How To Install Sheet Siding On Your Shed

Video on Installing Siding On Storage Sheds

Welcome to this siding installation tutorial. Here you will learn about the steps to installing sheet siding on the shed walls.

• Sheet siding is the easiest way to provide exterior protection to your shed. It comes in 4x8 sheets and several different styles depending on the manufacturer.
• Most styles have a wood texture on the outside and can have a groove cut into the face at 4 inch or 8 inches on center to simulate board siding.
• It is attached to the shed using 8d galvanized nails so they do not rust.

step 1 DETERMINE THE SIDING LENGTH

The first step to installing the siding is to determine how tall the sheets need to be. You will want the top of the sheets to start at one half an inch below the top of the wall. The bottom edges of the sheets should extend at least one and one half inches below the bottom plate of the wall framing.

On this shed we extended the siding to the bottom edge of the floor framing.
Mark the line where the bottom edge of the siding will be and install at least two 12d nails on the line under each sheet location to temporarily hold the sheets while you install them.

The half inch at the top keeps the siding out of the way of the rafter seat and birds mouth.

The bottom overlap keeps water from running down the shed wall and onto the shed floor.

step 2 ATTACH THE FIRST PIECE OF SIDING

The second step is to attach the first piece of siding. The first piece of siding on each of the walls is the most important because it makes the wall square and locks the wall in place.

Set the sheet on the temporary nails.

Start by making sure that the sheet is oriented so the edge overlaps of each succesive sheet will be on top of the previous sheet.

Move the siding board until the edge of the siding is flush with the corner of the shed and install one nail to attach the lower corner edge of the sheet to the corner wall framing board.

Push or pull the wall until the edge of the siding is flush with the corner and install a second nail to attach the upper edge of the sheet to the corner wall framing board.

The third nail will lock the wall in a square position as long as the edges are parallel to the wall studs behind each respective edge. Before installing the third nail you must move the wall top plates back and forth until the top edge of the siding is parallel to the top plates and the unattached vertical edge is parallel to the wall stud it half overlaps.

Use a tape measure to locate the boards behind the center of the sheet and mark their locations so you can install the nails without missing the boards.

After the siding is attached in three points you can install the remaining nails around the edges at six inches on center. You do not need to nail the edge that the second sheet will overlap because you will nail on top of the overlap when the second sheet is installed.

Install the nails on the center of the sheet at 12 inches on center.

step 3 ATTACH THE REMAINING SHEETS

The third step is to install the remaining sheets. The second sheet is installed similar to the first sheet but you will not need to square the wall because it will no longer move laterally.

Make sure that the second sheet properly overlaps the first sheet on the wall stud that both sheets share. Nail the second sheet on after checking that the other three edges are properly aligned.

Continue installing siding sheets around the shed. Make sure that you start and align each new wall corner like you did the first corner

step 4 INSTALL SIDING AROUND THE SHED DOOR OPENING

The fourth step is to install siding around the door opening.

The home built door openings on our sheds are designed with a one inch reveal to allow the door to overlap the opening. If you are installing a pre-hung door you will install the siding to the edge of the door opening.

To install the siding to fit a home built door with three quarter inch overlaps measure away from the door opening one inch and place a mark around the opening. Double check that the distance between the marks on the left and right sides match the dimensions on the door plans.

Cut and install the siding around the door. Make sure the wall is square using the same three nail technique used to attach the first sheets on the other walls.

If your siding extends down to the bottom of the floor framing you may want to add siding below the door opening. First remove the door bottom plate using a hand saw or reciprocating saw. Then install siding one inch below the door opening.

step 5 INSTALL Z METAL FLASHING AND SIDING ON THE GABLE ENDS

The fifth step is to install siding on the gable ends of the shed above the first row of siding. This should be done AFTER the roof rafters are installed and the roof is sheeted so that you can match the roof slope on the top cut.

Before the siding can be installed you must first install a metal flashing in the joint between the upper siding and lower siding pieces. The metal flashing is called “Z" metal.

Measure and mark the flashing and then cut the flashing using tin snips.

Set the flashing on the top of the first row of siding and then attach it to the shed using roofing nails. Make sure to nail above the siding joint so water will not seep back into the shed through the nail holes.

There are two ways to cut the siding pieces.
The siding can be cut on the ground and then installed on the gable end or it can be installed on the shed and then cut along the roof slope.

To cut the siding on the ground you will need to measure the height of the piece and the horizontal length. Put these two dimensions on a piece of siding making sure that the grooves on the siding will line up with the lower siding pieces and then draw the diagonal between the two ends of the height and horizontal dimension lines.

Check the siding pieces for a good fit and then nail them to the shed.

To cut the siding to the roof slope on the shed you will use a straight edge to mark a cut line that matches the roof slope line.

Set a circular saw to the depth of the siding and then cut along the line.

If your shed has a narrow rake on the gable ends you will need to install filler pieces on the gable rafter tails to prepare the gable ends for fascia boards.