You can use a nail gun for a lot of carpentry tasks – decking, framing a house, cabinetwork. Constructing the siding of your house is another job that you may want to do. Vinyl siding is a popular option for homeowners. But can you really use a nail gun to build your house’s vinyl siding? The answer is yes, but there are some conditions.
About Vinyl Siding
First, what is siding? Siding is the material forming the exposed surface of frame buildings or outside walls. It protects the house from the effects of weather. The siding is also an important feature of a house’s architectural style. Sheet materials, shingles, vertical or horizontal boards may form a house’s siding.
If you want an alternative to wood, aluminum, or fiber cement siding, then vinyl can be a good option for you. Vinyl is an engineered polymer of different chemical compounds. It is commonly used in making upholsteries, plastic films, fabrics, textile finishes and other household products. A vinyl siding is typically composed of 80 percent PVC resin. The other 20 percent is composed of ingredients that influence the opacity, color, durability and flexibility of the material. In Canada and the United States, vinyl siding is the most commonly constructed exterior cladding for residential buildings.
If you want a vinyl siding for your home, you should remember that this part of the house is the one exposed to the sun, rain and the wind. The siding will actually expand and contract because of changes in temperature and other chemical reactions. This is true for vinyl and all other types of sidings. Incorrectly installing it could result in the siding warping or buckling.
Using a Nail Gun on Vinyl Siding
Most experts will advise you to limit the use or not use nail guns at all in constructing sidings. This is because nail guns drive nails into the wall too tightly. This prevents the siding’s natural expansion and contraction. Because of this, most contractors prefer using hammers and nails when fastening sidings.
However, if you want to install the siding of your house, hand-nailing all the parts could take you forever. Fortunately, you can still use a nail gun to help you install these parts. The trick is to use the nail gun to drive the nails only partially, then use a hammer to set them a little farther in. This way, the vinyl siding has enough space to expand and contract.
Another way to set up your house’s siding using a nail gun is to buy one that is equipped with an adapter. The adapter makes the nail gun drive nails in the proper manner for the siding. The nails are not set too tightly, so there is room for the siding to move. The depth drive is very consistent and nailing is faster and easier.
If you want to use other materials for your home’s siding, research the properties of these materials first to know what tools work best for them. Do not hesitate to ask a professional for help if you think you cannot install the siding yourself.