it. No fasteners of any kind. I need to periodically push my tops pieces back into place as they shift downward a little. Something I am stuck with having to do when using vinyl siding.

 

[PCustoms]

The very top piece of vinyl siding is always "loose."

It hooks onto the piece below it and slides into the j channel above it. No fasteners of any kind. I need to periodically push my tops pieces back into place as they shift downward a little. Something I am stuck with having to do when using vinyl siding.

Yes, most of it it loose.

If it was installed correctly, it wouldn't be.

 

[impactims]

Yes, most of it it loose.

If it was installed correctly, it wouldn't be.

“Loose” as I said it could be more correctly stated as “floating.”

The top piece of siding is floating in the sense that it is not fastened down via nail flange. This is how it is designed.

It stays into place by hooking the piece below it and sliding into the piece above it.

Not ideal, but that’s how it’s made.

Overall I’d say vinyl siding is not a very good system, for many reasons.

I had vinyl siding. I recently replaced it all with James Hardie fiber cement.

 

[NeubCont]

Have used these clips with much success!
They have teeth that bite onto the siding
They have 2 variations based on the siding thickness
One for “regular” siding
Other for “Shake or Scallop”

https://americanoriginalsiding.com/assets/TechSpecs/Files/9a4962192c/AOBP-Installation-Siding-Top-Row.pdf

 

[cgrutt]

If you use the top trim piece and put a few crimps along top edge with a crimping tool it will pretty much lock into the trim piece. It will still be floating but shouldn't fall out.

 

[Whitworth]

Crimp tool. Needs a couple practice pieces to position the crimp tabs just right.
Usually a matter of just shy of engaging the trim, and then a firm push up to click in place.

But your situation is at an angle, so a bit of a challenge perhaps.

 

[The Cobbler]

the vinyl trim expands and contracts at the same rate as the siding does. if it can float and your siding is attached to it ( and not any substrate ) there are zero issues . also some screws up from the bottom lip into the lower pc of siding helps too

 

[Notgrownup]

I just added a nail on the top row so it would stay there.