Is the Rustique vinyl skirting kit anygood?

[Billy]

Update:

Looks like all my tree stump problems will be solved this weekend.


Now i need to ask a few more questions in general about my new skirting.

1) My budget is shot so I need to do this as cost effective as possible.

2) Should I just follow the manufactures instructions. Which mention nothing about any kind of 2x4 work?

3) If I decide to use 2x4's should I lay them on the 3.5 inch side and attache the ground channel on top?

4) JD - I belive in a post above mention mudseal? What is this?

5) I have a concrete patio that runs about 30 feet how would I attache the 2x4's to the concrete? I would need to keep all the 2x4's even you would think.

Thank in advance for your time!
Billy

[JD]

Hi Billy,

The 2x4 mudseal in not absolutely necessary, just a nice install that way. Vinyl skirting can be attached to the ground. I cannot say what the effects of extreme freezing weather would be to vinyl skirting. A few days of 28 degree nights per year does not seem to effect the skirting in my area.

Whether you use a mudseal or not, it does not have to "run even". You can notch the skirting where it drops down from the concrete. You can piece in a piece of ground channel where it drops and then continue on.

JD

[Billy]

Im still not sure what mudseal is... lol

Jd are you talking about pressure treated 2x4 laying on the ground as being mudseal?

Im going to use pressure treated 2x4's.

Should I lay them on the 3.5 inch side and attache the skirting ground channel on top?

Do I still use the 8 inch spikes that came with the skirting kit.

I just want to do this right.

[Billy]

Copy from the articles section on this site.

3. Install bottom support.
Behind but next to the string line, cut and lay on edge enough green-treated 2x4's to go around the perimeter of the home. Behind the 2x4's pound wooden stakes every 4-6 feet. Lift the 2x4's about 1 inch off of the ground and screw one 3-1/2" galvanized screw into each stake. Don't screw tight.


How does this apply to my install? It says lay 2x4 on edge?


BTW thanks for all of your time!!!
What a great site/resource

Regards
Billy

[JD]

Hi Billy,

Yes, the pressure treated 2x4 would lay flat. I recommend to drive a redwood stake in behind but up against the 2x4 and secure it with a 2" deck screw. A 1" screw to hold the channel down is long enough for you to hold back on putting the screws all the way in. All screws in pressure treated wood should be double hot-dipped galvanized, stainless steel screws, or the new coated deck screws made for use with pressure treated wood. Stainless Steel screws or nails (grade 304 0r better) will last the longest. All of these fasteners are available at any home store.

The spikes that came with the kit aren't long enough after going through the 2x4. The aluminum would also get eat up by the new ACQ pressure treated wood.

JD

[Billy]

Thank you Jd for clarifying this...

[Billy]

Hi Billy,
A 1" screw to hold the channel down is long enough for you to hold back on putting the screws all the way in.

I feel dumb but can you clarify this...

Do you mean... dont screw the ground channel all the way down to the 2x4's to allow for expansion???

Ty

[Billy]

My god i have all kinds of questions...

Do you think after all is said and done...

That putting roofing shingles around the outside of the skirting with help with weed control.

Then maybe a lil border on the outside of the shingles where i can add gravel.

This should give me a good buffer zone so I dont mess up the skirting with the weed eater.

What do you think

[JD]

Yes, leave an 1/8" gap between the vinyl channel and the screw head. A panhead type screw with the flat bottom side on the head would work better for you than a flat head (sheetrock type) with the fluted head. Deck screws would work to attach the pressure treated wood to the redwood stake but they only need to be 2" long.

I mention redwood stakes because they are available at the home stores cheap and already made. You can make your own stakes, but you would be adding a level of danger in cutting the points on to the stakes. It is also a pain trying to cut those angles with a circular or worm drive saw. Even the redwood stakes won't last forever driven into the dirt like that, but they don't invite termites and are easily replaced in 10 years or so. Before the new pressure treated wood, I would use the steel concrete form stakes with the nail hole in them. They are cheap enough and drive in easy with a short handle 4lb sledge. I imagine that they would still work for skirting, but don't know for sure. Seems to me it would take a long time to rust out one of those 3/4" steel rods. But with the way ACQ treated wood can eat a 16d nail in a few months, I would not want to experiment on a customer.

JD

[Brenda (OH)]

I made my own corner pieces out of the corner piece for regular house siding. It was 12 feet long, and I needed less than 3 feet a corner.

It has about 3/4 of an inch deep channel on each side of the corner, I ran the end of the skirting into it. I back cut some of the vinyl so that it could move up and down with the frost, and left a flat piece on each side to go up under the upper rail (I am not getting the term right, the piece that snaps over the upper edge of the skirting) and I trimmed some on the bottom so it would snap into the ground channel.

I think it was easier to do than bending skirting (I trimmed a panel at each corner to fit into it) and it looks good. The only draw back is, right now it is summer. I will have to see anything changes when it gets cold.

I borrowed this idea from a fellow that often resides the whole mH in vinyl, and he ran the corner piece all the way down from the roof. I am just trying it from the bottom of the MH on down to the ground channel.

stump killer... it may be best to go to a landscaping/gardening store and get the speciality stump killer and stump rotter products, since you will be investing your time to cut a channel in the stump!
although I love the idea of the rock salt, right price!!!

I used some landscaping fabric (it is a black plastic material that goes in flower beds) and 1 1/2 inch roofing nails under the ground channel, to see if it will keep the grass down and see if I can run the lawn mower over it. It sticks out about 5 inches or so. It was something I already had, and weighed a lot less than landscaping timbers. I'll let you know if it helped or not..

Brenda

[JD]

I'll bet the vinyl siding corner trim looks nice on the skirting. When bending the skirting for the corner, you want to be sure that your skirting is running level/plumb before you get to the corner, or it just won't look right. You also need to be sure that the ground channel is exact plumb to the bend as well.

When I do bend the skirt panel at the corner, I squeeze the bend area real good to give the bend a real sharp 90 degree edge.

JD

[JD]

Hi Billy,

I must of been writing a reply when you posted the quote from Mark's manual. I just read through the quote in your reply and I have to say that I have never done the mud seal that way. I am sure that Mark has a good method. You get that way after doing it 2 or 3 HUNDRED times. But from my experience, I think I will keep doing the pressure treat 2x4 mud seal the same way.

I want the mud seal to be flat on the 3-1/2" side. When these boards warp, they will want to warp towards the 3-1/2" side and not as much on the 1-1/2" side. I also like the forgiving way the wide mud seal hides slight errors in level/plumb. I plan the front side of the bottom track to be about 3/4" in from the edge of the board. This gives it a nice trimmed look. It also allows me to be off either way a 1/4" without it showing. I keep the 2x4 at dirt level and not buried. If a person is using a weed eater or hula hoe they can aim the tool towards the bottom of the 2x4. I recommend spray, sorry environmentalists.

I only use the wood over dirt. On concrete, I use the smallest Metal Hit Anchors direct through the holes in the bottom channel. https://www.confast.com/products/metal-hit-anchor.aspx The link is for example only. I get these at HD, Lowe's, OSH whatever is close. I drill a 1/2" deep hole and then just tap them in. I read other posts where people have used concrete screws. I have not tried them myself. I don't put an anchor in every hole. For most applications, 3-4 per full stick works for me.

JD

[Billy]

When I butt the 2x4's up next to the concrete patio, on each side my next move would be...

1) Cut the ground channel at the end of the 2x4, then place it directly on top of the concrete?

or

2) Notch the ground channel and bend it down to conform from the top of the 2x4 down to the concrete?

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I bought 2x4x8's presure treated.

1) How many steaks should I use per 8ft. section?

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I could not find any redwood stake's or concrete stakes.

What I did find was pressure treated 2x2x3's with one point on the end..

They were bundled together 16 at a time.

They are for deck packages.

You know the ones that finish off the appearance.

Anyway I plan to cut them in half then cut a point on the other end.

1) Will these 2x2's work for what I need?

2) How can I protect the fresh cut end on pressure treated wood. When I cut the wood it's now exposed / no longer protected.

3) Should I toe nail with the 2 inch deck screws into the stake or screw from the stake into the 2x4's? Looks like I will only be able to use one screw.

4) Is a two inch screw going to be long enough base on the materials I bought?

Thank you JDfor all of your time!
Im getting real confident on the install.

Regards

I edited this a couple of times to make more sense.

[Billy]

You also said to screw the ground channel 3/4 inch in from the edge of the 2x4.

Im a little worried on how to place the 2x4 in the correct spot on the ground.

I have a plumb bob, four two foot sections of rebar & brick layers string.

So my idea was to do it like marks book... but the 3/4 difference is going to throw it off a lil bit.

Plus with the rebar at all four corners how would I make the corner on the ground with the 2x4's? Seem like the rebar stakes would be in the way of the frame.

Im just trying to make sure my measurements are correct.

Man I hope that makes sense first cup of coffee here.

[JD]

Hi Billy.

I am sure that the way I do it is not the only way skirting can be done. So if anyone else has suggestions, please chime in.

When I get to a spot where the ground channel that is on the 2x4 reaches a higher level of concrete, I cut 90 degree notches in the lower (2x4) piece of ground channel and bend it up. Then I cut it to be just a touch shorter than the top of the ground channel that will be on the concrete. Then cut a notch in that piece so the skirting panel from the concrete can be cut right to the corner. Then notch and run the ground channel on the concrete to go over/around the straight up short piece to give the edge a finished look.

On your 12x60 home, if the 12' wide side faces the front road side, or is the predominant viewing angle, I would run the 2x4s all the way to 3/4" past the plumb corner of the home, so you won't see the joint where the 2x4 from the 60' side meets it. I just but joint them. A miter joint probably won't stay where you put it.

On the stakes, you'd be better off ripping fence boards on a table saw and then cutting the stakes yourself. You don't want to rip pressure treated wood or you will be exposing one side of your stake to termites and rot. Maybe if you ask the guys at the home store if they have the redwood 1x3 stakes somewhere else in the store. Lowe's and HD carry them in my area. If you do end up using the 2x2x3 stakes, use them whole and 3" screws to attach them to the mud seal.

I would use 3 stakes per 6' and longer pieces and 2 for shorter pieces. It would be good to fasten the corners of your mud seal together. Either a 3" double dipped deck screw toenailed in from the back or even an approved for ACQ angle bracket. They are cheap and you won't need many. Flat 3" brackets can be used on the back of the top side of the straight butt joints to keep the 2x4s even and together.

For accurate placement of the 2x4, I mark each end and the middle of the 2x4 (where ever you will be putting a stake is good) with a mark at 3/4" using a combo square. Then I use the plumb bob from the home to the mark. I don't use any other string line or rebar. You do want to pick through your lumber to get straight 2x4s though. I wrap the line from the plumb bob around a short piece of 1x2 to make it easy for a cohort to hold it even where we want the mark. I will set the 2x4 in place and set the stake as we work our way around the home. Always turns out straight for me. You need to look at your particular situation to determine your own plan as to what you are lining up with on the home.

Hope this helps

JD