How to Accurately Level Vinyl Sidings with a Laser Level?

Do you need to level vinyl sidings?

Achieving a level finish for vinyl sidings can be challenging without the right equipment. Especially if the existing wall or cladding system is uneven, achieving an aligned and consistent level of vinyl sidings can require some set-out work and packing or planning of wall framing.

If you’re working on a new house, installing vinyl sidings would be easier because the framing should be installed straight.

But for old houses, walls may have moved or sunken in a corner. So you need to pay attention to the building’s alignment because it would affect the aesthetics of sidings as an exterior cladding system if you install it to the framing rather than to the level.

Not only do you need to achieve perfect vinyl alignment aesthetically, but the product has to be level to prevent water infiltration.

You need the interlocking profile snug to properly prevent pests and insects from sneaking into your house and eating your cookies.

Remember this: if a part of the cladding system is not level, the sidings must not have interlocked properly. And this will compromise the integrity of your cladding.

In this article, we’ll show you how to use your laser level to fit and install vinyl sidings.

What do you need?

Here’s what to prepare:

• A laser level
• Tripod or mounting bracket
• Measuring tape
• Pencil or marker
• Vinyls sidings
• Fasteners
• Hammer or a power drill

Which laser level type is best for fitting vinyl siding?

Two types of laser levels can perform best in leveling vinyl sidings.

One, you can use a line laser level or a cross-line laser level. Any type of laser level that projects a verticle level line, as a 5-point carpenters laser level, will work.

Line lasers can project horizontal and vertical laser beams that extend to the vinyl sidings’ width.

Especially when you use a green line laser, it will provide higher visibility than red beams. But a red laser level will do the job just fine. 

Or, you can use a rotary laser level that provides 360° horizontal or vertical plane projection on the wall. But you don’t need this much projection.

With quick rotation, a 360deg laser level projects a continuous line on the wall, which is useful in aligning long stretches of vinyl sidings and around multiple corners simultaneously.

How to Use a Laser Level to Install Vinyl Sidings?

If you have prepared your tools and materials, you can proceed with leveling to fit vinyl sidings.

Step 1 Set up your laser level.

Choose a location where you will set up your laser level. It must be near the wall where you will install the vinyl siding.

Choose an area with clear visibility and take out your tripod. Extend the legs, where your laser level can project the line to your desired preferred height. 

Mount the laser level on your tripod and ensure the surface is level.

Step 2 Set up the laser height.

Now that the laser level is ready, you can set the laser height.

Ideally, set multiple level marks at each end of the wall. You can use a “red” chalk line to ping a permanent mark all the way along the building paper to measure down from to check that the wall cladding is level from any point. Call this line your “level datum line.”

You can also measure down from your datum line for every new board to be installed by marking the bottom edge for the next length of cladding. Ping a ”blue” chalk line to mark the position of the next board.

You can also turn the laser level on to start emitting a laser beam at each board height. But I find using a chalk line easier. Just use the laser level to set the original level line. Always measure from the same level line.

To get the actual height of each board, you can use a measuring rod ”datum stick” with the digital receiver. If you use a scrap piece of wood, you can measure and mark the height that every line of cladding should be at on the measuring rod.

Make sure that your measuring rod is clear, use bright paint before marking the heights, and mark a T with a circle to indicate what is the top side of your measuring rod.

Putting your measuring rod upside down by mistake could result in a badly built cladding system.

Check the measurement again to ensure the height from the laser to the ground level and cladding overhang below the floor level is accurate and within building standards.

The cladding needs to extend below the finished floor height inside the building and should hide subfloor framing.

Step 3 Mark your reference points.

Now that you have set the laser height mark all points throughout the perimeter of your house.

Set your mark with the lowest point. Setting the lowest reference point is establishing the appropriate height for the strip’s bottom edge.

Step 4 Align the starting strip.

Set a horizontal beam with your laser level on the elevation you have marked. This line is where the bottom edge of your siding should go.

Your initial strip must be straight and leveled.

Step 5 Attach and secure your starting strip.

After aligning your starting strip, attach and secure it with your fastener. Cut your vinyl siding.

Note that you use different cutting tools for metal sidings. For vinyl siding, use an angle grinder with a corresponding blade.

Start attaching the first strip from one end to another, with the strip positioned horizontally and according to laser level alignment.

Align the strip with the bottom edge that you previously marked. When fastening with a nail or screw, make sure they are nailed in flush.

But do not overtighten or overdrive the fasteners to give room for contraction.

Step 6 Check alignment.

Once you have secured the starting strip, project a horizontal beam and see if the vinyl is level.

Eventually, you need to check the alignment of every row of siding.

Step 7 Align and attach the subsequent rows.

Use the laser level to check the alignment of each strip. Check for vertical alignment too.

Make adjustments as needed. Once aligned, secure the strips by fastening them.

There are different ways to fasten by nailing, screwing, and holding by the interlocking panels. Provide sixteen inches of space per fastener. Or fix at each line of studs.

Step 8 Install trims on the wall or door edges.

There are different trims you can install on the window or door edges depending on the edge detail.

It could be J-channel trim, a corner post trim, soffit trim, or more. Cut the trim pieces according to the size needed.

These trims should cover the edges of the vinyl strips and provide a finished appearance. Verify up and down alignment using your laser level with the verticle line mode. Fill in the gaps to make the edges seamless.

A quick tip

Remember that vinyl expands in a hot climate. Make sure to provide enough space for the vinyl to stretch.

You can cut your vinyl sidings and trims with an angle grinder with the correct disc. Ensure the vinyl sidings interlock with each other. Use your laser level every time you will attach a new row, or measure down from your level line and use a chalk line.

You do not want to have a few strips because of misalignment. When measuring strips from left to right, use the vinyl siding detail as your reference point and not the edges.

A lot of people still use guesswork to fit vinyl siding. But because of continuous leveling requirements, this job is better done by a trusted and accurate laser level.