Cracked vinyl siding
easy 30–90 min
Tools: siding removal tool (zip tool), tin snips, hammer, tape measure, utility knife, ladder · Materials: a matching replacement panel (from a spare or a hidden spot such as behind a shed), galvanised roofing nails, exterior sealant for a temporary patch
Steps
- Check behind the crack with a flashlight for wet sheathing or house wrap that has torn; a crack that has let water in for a season needs the wrap fixed too.
- Unlock the panel above with the zip tool: hook it under the bottom lip of the panel above the damaged one and slide it along to release the lock.
- Pull the nails from the damaged panel's nail hem with a hammer or a flat bar, and slide the panel out.
- Fit the new panel bottom-lock first, then nail through the centre of the slots every 40 cm (16 inches), leaving the nail heads 1 mm proud so the vinyl can move with temperature.
- Re-lock the panel above with the zip tool, pulling it down over the new panel's lip.
- If you cannot match the colour, take the replacement from a hidden wall and put the mismatched new one there; on a small crack, exterior sealant behind the panel holds until then.
Stop and call a pro if
- the sheathing behind the crack is soft or the house wrap is torn over an area — that is a repair behind the siding
- the damage is above one storey or on a gable you cannot reach from a ladder
- panels are warping or melting from a reflective window or a grill — the cause needs fixing, not the panel
What a pro does that you can't
A siding contractor matches discontinued colours, replaces sheathing and wrap where water got in, and re-sides a wall where panels have become brittle.
DIY cost: $5–10 for a zip tool; $15–40 for a panel