July 14th, 2023 BY First American Roofing
New vinyl siding is perfect for homeowners looking to refresh their home’s exterior without digging too deep into their pockets. Of course, the big savings comes in when you decide to install vinyl siding yourself.
Luckily, cutting vinyl siding down to the right size isn’t all that complicated. If you’re handy and can get all the right tools, you can use this as your quick and simple how to cut vinyl siding guide.
How to Cut Vinyl Siding
The first thing you need to know is that there are three ways to cut vinyl siding:
Short vertical cuts
Horizontal cuts
Long vertical cuts
The second thing you need to know is that when it comes to cutting vinyl siding, precision is key. Therefore, you’ll need to get your hands on the following tools:
Circular saw
Tin snips
Utility knife
Safety goggles
Carpenter’s square
Straightedge
Measuring tape
Pencil
Before you start cutting, it’s crucial to know how much siding you need. This ensures efficient cutting and helps in selecting the appropriate tools for the job.
Each tool is specific to each type of cut:
1) Short Vertical Cuts with a Utility Knife
Cutting tool: Circular saw
Circular saws allow you to make short, vertical cuts with ease as they can cut straight, clean lines without fraying the edges of the siding material. This is important because frayed edges can interfere with the sealing process.
Use your measuring tape to map out the right length for each piece of siding you’ll need. Mark them using details like “top” and “bottom” so you know how to face them during installation.
Use a fine-toothed blade to get the cleanest cuts from your circular saw, especially in challenging conditions like cold weather.
Mark a visible line on the siding material with a carpenter’s pencil to ensure precision.
Line up the vinyl siding with the blade’s guides where you’ve marked it for cuts — but don’t start cutting yet. This is just to get in the right position.
Make sure you’re wearing your safety goggles, and double-check that the guides line up correctly. Using your work table as a secondary guide, cut off the excess siding.
Repeat this process as necessary, using your carpenter’s square to check accuracy where needed.
2) Horizontal Cuts with a Circular Saw
Cutting tool: Utility knife
When you need to trim your vinyl pieces horizontally, you can use your circular saw or tin snips because the cutting points will be too short. That’s why a utility knife is your best bet for getting a close, precise cut.
Use your measuring tape to measure exactly where the siding needs to be cut. Keep in mind that the panels will have to easily slide over one another, so you’ll need to make two marks on each end of the vinyl panels — one to mark the starting point and the other to mark the endpoint.
Use your straightedge to line up your marks properly to ensure the perfect straight cut.
Now, press down firmly on the straight edge holding both it and the vinyl material down. Use the utility knife to score — not cut — the material by dragging the blade lightly to create a line. Be
3) Long Vertical Cuts
Cutting tool: Tin snips
Long vertical cuts are the easiest to make when using tin snips. They’re also much safer and will allow you to make more precise cuts compared to a circular saw, which can be a little bulky and hard to maneuver.
Use your measuring tape to map out exactly where you’ll be cutting the vinyl siding. Be sure to make clear marks!
Now, line up the point you’ll be cutting along the edge of your work table and use the carpenter’s square to ensure a clean, straight cut.
Hold the siding material steady and use the tin snips to make your long vertical cuts along the areas you’ve marked. It’s important to only close your tin snips about ⅔ of the way, as this will ensure your cuts are as straight and as clean as possible.
Cutting the vinyl siding into strips can make handling and installation much easier.
As you snip through each piece of siding, make sure you’re leaving at least two inches of overlap per tab. This will provide a seamless look once your panels are installed, and it’ll help prevent drafts during the colder months.
Snip throughout the length of each piece of siding until you’ve reached the very end.
Side note: It’s a good idea to keep all of your excess material in one place. This way, you can check your work and have a reference point to measure for replacement materials later on if
The Next Steps
Cutting vinyl siding isn’t overly complex, and it doesn’t take too long. If it’s your first time learning how to cut vinyl siding, you may want to watch a few instructional videos and follow along with practice pieces to get used to the tools and techniques before starting.
Of course, installing vinyl siding is a completely different ball game. There’s a lot involved in the process, including tearing off and disposing of your old siding. If you’re not up to the task, let the siding experts at First American Roofing & Siding help you out.
Give us a call today to talk about your upcoming vinyl siding project and get a free estimate!
