How to Remove Vinyl Siding

There are many reasons you may need to remove the vinyl siding on your home. The reason I needed to remove the siding is because I was going to replace to shingles on the back porch roof of my office. I needed to remove the siding to be able to put flashing behind the siding.

Removing vinyl siding is actually quite easy. It is more of a finesse then muscle job. You can remove a section of vinyl siding relatively quickly. With the right tools anyone can do it.

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Skill – Beginner

Time – 30 Minutes

Cost – $10

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Tools and Materials

Siding Removal Tool

1” Putty Knife

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1. Find the Seam

You will need to find the horizontal seam. Each piece of vinyl siding is doubled, this means there will only be a seam between every second “board”.

As you can see my siding needs a good power wash!

2. Slide Removal Tool into Seam

You might need to use a little force to put the vinyl siding removal tool up into the seam.

3. Pull Down and Out

Once you hook the bottom lip of the upper piece of siding you will then need to pull the tool down and out to unhook the upper piece of siding from the lower piece.

Continue along the entire piece of siding.

4. Remove Siding from Nail

You can remove the nail if you want or need to, but once I get the roof replaced, I am just going to replace the siding exactly where it was before.

You will want to use a small putty knife to help bend the siding out from behind the nail.

5. Push Siding Down

After you get the siding unhook from the piece above it and you also get the siding out from behind all the nails (or you can just remove the nails) you will then need to push down on the siding. This will unhook the siding from the piece below it.

6. Continue Steps 4 and 5 for Remaining Siding

You will need to repeat steps 4 and 5 for the rest of the pieces of siding that you want to remove.

HINT: I numbered the siding and the wall of the building to make it much easier to reinstall the siding later.

7. Reinstall Siding (optional)

If you need to reinstall the siding start at the bottom. Hook the bottom piece to the lower piece of siding. Then pull up on the siding. Using the putty knife hook the siding back onto the nails or install new nails if needed.

When you get to the top piece it will be harder to get the nails back on, but it can be done. Try using a flathead screwdriver but be careful not to crack the siding.

After you get the nails on you will need to pull the top piece of siding down to hook onto the piece you just put back on.

That’s all there is too it. Anyone can do it. I had to remove about 20 pieces of siding and 4 pieces of J Channel. I got it all done in about 3 hours, I had to move and adjust my ladder quite a bit since I was working along the roof line of the back porch. The porch roof itself was not walkable.

If you will be on a ladder be careful!

If you have any questions leave me a comment bellow.