Tool Checklist for Your Next Siding Project
If you’ve decided on vinyl siding for your home, then congratulations! You’ve made a smart choice. Affordability, energy efficiency, and great style are just some of the reasons homeowners are choosing to upgrade their homes with vinyl siding. But now comes the real work.
If you’re ready to begin installation but don’t know 
what tools you need for your siding project, here’s a checklist to make installing siding a success.
- Safety Glasses
Don’t start your project without them. When you are cutting and nailing materials, you don’t want to take a chance with your personal safety. Choose ones with polycarbonate lensing and look for the CSA logo so you know they are approved.
- Utility Knife
You will need this for scoring and trimming the vinyl siding. Score it face up and gently snap it in half.
- Hammer
You don’t need anything fancy, so you can use what you have in your toolbox. It’s also a good excuse to treat yourself to a new one!
- Square
It is important to make your angles true, so a setsquare is essential for vinyl siding installation.
- Chalk Line
For a straight line without leaving a permanent mark a chalk line will do the job. The chalk will wipe away when you are done.
- Level
Do a level check every step of the way. This can’t be done by eye! You will save yourself from major issues in your siding project if you check, check, and check again.
- Tape Measure
Speaking of measures, this is perhaps an obvious tool but a good quality tape measure is essential so you can measure accurately (twice!) and make just one cut.
- Power Saw
Bench, radial-arm, or circular is fine. Use a fine-tooth blade (12-16 teeth per inch) installed in the reverse direction. Only do this for your vinyl siding and not for any other material. Make sure to switch it back when you have finished your vinyl siding project.
- Tin Snips
You will need these for cutting and shaping so make sure they are of
- Snap Lock Punch
This special tool is used for punching holes in the raw edges of the siding for the top or finishing course at the top of a wall, or underneath a window.
- Nail Hole Slot Punch
This tool is used If you need to elongate a nail hem slot to hit a stud. The hole is elongated to allow for expansion and contraction.
- Zip Lock (Unlocking) Tool
You’ll need this if you have to remove or replace a panel without damaging the material. The curved end goes under the end of the panel and hooks on to the back lip of the butt lock.
- Electric Drill & 5/16 Drill Bit
You’ll need this for drilling drainage holes if you are using a J strip as a drainage channel. Make holes every 24 inches for proper drainage.
If you can check everything off this vinyl siding installation tools list, then you are all set to go. But if you need any of the tools or find a problem that you don’t know how to get around, our friendly experts can offer sound advice and get your project back on track.