# Installing vinyl siding to an unlevel garage



## pbrow1 (Jun 8, 2008)

Hi, 
This is my first time installing vinyl siding (Certainteed from Mendards) and I am doing a small, very old garage. There is no sort of backer board under the current siding, it is also the inside wall of the garage.  The current siding ends when it meets a flat concrete slab that extends about 10 inches out into the yard.  The front of garage is also quite uneven and it drops about 3 inches from the left side to the right. A concern I have is if I start on the right and I install the metal starting strip level 2 inches up from the lowest point - this is what the instructions say- then it will run into the concrete slab. If I start on the left, there will be a few inches of exposed old siding below the starting strip when it gets to the corner and possibly around the other side. I dont think I can remove the concrete and I am wondering what is the best path to take. The other three sides are sloped too, but all are built up a few inches so I dont think clearance would be a big issue. My other concern is that if I do put up siding that is perfectly level it will look crooked in relation to the soffit and window frame lines, because they both follow the slope of the garage. Would it be better to install the siding crooked so that it would follow the natural lines of the foundation, windows and soffits?
Thanks for your comments. 
Pat


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## hondadrv24 (Jun 8, 2008)

I would run it crooked, with the rest of the garage so that you can't tell that it is crooked except with a level.
Justin


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## inspectorD (Jun 9, 2008)

You could run what is called a water table board at the bottom.
Basically it starts out level and you cut the bottom to fit the area it falls down to. That make sense?
You could use the new vinyl trim boards available, or even a couple pressure treated boards painted.
Another option is to buy some coil stock and cover the showing siding below your starting point that way.

Some others may have some more ideas, but crooked always shows up in my opinion.


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## glennjanie (Jun 9, 2008)

I vote for InspectorD on this one, don't follow the bad example because 'crooked always shows up'.
Glenn


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