Decorating the house with basement siding. How to finish the basement with siding Do-it-yourself plating of the foundation with siding

Facing the facades of buildings with tiles, natural stone or wood is now considered an unnecessarily laborious action. Complex structures that have natural roots and reduce the amount of these very natural materials are being replaced by lightweight panels made of plastic, vinyl and metal. Siding is not only an environmentally friendly type of building decoration, but also very economical. And if you don't want to veneer the whole house, but it is simply necessary to create a confident and solid foundation for the house, an unpretentious but picturesque basement siding comes to the rescue.

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The cladding of the basement of the building is divided into types according to two criteria: material and method of installation.

The most common siding materials are:

polyvinyl chloride;
vinyl;
polypropylene.

All of them are a universal finish for basement siding, because they have excellent resistance properties: to ultraviolet radiation, moisture, and temperature extremes. They can easily serve for many years. There is, of course, metal siding. But it requires additional treatment of the material itself with anti-corrosion agents and more thorough care.

According to the method of laying, types of basement siding can be horizontal and vertical.

Most often, it is for the lower part of the building that professionals and amateurs of the construction business use horizontal laying. And in order to provide the basement of the house with high-quality cladding with your own hands as simply, quickly and efficiently as possible, you need to acquire basic tools and prepare the base of the building for installation.

Preparation and tools

Before proceeding directly with the installation, it is necessary to prepare the surface for work.

First of all, attention should be paid to the evenness of the walls. Basement siding will give out any of your skeletons with giblets (read: unevenness). And it should also be remembered that when facing the base of a house with synthetic canvases, an excellent environment can form under them for the appearance and spread of fungus, mold and other moisture-loving microorganisms. Therefore, the walls under the slabs must be treated with an antiseptic or any other impregnation.

A prerequisite before laying siding boards is to clean the base from debris, dust, cobwebs and other things, so that the surface is perfectly free of foreign objects.

The next step in the preparation will be the solution of insulation or ventilation of the facade. Since both of these phenomena are very common in today's environment, training should be carried out with these features in mind. With any of these options, it is necessary to make allowances for the purchased materials.

For self-installation of basement siding, you first need the following tools:

screwdriver - you can use an old grandfather's screwdriver, but it will take more time for such work;
self-tapping screws with a flat head (a lot of self-tapping screws);
water or infrared level;
hacksaw for metal or jigsaw.

Of course, for each case and for each master, his own set of tools is characteristic. This list is meant to get you started.

As for the components of the siding itself, everything is simple here. To mount the panels on the plinth, you need: lathing (metal profiles or wooden bars), starting plate, finishing profile and j-profile. That's all for fixing the panels to the base / plinth wall. The main parts that make up the siding itself are: sheathing panels with the selected design and corner panels.

But before you buy these components of the future "face" of the foundation of the house, you should make preliminary, most accurate calculations.

Calculation of the amount of material

It is not difficult to calculate correctly how much siding is required to finish the basement. But here special care should be taken. After all, no one wants to go to the store in the middle of the installation process and buy additional material. Or, conversely, buy a bunch of panels, and then don't know where to put the rest, and why so much money was spent.

We proceed to measure the base of the facade of the house. By measuring the width and height of one side, you will get the surface area for the cladding. Do the same with the rest of the sides of your country or country house. By adding all four numbers, you get the total surface area.

In building stores today you can find a wide variety of wall panels for siding, different firms and manufacturers. So, you can find various sizes, textures, styling methods. Some manufacturers release their products already and with fasteners specifically for their panels. At the same time, the exact total area of the panels and the usable area are indicated on each package. Pay attention to the first value and calculate how many packages of this material are needed in your case.

Be sure to add 10-15% to the resulting number of packages. This will help you to be sure that in the event of force majeure, you have a margin. At the same time, this is not an exorbitant amount worth crazy money.

With a full set of materials, accessories and tools, happy, you can start installing the basement siding.

Step-by-step instruction

When starting to install plinth siding with your own hands, you should start with a supporting base. It is worth noting here that in some cases the lathing is not required. When the walls of the house are perfectly flat (from foam and gas blocks and others), the crate as such may not be needed.

The installation of the lathing begins with the installation of the planks of your choice: wood or metal. The next step is the correct location of these strips.

There are three types of battens installation:

vertical;
horizontal:
combined.

For cladding the basement, horizontal is best suited, since it is a small area with practically no openings. If you decide to sheathe the whole house with siding panels at once, then it makes sense to mount a common vertical or combined crate.

Let's dwell on the metal profile. Outside, the profile strips are attached to the plinth using dowels and self-tapping screws (if the wall material is brick or stone). An important point is to leave one to one and a half centimeters between the screw head and the blade to allow temperature fluctuations to make their own changes in the shape and volume of all components without compromising the appearance of the siding.

For a log base, you can use standard self-tapping screws or galvanized nails, also remembering to leave a small distance between the cap and the base.

Do not forget, before installing the lathing on the basement, you must complete all the steps to insulate or ventilate the facade. After installing the supporting structure, you will no longer have this opportunity.

As soon as all the work on the installation of the lathing is completed, we proceed to the installation of the siding panels. The first is the starting bar, which is a kind of guide, indicating the path of further movement of the entire siding structure. Therefore, it is very important at this stage to use the building level. It also happens that the ground around the house is not even enough, in some places even very uneven. Cutting siding panels in such a way that it looks aesthetically pleasing is not possible. This is where the J-profile comes to the rescue of builders. This is a metal bar with an external j-shaped harpoon hook. The profile is installed as close to the ground as possible, and the starting bar is attached to it without sacrifice and distortion.

To install the canvases on the basement crate, you should adhere to a certain sequence, which will help you quickly and efficiently install all the panels.

The movement of stacking elements occurs from left to right and from bottom to top.

First, the corner siding element is installed.
The first part is trimmed vertically to the left edge to completely align that side. It is put on the starter bar or J-profile and slides to the left as far as possible to enter the groove of the corner element. Remember to leave natural gaps between siding panels.

The level of this part is carefully measured. When it becomes exactly level, you can fasten it with self-tapping screws to the crate.
Proceed with the installation of subsequent elements in the same way. Each next row is staggered so that the joints do not go in a straight line along the entire height of the base.
Before installing the last row, a finishing strip is attached.

Installation of basement siding is not a particularly difficult process, but it requires care and precision, without which it is impossible to achieve a good final result.

I especially want to dwell on the sheathing of the pile foundation with PVC panels.

Screw piles are used to found a house in those places where it is simply impossible to level the ground surface, and the owners do not want to mess around and wait a long time. The main difference between basement siding in such structures is that, first of all, it is necessary to very carefully process the piles themselves with a waterproofing agent and perform all the necessary drainage work. Check for debris, vegetation, or wildlife burrows under the house. The rest is all done in the same sequence as with a conventional base.

When installing basement siding with your own hands, you can resort to the advice and recommendations of experienced specialists.

If you want to recreate curly, unusual corner structures, you can also use a metal profile that takes any shape if you make small cuts in the right places.
The number of decorative siding corners is always equal to the number of rows of plinth trim panels. Thus, you can easily calculate their preliminary number.

Fastening one corner first, then installing the panels, covering everything with a corner again is wrong. There is a risk of not calculating and not guessing with the grooves. The installation of all siding elements must be carried out taking into account all the recommendations given in the instructions for it.
Please note that cladding a private house with siding involves the use of a large number of screws or nails. So, one standard panel can take up to five pieces. They must be screwed into special holes. At the same time, in order to distribute the load on all panels evenly, screws or nails should be placed strictly in the center of the holes of the horizontal panels. As for the corners, here, in the very first lower hole, a nail or self-tapping screw is inserted into its lower part, and then also in the middle.

This type of siding is made in the form of panels that are installed to decorate any type of building. Basement siding imitates natural stone, brick, it has thicker panels than ordinary vinyl. Basement siding looks great and fits into any architectural form, because of its surface, stylized as natural stone or brick masonry.

On the construction market there is an opportunity to find a material that imitates not only brickwork, but also old masonry made of rough-hewn stone of medieval buildings. And there is an opportunity to choose any color you like, which is presented in a great variety of colors.

Types of siding

Wood siding... The prototype of modern material was ordinary boards, which were nailed on top of each other with an overlap. Modern panels are made of pressed wood fibers, therefore, in cut form, it differs little from chipboard boards. Due to its expensive cost and acquisition problem, it has not found widespread use.
Metal siding - Can be made of aluminum, but this option is expensive so it is mostly made of galvanized steel. The main advantage of this material is that it does not burn, and because of these qualities it is used for cladding objects with an increased fire hazard in warehouses, garages, etc.
Vinyl siding. PVC panels are made from polyvinyl chloride, this material has proven itself on the good side and is often used for cladding.
Also made of PVC, but thicker and therefore more durable. Mainly made with imitation bricks and natural stone. Due to the rather high cost for wall decoration, it is rarely used, mainly in combination with vinyl, it is used for cladding foundations.

Positive and negative sides of basement siding

Thanks to improved production technology and use special additives the material has properties such as high plasticity, resistance to high and low air temperatures, moisture resistance.

Its advantage over natural stone is that it not afraid of dampness, resistant to germination of moss and mold, does not corrode and does not darken from time to time.

The service life of this material is at least 45 years old, it can be mounted at subzero temperatures, unlike plastic panels, an unpleasant odor does not spread from it, and it is very durable.

When cladding houses made of wood, you cannot find the best material, it more durable and cheaper than other finishing materials. Even taking into account the installation costs.

Among the negative properties of siding, you can only name it high melting rate, although it is fire resistant. But it tends to melt quickly, because of these properties, it is not used in the cladding of fire-hazardous buildings.

Also, brightly colored panels of the product can fade in the sun, and siding if not properly fixed without free "floating" may crack.

The prices for basement siding depend on the quality, the manufacturer's firm and on many other nuances and are different for each region. For example, good panels from the USA cost in the range of $ 10, and economical European siding models on the Russian market cost about 220-270 rubles. So it's better for you to familiarize yourself with the prices of products in hardware stores at your place of residence.

Installation technology

This stage of work must be taken with full responsibility and it will provide you with a long service life of the material and if you follow all the recommendations, you will not have to redo everything again.

This completes the installation and can be coated for weather protection. The best application would be formulations based on wax, they are water-repellent and will save the coating.

Siding care

Plinth siding maintenance is very simple and easy and almost the same as for vinyl siding. The coating can get dirty during heavy rains, but for this it is enough to rinse off the dirt with a hose stream.

Basement siding is an excellent modern material for bringing your home into a unique look. A wide variety of colors and textures, makes it possible to create an original and unique design unique to your home. Correctly and competently selected coverage will protect your home from damp and cold, providing you with a comfortable stay in warmth and comfort.

Video of house cladding with basement siding

The external finishing of the foundation of the structure needs special attention, because not only the general appearance of the structure, but also its durability, as well as the comfort of being inside, will depend on the choice of material for cladding. Siding is considered a versatile material that can, in fact, finish any surface. The construction market offers a wide variety of options for this material, perfectly imitating slate, brickwork, artificial stone, etc. In addition, plinth siding can be finished with your own hands.

In order to carry out the installation, it is enough to have basic construction skills. You don't need to hire specialists or use any fancy tools.

The benefits of siding

Resistant to any climatic conditions and severe mechanical stress. The high strength of the metal base of the material, coupled with the dense finish surface, provide the attractiveness and durability of the siding.
When finishing the foundation with plinth siding, special attention is paid to the low weight of the panels. You can easily sheathe a small house yourself.
Siding tolerates both low and high temperatures well.
panels assumes the possibility of additional insulation of the facade. Moreover, there is enough free space for the device of any thermal insulation materials. In particular, the cladding of the house with siding allows you to use even bulk foam as insulation. If possible, it makes sense to immediately use and combine the work on facing the foundation and its insulation.
A wide variety of colors and textures. In most cases, the siding of the basement is done with imitation of bricks and tiles. Many manufacturers present collections that are extremely difficult to distinguish from natural colors. The foundation, finished with natural stone siding, looks very impressive.
Possibility of prompt repair when finishing the basement with panels. Repairs can be done by hand - just replace the panels, and the foundation with the plinth will acquire the same attractive appearance.
If the walls of the house have complex geometry, then there will be no problems when facing the foundation with basement siding. Of course, you will have to spend more time, but you will surely like the result.

Siding has a lot of advantages over other finishing materials.

But is everything really that good and smooth?

If siding is used for plating the basement, then it must be taken into account that the material will significantly increase the size of the foundation area - by 10-30 cm, depending on the existing irregularities in the wall and the design of the panels. When doing the decoration with your own hands, you need to be extremely careful.

When choosing siding for the basement of a house from a certain manufacturer, you should also provide for the moment that all accessories (starter strips, fasteners, etc.) must also be branded. And you need to buy accessories with a margin.

When finishing the foundation with plinth siding, you will definitely need to cut the material, which must be done with extreme caution. To do this, use a grinder or hydraulic shears (in extreme cases, a hacksaw for metal with a new blade).

Material calculation

Try to buy branded parts.

Decorating the house with basement siding cannot be done without preliminary calculations. The first step is to find out the perimeter of the base and the dimensions of its lining.

When calculating the required number of panels, you need to take into account assembly waste. All this can be explained with a simple example: the length of the wall is 10 meters, the length of the siding panels is 1.5 meters. The finishing of one row requires 7 whole panels, and therefore the last panel will have to be cut off. Cutting siding is unlikely to work, so everything can be thrown into the trash. That is why it is recommended to take 10-15% of the siding in reserve.

When taking measurements, the strength of the wall is also found out. If the foundation is old and there are many cracks in the basement, there is crumbling plaster and crumbling bricks, then finishing is not done - first you need to strengthen the wall with your own hands.

Preparatory stage of work

If the foundation of the house has a not very strong base, then the bricks are completely replaced, and the surface is plastered. Plastering should be done using a metal mesh (you can take the simplest one). The plaster coat and new masonry must be firmly seated before you begin siding the plinth, so you need to wait a few days before starting the basic work steps.

Before installing the battens, it is necessary to tidy up the basement itself.

Immediately before installing the frame, it is recommended to thoroughly clean the surface from old paint, putty and other finishing materials, and then completely remove all remaining dust and debris. In addition, special attention should be paid to the nozzles, dowels, nails sticking out of the walls, which are usually abundant in the old foundation. These elements are also completely removed. Before starting the main stage of work (frame and siding), the surface should have just perfect appearance. It is advisable to clean everything with a broom with your own hands in order to get rid of even the smallest elements of the old finish.

Installing a metal frame for siding

If the cladding of the basement of the house is done by hand, then special attention should be paid to the fasteners and the creation of a reliable frame. Its installation is done before sheathing the surface with panels. By the way, if you plan to create a drainage system around the house and insulate the blind area, these work should also be completed before the plinth lining begins.

A metal crate is made for the basement siding, regardless of the type of foundation of the house (relevant for both tape and pile).

It is necessary to install a leveling stand under the docking or supporting profile, which must also be made of high-strength plastic or metal. Thus, the likelihood of rotting of wooden elements and the possible subsidence of the frame during the operation of the basement and the house will be completely excluded.

For insulation, you can use any heat-insulating material, or immediately use thermal panels.

Siding on a plinth, as a rule, is installed vertically, and the guide profiles are mounted horizontally. As an exception in this case, there are large types of panels that have serious dimensions. Such siding is installed horizontally and without the use of PVC.

The installation of the frame begins with the installation of a starting strip (rail), which should be set at a single level around the perimeter of the base. Corner elements are then installed along the starting rail (can be both external and internal). The rail and corners are fixed with long self-tapping screws.

After that, brackets are attached to the wall, forming a square "net" with a side of 50-60 cm. They are also fixed with long screws using thermal washers (the use of these simple elements allows to increase the service life of the structure).

As soon as the frame is ready, the installation of metal strips - T-shaped moldings is carried out. Their main advantage is the ability to adjust in depth. That is why it is recommended not to save money on moldings and buy branded parts. This approach guarantees the ease of installation of siding panels. Do-it-yourself installation can be done on any type of foundation (from pile to monolithic). When attaching each molding, the correct installation must be checked using a long metal ruler.

As already noted, the installation of the frame can be done by hand, however, in some cases, when working with basement siding, the help of a partner is still required.

Siding installation and insulation

Thermal insulation of the space between the surface of the wall of the house and the siding is a mandatory event in most cases. Almost any foundation and basement needs to be insulated, so this stage of work should not be neglected.

Correct installation.

The basement area can be insulated with any modern heat-insulating material (foam, roll, tile, etc.). The choice of this or that material will depend on the requirements and capabilities of the home owner.

Siding panels should be installed from top to bottom (or from left to right). The panels must be screwed to the rails with small screws. In this case, it is imperative to make sure that the screws fall into the recessed part of the profile. You can choose any step, everything will depend on the size of the panels and what material the foundation is made of. The standard step is 10-15 cm (the use of thermal washers is required).

At the last stage of the work, the external finishing elements are installed - various docking strips and decorative elements.

Finishing the foundation using siding is a beautiful and practical building solution that will delight you for many years!

Various materials and technologies are used to protect the basement structure from the effects of an adverse environment. One of the most profitable and popular technologies is decorating the house with basement siding. We will tell you how to decorate the basement of a house with siding without the participation of professional installers.

Why is it so important

The gap between the foundation and the walls (sometimes the above-ground part of the foundation) is an important element in the construction of a house. It is a buffer that protects walls from direct contact with foundation elements, as well as a means of raising the walls above the ground.

In addition, the plinth allows you to create a space under the floor that is blown by ventilation flows, which does not allow moisture to accumulate and destroy building materials.

The underground foundation has an increased humidity compared to the walls, which can move upward through the capillaries and penetrate into the structure of the masonry of the building envelope.

To neutralize this threat, a basement gap is built between the walls and the foundation. During its construction, a double layer of roofing material is laid between the concrete and the masonry of the basement, as well as between the basement and the walls.

In addition, due to the presence of an additional gap, the walls are higher above the ground, and this protects them from the ingress of dirty splashes during rain, from the effects of melt water with a high level of snow, as well as from insects and animals moving along the ground.

Important! It becomes clear that the base is nothing more than a protective structure that takes all of the above negative influences on itself. Naturally, the material of the basement masonry also wears out and deteriorates, so it should be reliably protected.

What is siding

Siding is a finishing material designed to protect facade structures from the adverse effects of the external environment ().

This is a mounting kit that consists of three main groups of parts:

Frame elements... Includes guide strips made of metal profile, which are fixed directly to the wall using dowels or brackets. You can use a 5x3 cm UD profile as guides;
Additional elements... In the case of a basement covering, these can be the following details: starting and finishing strips, external corners, internal corners, cornices and ebbs for the design of a ledge, grilles for ventilation holes and other fittings;
Main panels... They are polyvinyl chloride slabs, on which a volumetric pattern is applied in the form of natural stone, sandstone, boards, beams or other material. The panels are slightly thicker than the wall counterparts, since the basement area is subject to increased wear;
Expendable materials... All kinds of fasteners: screws, nails, thermo washers, staples. The specific parameters of consumables depend on the type of panels and the method of their installation.

In fact, the siding installation technology repeats the ventilated facade. That is, the coating is located at a distance from the wall, which allows the structure to breathe freely, and this gap can also be filled with insulation. The only difference is in the method of fastening and fixing the panels to the frame.

Important! Siding is one of the most acceptable finishing materials in terms of price / quality ratio. PVC panels are not afraid of moisture, wind and solar radiation, do not lose their appearance and do not corrode.

Technology advantages

If you ask why we chose siding, instead of answering, we will simply list its benefits:

The service life of the material is more than 50 years, during which its original shape and color are preserved;
The surface of the panels does not flake or exfoliate;
PVC, of which the panels are composed, is not subject to decay, biological and chemical corrosion, exposure to ultraviolet solar radiation and other natural factors;
Wide temperature range, from - 50 to +50 degrees Celsius;
Polyvinyl chloride is an environmentally friendly material, it does not emit any harmful compounds and toxins;
The surface is well resistant to mechanical stress: chips, scratches, impacts, wind pressure, etc.;
The effect of a ventilated facade, due to which condensation is removed from the gap between the wall and the covering, and the walls can allow air to pass through;
The ability to lay insulation in the ventilation gap;
Simple and quick installation that does not require any special skills. Parts are connected with locks and latches, and are fixed with simple screws or nails;
Easy care. If the coating is installed correctly, then its maintenance will consist in an annual washing with water and detergent;
Frost resistance;
The material is absolutely uninteresting to pests, rodents and other representatives of the animal world;
Siding perfectly imitates natural finishing materials, and it is not easy to distinguish modern panels from the original even at a short distance.

Important! Installation of the cover resembles the assembly of a constructor, in which you just have to follow the instructions and follow simple steps step by step.

Installation of basement siding

If you liked the technology of cladding structures with siding, and you want to lay it yourself, our step-by-step instructions for finishing the basement gap with this material will help you:

We clean the plinth of dust and dirt, remove all protruding objects, repair cracks and surface defects;
With the help of dowels, we attach the profile strips to the wall. At a distance of 2 - 3 cm from the ground, we fix the lower plank strictly horizontally, and at the very top of the gap we fix the upper plank. Exactly in the middle between them, set the middle bar parallel to the first two;

We mount a layer of mineral wool or expanded polystyrene between the planks to insulate the structure, cover the cotton wool with a windscreen;

Along the lower bar, at the very bottom, we mount the starting strip. It should be strictly horizontal;

On the left corner of the basement, we put on and fasten the corner strip, cut to the size of the gap between the basement and the wall;

Insert the panel cut from the left side into the starting bar and slide it into the corner along it. We leave a gap between the wall and corner strips of 6 - 10 mm. We fix the bar with self-tapping screws through special holes in the mounting part of the part, place the self-tapping screw in the middle of the hole and tighten it by 1 - 2 mm;

We install the first wall panel.