Karen O’Leary lives in a quiet, little Connecticut town called Guilford, located on the Long Island Sound. While the town boasts beautiful, old houses, historic landmarks and a thriving downtown district, Karen’s home was lacking in character. The house’s exterior was a bland mix of aluminum and vinyl siding that resulted from additions and updates over the years.
So, with the hope of winning an exterior makeover for her home, Karen entered the Royal Building Products’ “Build Bold” contest on our website. Her submission essay, which described how she would give her home the “Build Bold” treatment, won Karen her choice of Royal Building Products‘ siding, trim, shutters and accessories, valued at $25,000.
Watch Advantages of Vinyl Siding and Trim for Your Home for more info.
Removing the Old Siding
Before the new siding could be installed, the crew from Royal, led by Neil Velasquez, removed the existing siding and trim. During the removal process, the crew discovered water damage in a couple of places on the second story, so they cut out all of the rotten wood and made the necessary repairs. Then, the old aluminum siding was hauled off to be recycled.
As each section was uncovered, the Royal team tacked up house wrap over the bare wood to protect it and prepare for the siding to come. They used Tyvek HomeWrap to help keep air and water out while letting water vapor escape, which prevents rot and mold inside walls and improves the home’s energy efficiency.
Installing the New Siding
Karen used Royal’s HomePlay to explore different siding options and colors on her home. To make her home’s exterior stand out, she decided on deep-blue Wedgewood siding with white shutters and trim.
Installation began with some extra-wide corner boards, the soffit and fascia pieces, as well as J-channel flashing around the house to hide the vinyl’s cut edges. Then, the Royal crew made quick work of installing the panels of siding. When nailing the panels to the walls, it’s important not to drive the fasteners all the way down, as that would cause the siding to bow out as it expanded, giving the wall a wavy appearance.
The crew wrapped all of the windows with metal before installing a crown molding detail above each one to add some character. Finally, the addition of white shutters against the deep-blue siding created the bold contrast that Karen envisioned.
Tackling Some DIY Projects
Since the professionals from Royal Building Products handled the installation of the siding and trim, that didn’t leave much work for Allen and me to do. But, Karen had a few things on her home’s to-do list, and we were happy to help.
On the front porch, we fixed the broken handle on the storm door and filled the gap above the door where it met the brick lintel. The lintel was also rusted and needed painting. We secured a dangerously loose electrical box and repaired a hose spigot that was missing a handle. These were small projects that made a big difference.
Other Tips from This Episode
Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Tip for Cleaning Dried Paint Off Hardwood Floor
Here’s a tip for cleaning dried paint off hardwood floor. All you’ll need is an acne cleansing pad. Watch video.
Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
LG Sidekick Pedestal Washer
Disguised as an everyday pedestal, the LG Sidekick Pedestal Washer pairs with almost any LG front load unit so you can wash two loads at the same time. It is available at The Home Depot. Watch video.
Ask Danny Lipford:
How to Repair Damaged Wood Siding
When people have damaged wood siding, they often ask “what’s the best way to repair it?” Follow these steps for best results. Watch video.
What is the name of the website that was referenced to during the August 3, 2016, “The Curb Appeal Makeover Episode” that would allow a homeowner to see the “after” results of a project before the project was installed?
Joann, it’s HomePlay on Royal Building Products’ website. Here’s the link: http://www.royalbuildingproducts.com/siding/design/homeplay/