Unsure how to cut vinyl siding with a circular saw? You’re not alone! Many homeowners struggle with the task. Interest: That’s why I’ve put together this comprehensive guide on how to cut vinyl siding with a circular saw.
With my easy-to-follow steps, you’ll be able to complete the job in no time – and without any of the usual hassle. I’ll also provide some tips on how to make the process as smooth and efficient as possible. So, if you’re ready to learn keep reading!!
How To Cut Vinyl Siding With A Circular Saw?
The first thing you’ll need to do is mark the area of vinyl siding that you’d like to cut, using a pencil or chalk line. Next, place your circular saw on top of the guideline and set the blade depth to just less than half an inch. It’s a good idea to make a few sample cuts on some scrap wood first, so you can check the blade depth and make sure it’s right.
After verifying your depth, line up your circular saw on top of the guideline again and cut through the vinyl siding with even pressure. Here’s a tip: try not to stop as you’re cutting all the way across if you do stop, just do one quick pull motion to complete the cut. Once you finish that side, flip over and repeat for any other adjacent sides. Then move along and repeat until you’ve done them all!
There may be times when there is more than one piece of vinyl siding overlapping each other (like near corners). If this is the case, just hold the saw at a bit of an angle to finish each cut. This will ensure that you’ve finished cutting all the way through.
Now, if your circular saw doesn’t have a dust blower attached (like ours does), it’s a good idea to have some towels handy to clean up any small pieces of vinyl siding or debris that may have fallen onto the ground or onto other surfaces around you. Otherwise, begin sticking down your new pieces of vinyl siding!
Remember: practice makes perfect, so don’t get discouraged if your first attempt doesn’t work out perfectly. If you follow these tips for how to cut vinyl siding with a circular saw, you should be able to do it pro on your second try.
Tips and tricks when cutting vinyl siding with a circular saw
Here are some additional tips to help you out. We definitely recommend reading through these before beginning your project, so you know what to expect!
Pick an appropriate blade for the job. Your blade selection can make a big difference in how smooth your cuts will be. If you need help choosing the right blade, check out our post here.
Always wear protective gear when using power tools like circular saws. Hearing protection is especially important if you’re in an area that’s echoey or has hardwood floors in it (the noise bounces around which means your ears take more of a beating).
When making your saw cuts, try not to stop in the middle of them and finish each cut with one pull. This will prevent the blade from getting stuck and potentially ruining your blade (which is no fun for anybody!)
Remember to use even pressure on your circular saw while you’re cutting through the vinyl siding. If you start putting too much or too little pressure on it, that’s when things can get messy. So keep that steady pace!
How To Install Vinyl Siding?
Once you have finished your cuts, it’s time to install the new pieces of vinyl siding. Make sure that you’re using the right type of nails for the job; if installed incorrectly, this can lead to bubbling or peeling paint down the road. Check out our post here on preparing and installing vinyl siding with nails for more information on that.
Once you have nailed it down, it’s as easy as 1-2-3! Make sure to check out our post here for even more tips, tricks, and visuals of how to install vinyl siding.
The Difference Between Vinyl Siding And Laminate Flooring?
Vinyl Siding is a cost-effective way to add immediate value and protection to your home. One problem that sometimes occurs is how to cut vinyl siding with a circular saw.
Ask most people what they think about the best way to cut Vinyl Siding, and you’ll get one of two answers:
A)A fine-tooth blade on the table saw makes for an easy straight-cut every time or
B) A saber or circular saw is quick and results in less clean-up than using power tools. The answer is somewhere in the middle! While it may not be quite as quick as using a saber or circular saw, it certainly does produce satisfactory results. The trick is knowing which blades work best when cutting siding with a circular saw.
What about using a Table Saw?
I know you are probably thinking, why not use the table saw?
Well, there is nothing wrong with trying to cut your vinyl siding on the table saw. It will work fine but it has one big problem: You have to remove both pieces of siding from their prybar strips.
This means you have to do twice as much cleanup since most of the time when cutting siding, especially with a circular saw, siding remains in its pry bar strip afterward. Removing it from its strip and cleaning up takes far more time than just cutting vinyl siding straight through! Sometimes even ten times as long! In fact, 90% of my cuts are done without removing the siding from its prybar strip.
How To Remove Vinyl Siding?
If you have to remove Vinyl Siding from its pry bar strip, here is a method that works great:
1. Pry off at least two rows of siding along the side where you will make your cut.
2. Once you have removed two rows, using a pair of pliers pull out all nails between these two rows and keep them in a safe place. It’s not smart to just drop them on the ground since they can easily be stepped on and become a safety concern! Also, try not to damage the prying end of your nail removal tool while removing these nails.
3. Now go back and pull out all other nails along this same area so there are none left protruding. Again, keep them in a safe place, because they could easily be stepped on or driven over by an automobile.
4. Using your blade, make the cut through the siding panel using this gap to prevent cutting into the adjacent panel.
Conclusion
So there you have it! Your complete guide on how to cut vinyl siding with a circular saw. I hope you found this guide helpful and that you are now able to tackle this home improvement project on your own. Remember to always use caution when using power tools and to follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer.