To strip or not to strip?????

[BobT]

I have 13” exposure cedar shake siding on my house and I want to go to 7” exposure vinyl cedar shake siding. One contractor told me to strip the old siding off and 2 others said that it’s no problem to build out the windows and doors and side over the old stuff. There is no rot or insect problem with the old stuff. OK pro’s…..what should I do. It’s about $1400 to strip. Not really worried about the strip price but I want it done right.
Thanks

[Slingah]

if no rot....why go over good cedar with vinyl???

[spence]

I'd strip it, houses that have two layers of shingles tend to look like houses with two layers of shingles

-spence

[BigFish]

Siding sucks!!! But if you are going to desecrate yer house I would strip it.....bugs and bees make nests under the shingles....eventually they will dry and the house will be a tinder box if it ever catches fire! Strip it!

[teaser]

I tell my customers to strip it off, there's no good reason to go over it.

If you do go over it then you have to pad out all of the window and door casings, more work means more money, now and in the future.

The price you were quoted seems reasonable ( though I don't know the size of you're house) enough so why not strip it and spend the $1400.00 and save the headaches you'll run into later doing all the padding.

I'm assuming you have brick mould for your casings on the windows now and if so then I can tell you this, that type of moulding cannot be padded too easily, not without removing if first.

By removing the moulding, any moulding, first you chance cracking it, then you have twice as many nail holes to fill when you put it back.

If it was me ... I'd strip the siding, replace all the moulding that needed to be replaced, and then apply the siding.

One other question not mentioned, I understand your installing siding but are you covering the existing casings with vinyl too or are they staying exposed?

Just remember this ... you get what you pay for.

[Uncle Matt]

Paint it all flourescent orange then get drunk.

[gf2020]

Which brand of vinyl shingles are you going with? I have been researching these for a future house project, so I'm just curious.

P.S. I plan on stripping the existing wide clapboard siding, repairing any issues with the sheathing, wrapping with Tyvek and then adding the new vinyl shingles.

[MakoMike]

Ha, When I saw the title of this thread I thought Katie was looking for some vocational advice.

[BobT]

No brick anywhere. Cedar siding is painted and starting to peel amd splinter. I don't want to paint anymore.......getting to old. They say they pad right over the old casings and vinyl over it. Going with Certineed 7" exposure cedar shingles. No Matt....I'm not going to paint it orange....get drunk sure. Thanks for all the info.......keep it coming.

[Jenn]

before we bought our house it was sided (without stripping) ......TRUST ME WHEN I SAY ....STRIP IT!!!!!!

[nightfighter]

Strip it, wrap it, install what you will. You're making an investment, so do it right the first time, I wouldn't even consider buying a house that's been clad, as 90% are covering defects or problems. Hope you have a good vapor barrier ovr your insullation if you do go with the vinyl. I am not a fan of it and won't work with it, unless it's to strip it.

Wood is good. (I do love the PVC trim though!)

[BigFish]

Nightfighter I have been saying that for years......siding is not as much a savior of having to paint these days as it is a method of covering problems prior to homes going on the market....we are looking at houses and I will not buy one that has been sided! Those shingles under the siding are going to dry and rot and harbor bugs, carpenter ants and termites will be thriving for years under the siding before you all realize they have been there and long about the time they start poking holes in the interior walls from the outside.....you will only then realize you have the problem! Then its too late!