Vinyl siding is one of the more visually appealing exterior wall options out there. From its neat, uniform lines to its consistent coloring, it's an extremely popular choice across the US.
That said, plenty of homeowners run into the same dilemma: how do you hang things on the wall without damaging the siding itself? This guide addresses exactly that.
In this guide
How To Hang Things On Vinyl Siding?
Since vinyl siding is such a popular, attractive, and durable choice for home exteriors, it's no surprise homeowners often want to hang wall plaques, decorations, and other items directly on it to enhance the look of their home.
The problem is that driving a nail or screw straight into vinyl can let water seep into that puncture, compromising the material's integrity over time. The trick is finding a way to hang decorations without resorting to adhesives, nails, or screws driven directly into the siding.
Instructions for hanging things on vinyl siding
- Choose and buy the right type of vinyl siding hook for your needs. J-shaped siding hooks work well for items that need to hang freely, like wreaths, party decorations, or hanging flower pots. S-shaped siding hooks are better suited to items you want held closer and flatter against the siding, like wall plaques or flags.
- Decide exactly where you want the item hung. A ladder can help you safely reach spots above shrubs or flower beds.
- Slip the top of the siding hook between two overlapping pieces of vinyl siding and snap it into place.
- To remove or reposition the hook later, rotate it and gently pull it back out from underneath the siding seam.
- Once the hook is secure, hang your decoration on it. Standard siding hooks like this typically have a weight limit of around 10 to 12 pounds.
Best Way To Hang Something On Vinyl Siding
Homeowners love their low-maintenance vinyl siding, but understandably hesitate before attaching anything directly to it. Once you know the right tools and techniques for the specific job, though, it's genuinely straightforward. Using the right approach for each application is really the key to doing this well.
Instructions:
- Use hook panels for lighter items. If you're hanging something like an outdoor thermometer, garden clock, or lightweight decoration, you're in luck — dedicated vinyl siding hooks make hanging anything under about 10 lbs (4.5 kg) fairly straightforward.
Siding hooks don't require making any holes in your siding, so there's no risk of moisture damage. These fasteners are designed to take advantage of the existing grooves in the siding, locking securely into place using the siding's own overlapping structure. You can find them online as well as at most major hardware and home improvement stores.
- Use hook-style fasteners. Two main styles are available. The first is a simple hook design — a wide stainless steel strip that fits into a horizontal seam of the siding, with a hook portion sticking up above it.
A loop-style clip, or an item with a slot cut into its back, can slide over this hook to hang securely. Most clocks, plaques, and wall decor items already come with some kind of built-in hanging point on the back. If yours doesn't, you can pick up an adhesive strip-style hanger, like 3M's Command line, from most hardware stores instead.
- Use flat-style siding hooks. The second style of vinyl siding hook features a flat metal strip with two to four holes punched into it.
S-hooks, J-hooks, small screws, nut-and-bolt setups, and plenty of other fasteners can pass through these holes, which makes flat-style hooks considerably more versatile for items that don't work well with a simple loop fastener. Whichever suspension system you buy, follow its specific installation instructions closely.
Best House Numbers For Vinyl Siding
Plenty of hook styles are made specifically for mounting house numbers on vinyl siding, available in both metal and plastic. Plastic tends to be the more popular choice, since it generally holds up longer against the elements.
You'll find a wide range of vinyl siding hooks for this purpose online. That said, if your house number plate is on the heavier side, it's worth using two hooks rather than relying on just one for support.
How To Install A Ring Doorbell On Vinyl Siding
Installing a Ring doorbell on vinyl siding follows a very similar process to mounting it on any other siding. The main difference is that the doorbell's mounting plate likely won't sit flush against the wall, given the contoured shape of vinyl siding panels.
The best way around this is picking up a dedicated vinyl siding mounting block, which provides the flat, level surface your doorbell actually needs to mount flush and securely. You can find these mounting blocks at most hardware stores, or more conveniently, ordered online.
How To Hang Heavy Things On Vinyl Siding
• Find a stud. To hang something genuinely heavy, like an exterior light fixture or a mailbox, you'll need to locate a wall stud underneath the siding to actually anchor your hardware into.
For an older home that's since been re-sided, you may be able to screw directly into the original wood siding underneath. If the wall has foam insulation or house wrap behind the vinyl instead, you'll need to actively locate a stud rather than relying on what's directly behind the siding. A battery-powered stud finder, widely available at hardware stores, uses a simple sensor (some use lasers to help mark the spot) to make this considerably easier. It's a genuinely worthwhile investment that pays off any time you're hanging something heavy, indoors or outdoors.
• Plan and measure the hole. Once you've located the stud, carefully pry open the siding seam until it releases. Drill a hole at least 3/4 inch (about 19mm) deep into the wood stud or siding, measure the depth of the mounting hardware's back plate, and add at least another 3/4 inch (19mm) to determine your final hole depth. Mark exactly where the mounting holes need to go, then snap the siding seam back into place.
• Buy the right screws or hangers. Choose a hanger rated for the same depth as the hole you're drilling, and match it to the actual weight of whatever you're hanging. Heavier items may need two or more anchor points for proper support.
• Drill the hole to match your screw size for a snug fit. Seal the hole afterward with a clear, UV-rated exterior sealant — an oversized hole, or any small mistake along the way, can also be caulked to keep moisture from working its way in. Wipe away any excess sealant once you're done. Be careful not to seal the siding itself down tight to the wall, since that can cause it to ripple or sag over time — vinyl siding needs some room to expand and contract with temperature changes.
Best Way To Hang Lights On Vinyl Siding
Two of the best options for hanging miniature string lights on vinyl siding for the holidays or a party are dedicated siding clips that slide directly into the seams, and self-adhesive clips.
Whichever clip style you choose, leaving the clips in place once you've taken the lights down makes it considerably easier to put lights back up again next season.
Hanging lights goes much more smoothly with a plan in place. Sketching your layout on graph paper first lets you scale it to your actual home before you start. Once you've got a plan, you're ready to start placing clips.
For siding clips, turn the clip on its side and slide it behind the siding seam. Once every clip is installed, slide the light strand into place across all of them.
Self-adhesive clips give you more precise control over exactly where each one goes, though they do require cleaning the siding surface first, since dirt or oxidation can prevent the adhesive from bonding properly. Once the surface is clean, peel the protective backing off the clip and press it firmly into place.
When setting up any string lights, pay close attention to the manufacturer's instructions for how many strands can be safely connected end to end. Most light sets include a built-in fuse, and overloading the circuit is exactly what causes that fuse to blow. If you connect too many sets and the fuse somehow doesn't blow, that overloaded circuit becomes a genuine fire hazard rather than just an inconvenience.
Best Way To Hang A Sign On Vinyl Siding
On siding profiles that aren't flat, you'll notice each vinyl "plank" has an upper section that sits flush against the home's sheathing, and a lower, protruding section that sits roughly half an inch out from the wall.
Drill your mounting holes through that upper, flush section of the siding rather than the protruding lower lip, so the weight of the sign doesn't end up compressing or crushing the protruding part of the panel.
Measure a short spacer length that will hold the back of your sign out at roughly the same distance as the siding's most protruding point, so the sign sits flat and level once mounted. Short cut lengths of plastic tubing, like a spare toilet supply line, work well for this kind of spacer, though there are plenty of other materials that would work just as well.
Add a small dab of silicone or exterior caulk to the end of each spacer that will rest against the siding, then pass your screw through the sign, the spacer, and finally into the siding itself to secure everything in place.
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