This is why its good for Supervisors to do installs in the field with their crew. To catch, and correct mistakes, AND to get reminded why jobs sometimes take longer then THEY thought it should. Good for everyone involved.
ANY good supervisor already “assumes” jobs will take longer than they should. Even when I estimated contracts I always added extra manpower time into my pricing because NO two jobs are alike, no two crews are alike, etc. For example, I shouldn’t expect the same amount of “work” in a day from a team of one journeyman and a helper as opposed to pairing up two of my top paid guys together. Luckily for me a fire sprinkler contractor it was always pretty “easy” to estimate these numbers. Is he a 30 buck an hour guy? That means he should be giving me 30 cutbacks a day on average. It helps that I started my trade from the very bottom as a “shop kid” making 40 bucks a DAY and worked my way up to now running my own business successfully for more than a decade though.🤷♂️
This is one of the best how-to instruction videos I've ever seen as far as construction type stuff. Simple, actually shows us, up close, exactly what he's doing and why etc. You'd be amazed at how many people making these types of videos don't show you simple things.
Doing baby steps for the first time but I'm getting there on my own figure how to wrap easy with just me. Made a base stuck a long pipe that wont bend or tilt then pulled it then work my way down
Good job! Love a young man who loves his profession. I trained plumbers for over forty year’s. Many came back years later to thank me that owned their own business. And many who I taught the correct way but started cutting corners soon went bankrupt. The only way in the long run of any business is to do it right the first time. Well done and know you will be a successful business for many years to come.
Out of all the window j-channel videos on UA-cam, yours is the best by far! This video helped me when replacing a window over two years ago and now it’s helping refresh my memory this week with a bunch of new windows installed. Keep up the training Brother!
I enjoyed the videos I watched. The thing I liked best about your video was the comment you made near the end. "Fast doesn't matter if it's not quality." I worked with a wonderful older gentleman who took me under his wing and taught me volumes of things. One of his lessons and a Howard ism was "There is never time to do it right, but there is always time to do it over." Compared to most guys I've worked I am slow but I feel I always did quality work. I also had to go back and fix other people's work.
Newbie here. Great video. I bought the $50 j channel notcher, thinking it would make the job easier. After seeing this video, I stand corrected. It is more difficult to use notcher the colder it gets. It is supposed to have two settings, one to notch two sides to leave the hinge and one to notch all three sides to completely remove notch. When it's cold out, it wants to take the whole notch out every time. Returning this tool tomorrow! Thanks again for the great videos.
I've been siding for about 20 years. I exclusively do Smartside but did vinyl for about 10 years. I learned this method about 8 years in and I never turned back. If you put it on first and mark everything with a pencil i found it was way more precise than measuring. Also... with the nail flange on the window we used to bend out the front of the J from the back just a bit so the channel doesn't roll forward and get it nice and tight to the window. Hands down best way to do channel. Great video brother! Just the tip😂😂 glad we aren't the only ones who make that joke.
Many thanks for the great vid! An extra step worth considering is flashing beneath the side J-channel bottoms: Cut a piece of flashing out of felt paper or flashing tape and install it at the bottom corners of the windows before installing the bottom & side J-channels. Overlap the flashing onto the siding course just below the window. Now, water that runs inside the side J-channels will come out on top of the siding & out it's weep holes, not behind it.
Zack, I am a carpenter/ roofer 36 years old doing this work since 18. I can do the 10 minute windows but I never thought about leaving the back half for the flap that bends around to put a nail in it. Thanks for sharing that brother. I always just cut it out and fold it over. But I will be using that next time.
Just started on my brothers siding crew. He's a hot shot kinda like you, but a horrible teacher. This video helped tremendously. I learned a whole lot. Thanks man. And thank you for your service to this country!
Oh god there is nothing worse than a bad teacher. 🙄 they can make the simplest stuff seem like rocket science and they usually blame you for not “paying attention”
Watched your video and then trimmed 2 windows and a door for the first time ever. My J trim was 10 x better then the ones we had done by a friend. I decided to redo all their work. Thanks for the video ❤
This is how you create a how to video. Many of these guys don't show you the details. This guy knows his stuff and and more important knows how to communicate what he knows!
Watched this guy for 3 seconds and knew he was a pro. I’ve been a carpenter for 25 years and never got good doing siding and J ( I can obviously do it, but I’m slow as hell. I’ve been looking for “ that one weird trick” Looks like this dude knows.
I’m also a UA-camr but in HVACR. I love hearing that what I’m doing is helping others so I wanted to leave you a comment and let you know that I just had to redo my windows because the Jay channel was done horribly, and they didn’t use tape, only caulk, but most importantly they had no rain shield at the bottom of the window🤷♂️🤦🤦. I just got done replacing the wood that rotted out. Now I’m doing all the windows in the house and your video made my work look 1000 times better than the guy that did it before me and I am a very picky person, I’m impressed with the way it looked. I see a lot about the way you are in your videos, similar to the way I am with mine. If you do good work, you wanna share it and that’s something you’re doing and I commend you for it and I wanna thank you for it. Great job.
I installed J channel on 2 windows and they looked terrible. Watched your video, twice, and went and started over with your methods and they turned out very well. Thanks for your service to our country and thanks for a great tutorial for us DIY folks.
28:00...If you already know how to j channel a window and just want to see how I do it, fast forward to 28 minutes. Beginners can definitely learn from the detailed explanations in the beginning but i feel some of the experienced guys might see a different thing or 2 as well! Hope you guys enjoy. Don't forget to like this video and subscribe
I just 45 one piece in the corners and leave the end kinda square so that way you get a perfect 45 when the 45 overlaps the square end. It's perfect every time and saves time. Like when you hold it up to mark where to trim it back just cut that line but no need to to 45 your other piece with the 45 will slide right over it giving you a perfect 45 and never a gap between the two. Pieces where they meet. Hope this makes sense
Your video was awesome. This was my first time trimming with J channel. I was using metal J for my metal siding and all my corners turned out perfect. Thanks again
you have the best video out there to how to trim a window for vinyl siding I am a contractor in central florida and a lot of the crews here don't know how to trim a window properly Now I am doing a little project and I will apply your technique I have an idea but now you mastered for me keep on with the videos
Thank you for this. Best J channel video I have seen. I am a DIY'er and was able to trim out a crappy dryer vent install by a plumber. The corners don't look as tight as yours but they are better than the 'pro' install from the builder.
Also, the fumbling around with the "speed' square did make it super confusing to my trainees, I'm having them watch this because I think there is alot of things we can pick up on what to do and what not to Do. Always want your 45 point furthest away from the window 🪟, it's the same exact angle that's already on the window frame itself, hard to mess that up. Thanks brother.
Came back to this video because I did the siding on the front of my house last year. Today I tried to J channel around my window on a different part of the house on just memory from last time, as I was nailing I hated the way the corners looked. Long story short I was doing it so wrong compared to this method that I did before and they came out perfect. This is a great video for the part timer like myself
I consider myself a pretty good j-channeler. I thought I knew all the tricks. But after watching how you make your 45° cuts, I was impressed. It made it so much easier. And it looks better. Thanks for the tip.
After failing miserably on my first try. I watched your video and made myself a test square out of the scrap J and now I got it!!!. Thanks for the lesson. 1 down 5 more to go on my project.
I’m you but in plumbing. Love to teach and love to show my “little tricks”, you are obviously a great tradesman, and teaching someone “how to”, is satisfying. That is why good tradesman...tradeswoman, charge by the job not by the hour, our experience has to be at a premium. Great job, and doesn’t matter what I watch I always see a trick.
Amazing video tutorial, and it makes total sense. I'm about to siding for the first time ever tomorrow on my shed and I'm really glad I landed on this!
Dude... Your 39 minute video took me about an hour studying your every move... I live in KY and It RAINS a lot.. The Front of my shop has problems with water leaking in so now i'm going to Fix it once and for all.... Thanks bud!! and i couldn't help but subscribing...
As a tradesman myself, I ALWAYS took the time to teach. 10minutes to show a green guy the “right” way to do something was always better than an hour fixing what they tried to figure out on their own. My favorite “helpers” were the ones who were eager to learn and asked a lot of questions and they eventually blossomed into some of my favorite journeymen to work alongside of. Even with 15 years in my trade I’m STILL always open to suggestions/tips from the guys who came before me.
Excellent video I would guess you're from new york.. You remind me of some guys that I work with.. very knowledgeable and straightforward great info and training ..
I know this should be obvious, but what happens to the water when it reaches the bottom of the, for example, window? Does it push the water behind the siding down the wall? If not, how does it get pushed to the front of the siding when it reaches the bottom?
Damn good job there. Wish I was still doing this stuff to be able to use your techniques. One thing I would throw out there that may help someone as it can be easily overlooked, is that when we would do a job like this with new windows being installed, we wouldn’t install the screens for the windows until the very end after the siding. This helps prevent anybody from putting a hole in the screen when they aren’t paying attention. (We had a few guys that were drawn to them like magnets and would inevitably end up putting a hole in one) Anyway keep up the good work
When you trim out your windows with aluminum I do the built in window j. Also I use the midwest snips from menards. But out of all the people iv seen j channel in my 7 years of doing siding theres only 3 or 4 people I no who can j channel good. And yours looks good. Keep taking pride in your work
Hi, my name is Jason, I own E.M.T. Home Improvement Co. So I have a Big Question that you may be able to help me out with. So I am doing a Cape, 9 windows, 3 Door's, 3 Porch, Balcony, etc and Solid Core Siding. Well when I ordered the windows I ask them for a Window with Built in J's that can receive Solid Core Siding. Well the window's are all in the house along with the doors, and we were so excited to finally start the Siding, well everything went Well till I got to the Window's and find the siding doesn't fit in the J-Channel on the window! So basically my Distributor neglected to tell me that they do not make those window's anymore. So now I sit with that problem. I have gotten a couple suggestion's, but then ran into you on UA-cam just looking to see if I could figure anything out. Well I watched your video and you know your shit really good so I figured I would ask you if you have ever run into this problem, how did you fix it? Or if not what do you think might fix the problem. THANKS!
That's a tough one. Hard to say without being there but I imagine you're going to have to j channel against that. Maybe slide some nice one by's in the window channel and make it look like a big window detail that was intentional. I imagine you're gonna have to do something along those lines. maybe Google exterior window trim and see if anything jumps out at you
Man it does my heart good to watch you vinyl side this home. I don't know why but I always loved vinyl siding homes it always made me feel good turning a dump into a show place. You guy's do great work...
Your the man. Thanks a lot. I do commercial carpentry so never did siding. I had a siding guy come over an start my j runner. I watched yiur video. Took all his down an re did it the right way lol the way you just taught me. Thanks again!
Amazing demonstration of proper trim on the outside of a window. I have scoured multiple videos(maybe that added to my understanding), but this video was the real kicker to understanding the concept.
Thank you for this, after my first attempt, which took me way longer than I would like to admit...and looked awful, I found your video, and that made the rest go so smoothly. It is so nice to not have to use the measuring tape as often, and all my cuts now look so much better. Thank you for taking the time!
Thank you same here never done this before doing remolding my parent's house siding wrapping and the j-channels on my own but watching this helps my confident I can do it
I watched the whole thing and this really is a great method! with fail-safes built in! I used this method for my first siding job and it made it make more sense to cut those miters and the whole process really. Thanks dude!
Thanks for making this video. I'm a newbie at this and I was getting ready to do a small repair and was gathering up tools. But I'm confused about the snips. At 1:25 you pulled out a red handled pair of snips and called them right cutters. I thought all red handled snip cut left. I have a Wiss pair and a Blue Point pair and red/left is their convention. My right cutters have green handles.
All three sides were spot-on as to measuring and cutting. I am having a real rough time with only the top piece. The miter has always been falling short.
sorry to hear that! maybe you needed to make sure you were holding the far end flush to where you want them to sit before you made your mark? you can always elongate your 45 also, and nip off any extra. better long than short.
bro, used this yesterday, 28 degrees in upsate ny. it came out amazing! great viseo. your generosity made a huge difference in the quality of my job. cant wait to check out more of yuor vids. btw- where u located?
Thanks great video! What about nailing the utility channel the same time you install the bottom piece? Use the same nail to secure both pieces...saves time...
I never had a teacher for much either. My mistakes and the things I done right taught me and now, have made me prosperous. It's to easy once you take the time to learn and to also learn how to learn that sometimes there is a better way than the first. Complacency is the downfall of a lot of the workers and I've seen it first hand. I'm a roofer. I do inside work and outside. Anything but heating and air. Your videos have made a difference in certain things I do because I liked your technique. Thank you for everything bro, keep up the good work. Every video is helpful to me if no one else lol
thank you for letting me know! there's nothing more rewarding than knowing these videos are helping fellow installers. that's what they're here for. I do just about everything as well! hope you stick around to see the indoor work I have in store. if you saw the roof measuring video you can tell in the beginning I have more cut out for me yet at the flip house
Not that easy, these lineals have j channel attached to then for the siding. IE, the siding ends 3.5 in away from the door and window casings. The lineals have the j channels built into them for where the siding ends.
@@deanweingarth9586 oh. Well if im imagining this correct just remove those wraps. Redo the wood (or leave it) and rewrap.. You're gonna need a brake to bend the metal.
Do you guys caulk around ur j's? I was taught to leave a siding nail worth of gap around the verticals and top horizontal j's to allow for a caulk gap.
Just finishing my 3000 sq ft place, great video, I want to share some tips I used. I bought the tool that cuts-bottom out. Worth the money to save time, but not necessary. But my siding is wood colour and with snips left the cutouts showing the plastic colour. Tool makes neat cuts. The tool I said can cut a small tab but Zack’s idea is way better for attaching. The corners at 45, if you keep it a few inches long then you can bend it over and keeps corner crisp and in place. I also too a 6” piece, cut perfect 45’s on each corner, used as a temp plate. Had some big windows and was hard to hold sides and get top figured out. I would get the bottom first, the sides at bottom are easy todo, then by leaving the sides a bit long at top, using my template I can trim the side piece at top, both sides, then measure the piece, keep few inches each side long like video, I did left side first, then put the piece up and used my template to measure the angle ect, then, put it up and Bammmm! Done. Looks great. As a tradesman I tell my apprentices my way works, here is how to do it, but, it’s ok to tweak it as you like. Thanks again.
Thanks for the comment bud! I just don't have it in me to buy that tool so I can clip the ends to accept a 45. Coz like you said, With the way I do my corners I'm leaving that flange that the tool cuts off.
Just a quick question I understand the length of the J-channel as you cut it but the thickness of it when you put it up against the window is it supposed to pass the window or be just as flush as the window for future reference when I’m doing J-channel, or does it matter how far the J channel sticks out From the wall, (I hope somebody can answer this because I just got done working on some wooden casing around these old windows and supposedly the partner says that the J channel supposed should be flush with the window casing
Mine is flush, but I'm new to vinyl siding. It looks good, and this technique worked well for me. Personally, I wouldn't have worried about the thickness as much as it being a good fit at the corners. Good luck, man.
Wish I'd found this last week. Have a small porch rebuild with aluminum that was rotted out - zero flashing... Rebuilt with vinyl but not done it before. It's "ok", nobody but a pro would object, but some of it's coming out and getting redone now.
Thanks for the video. I watched it twice and then once while I did my first window and it looks mint. I only messed up on my extra that gets tucked under. I cut one 45 closer to the edge, but I kept it. Thanks again.
Lots of swinging D'S & egos. Great video. I like how u had issues along the way, it shows the person watching what to do in those moments and they are common in the process. U don't have to blame it on (Matt) or his rookies, it happens to all of us.
I'm pretty sure your windows are taped wrong on top. The paper needs to be flipped up. Put tape straight on the sheeting and the window flashing. Then flip the paper back into place and retaped.
@@NWIVeteranConstruction For sure..I kept telling my wife as I was cutting that angle..."I need to cut a bit off the line", along with other tips you gave. Thanks!
Very well done video. Thank you for making this. I'd like to see a similar one on doors. (ie: do I need an aluminum drip cap? Caulking? Tape? How is a door properly installed to protect from weather? Again... very well done. Very thorough and descriptive.
depends on the window! if its got a flange like this and a place for you to but your j channel to then no..but if there's a piece of wood surrounding your windows edges then yes, the wood will rot if not wrapped or painted
Not where I'm from. I do know specifically for hardy n lp you don't caulk souvenirs l above the windows before water gets behind and doesn't have a way to drain
Vinyl siding is designed to accept and shed water at every penetration (weep holes, and even if it doesn't rain humidity condensates on the back of the panels and collects esp in the early morning hours, think morning dew). Prep should be layered and water tight prior to installing any vinyl
I liked everything you did but i would have bent out the channel so it sits against the window better. You wont have any gaps between channel and window.
Nice video! In my experience the Jeld-Wen windows are of poor quality. Always have to trim the corners and the nailing flange is almost always distorted. Sometimes so bad that you cannot straighten them!
This is why its good for Supervisors to do installs in the field with their crew. To catch, and correct mistakes, AND to get reminded why jobs sometimes take longer then THEY thought it should. Good for everyone involved.
ANY good supervisor already “assumes” jobs will take longer than they should. Even when I estimated contracts I always added extra manpower time into my pricing because NO two jobs are alike, no two crews are alike, etc. For example, I shouldn’t expect the same amount of “work” in a day from a team of one journeyman and a helper as opposed to pairing up two of my top paid guys together. Luckily for me a fire sprinkler contractor it was always pretty “easy” to estimate these numbers. Is he a 30 buck an hour guy? That means he should be giving me 30 cutbacks a day on average. It helps that I started my trade from the very bottom as a “shop kid” making 40 bucks a DAY and worked my way up to now running my own business successfully for more than a decade though.🤷♂️
This is one of the best how-to instruction videos I've ever seen as far as construction type stuff. Simple, actually shows us, up close, exactly what he's doing and why etc. You'd be amazed at how many people making these types of videos don't show you simple things.
I really appreciate that man! This is one my most underrated videos in my opinion
@@NWIVeteranConstruction of all the j channel videos I've seen, this is by far the best, detailed, simple, and helpful.
Thanks
@@jonyates3918 awesome. Tried to make this one easy
Doing baby steps for the first time but I'm getting there on my own figure how to wrap easy with just me. Made a base stuck a long pipe that wont bend or tilt then pulled it then work my way down
I'm doing my very 1st residing project. You mentioned "under-seal molding"..... where does that come into play?
Good job! Love a young man who loves his profession. I trained plumbers for over forty year’s. Many came back years later to thank me that owned their own business. And many who I taught the correct way but started cutting corners soon went bankrupt. The only way in the long run of any business is to do it right the first time. Well done and know you will be a successful business for many years to come.
Out of all the window j-channel videos on UA-cam, yours is the best by far! This video helped me when replacing a window over two years ago and now it’s helping refresh my memory this week with a bunch of new windows installed.
Keep up the training Brother!
I enjoyed the videos I watched. The thing I liked best about your video was the comment you made near the end. "Fast doesn't matter if it's not quality." I worked with a wonderful older gentleman who took me under his wing and taught me volumes of things. One of his lessons and a Howard ism was "There is never time to do it right, but there is always time to do it over." Compared to most guys I've worked I am slow but I feel I always did quality work. I also had to go back and fix other people's work.
Totally agree. I can j much faster without a tape measure and it will be tighter, better...
Newbie here. Great video. I bought the $50 j channel notcher, thinking it would make the job easier. After seeing this video, I stand corrected. It is more difficult to use notcher the colder it gets. It is supposed to have two settings, one to notch two sides to leave the hinge and one to notch all three sides to completely remove notch. When it's cold out, it wants to take the whole notch out every time. Returning this tool tomorrow! Thanks again for the great videos.
What shows most is that you are a decent guy who cares about the quality of your work. Nicely done!
Thank you
I've been siding for about 20 years. I exclusively do Smartside but did vinyl for about 10 years. I learned this method about 8 years in and I never turned back. If you put it on first and mark everything with a pencil i found it was way more precise than measuring. Also... with the nail flange on the window we used to bend out the front of the J from the back just a bit so the channel doesn't roll forward and get it nice and tight to the window. Hands down best way to do channel. Great video brother! Just the tip😂😂 glad we aren't the only ones who make that joke.
Dude, your video helped us alot. Thank you sir
We got mini speed squares, they are 1/3 of the size, work very well. I'm Grimley Services in Minnesota. Just starting out on my own.
Many thanks for the great vid!
An extra step worth considering is flashing beneath the side J-channel bottoms:
Cut a piece of flashing out of felt paper or flashing tape and install it at the bottom corners of the windows before installing the bottom & side J-channels. Overlap the flashing onto the siding course just below the window. Now, water that runs inside the side J-channels will come out on top of the siding & out it's weep holes, not behind it.
Zack, I am a carpenter/ roofer 36 years old doing this work since 18. I can do the 10 minute windows but I never thought about leaving the back half for the flap that bends around to put a nail in it. Thanks for sharing that brother. I always just cut it out and fold it over. But I will be using that next time.
Glad to hear
Same here! Thanks for sharing these videos man. Keep up the good work...
I think most of us cut that off also.
It holds the corners a lot tighter, and, if you start from bottom up like him, it's better water protection
I do the opposite. I cut the back side off and leave the front side, I just cut the rounded edge so it can slide inside the bottom J-channel.
Just started on my brothers siding crew. He's a hot shot kinda like you, but a horrible teacher. This video helped tremendously. I learned a whole lot. Thanks man. And thank you for your service to this country!
Oh god there is nothing worse than a bad teacher. 🙄 they can make the simplest stuff seem like rocket science and they usually blame you for not “paying attention”
You’re ok there bud! It’s rare to see people with the patience of Job in this day and age. Keep it up!
Watched your video and then trimmed 2 windows and a door for the first time ever. My J trim was 10 x better then the ones we had done by a friend. I decided to redo all their work. Thanks for the video ❤
Great video on how-to instructions. I'd also like to see a video about j-channel retrofit installation
This is how you create a how to video. Many of these guys don't show you the details. This guy knows his stuff and and more important knows how to communicate what he knows!
Watched this guy for 3 seconds and knew he was a pro.
I’ve been a carpenter for 25 years and never got good doing siding and J ( I can obviously do it, but I’m slow as hell.
I’ve been looking for “ that one weird trick”
Looks like this dude knows.
Takes one to know one thanks brotha
I’m also a UA-camr but in HVACR. I love hearing that what I’m doing is helping others so I wanted to leave you a comment and let you know that I just had to redo my windows because the Jay channel was done horribly, and they didn’t use tape, only caulk, but most importantly they had no rain shield at the bottom of the window🤷♂️🤦🤦. I just got done replacing the wood that rotted out. Now I’m doing all the windows in the house and your video made my work look 1000 times better than the guy that did it before me and I am a very picky person, I’m impressed with the way it looked. I see a lot about the way you are in your videos, similar to the way I am with mine. If you do good work, you wanna share it and that’s something you’re doing and I commend you for it and I wanna thank you for it. Great job.
I really appreciate your kind words, it's always cool to hear from fellow creators!
So very informative and detailed explanation with patience to explain in detail.Thanks, appreciate.Good workmanship.
I installed J channel on 2 windows and they looked terrible. Watched your video, twice, and went and started over with your methods and they turned out very well. Thanks for your service to our country and thanks for a great tutorial for us DIY folks.
Awesome man I'm happy to help
28:00...If you already know how to j channel a window and just want to see how I do it, fast forward to 28 minutes. Beginners can definitely learn from the detailed explanations in the beginning but i feel some of the experienced guys might see a different thing or 2 as well! Hope you guys enjoy. Don't forget to like this video and subscribe
Thank you sir,🙌🏻
I have found that if you don't cut your 45 to a point it looks ways better. I use the face lip as a guide. But looks good man.
I just 45 one piece in the corners and leave the end kinda square so that way you get a perfect 45 when the 45 overlaps the square end. It's perfect every time and saves time. Like when you hold it up to mark where to trim it back just cut that line but no need to to 45 your other piece with the 45 will slide right over it giving you a perfect 45 and never a gap between the two. Pieces where they meet. Hope this makes sense
It would be the top and bottom you leave square your sides 45 and they just slide over the square end and bam your done.
Your video was awesome. This was my first time trimming with J channel. I was using metal J for my metal siding and all my corners turned out perfect. Thanks again
you have the best video out there
to how to trim a window for vinyl siding
I am a contractor in central florida and a lot of the crews here don't know how to trim a window properly
Now I am doing a little project and I will apply your technique
I have an idea but now you mastered for me
keep on with the videos
@sergiosalusso2907 glad you enjoyed! Thank you
"Better to be long than short" Best advice in everything
Thats what she said.
I work with windows about 20 years a different countrys Brazil Canada Chile Italy and U.S. and make fast clean and happy customer...
Congrats buddy
It is not possible for a homeowner to do a J channel that fast; it comes with experience.
Thank you for this. Best J channel video I have seen. I am a DIY'er and was able to trim out a crappy dryer vent install by a plumber. The corners don't look as tight as yours but they are better than the 'pro' install from the builder.
Thank you! I really put some time and detail into this one
I just used this technique on my windows, and they came out great. Thanks for the video, brother!
Also, the fumbling around with the "speed' square did make it super confusing to my trainees, I'm having them watch this because I think there is alot of things we can pick up on what to do and what not to Do. Always want your 45 point furthest away from the window 🪟, it's the same exact angle that's already on the window frame itself, hard to mess that up. Thanks brother.
Came back to this video because I did the siding on the front of my house last year. Today I tried to J channel around my window on a different part of the house on just memory from last time, as I was nailing I hated the way the corners looked. Long story short I was doing it so wrong compared to this method that I did before and they came out perfect. This is a great video for the part timer like myself
happy to help man! glad this method worked well for you
I consider myself a pretty good j-channeler. I thought I knew all the tricks. But after watching how you make your 45° cuts, I was impressed. It made it so much easier. And it looks better. Thanks for the tip.
Hey no problem bud! Happy to help
Great video! I may give it a shot on a window install on my primary residence.
Your camera operator does an outstanding job of getting the right shot, at the right angle, at the right height and closeness. Excellent!
I agree, he definitely did a great job on this one
Good to FINALLY see someone on YT properly use sill gaskets/flashing membranes.
After failing miserably on my first try. I watched your video and made myself a test square out of the scrap J and now I got it!!!. Thanks for the lesson. 1 down 5 more to go on my project.
Only gets easier! And cleaner!
You can always make the 45's longer if you're struggling and then just cut the points off
@@NWIVeteranConstruction Great idea
I’m you but in plumbing. Love to teach and love to show my “little tricks”, you are obviously a great tradesman, and teaching someone “how to”, is satisfying. That is why good tradesman...tradeswoman, charge by the job not by the hour, our experience has to be at a premium. Great job, and doesn’t matter what I watch I always see a trick.
I'm fully confident that I can trim a window with J channel. I most likely will NEVER. But now I know.
You explained it very well.
That's what it is here for!
Amazing video tutorial, and it makes total sense. I'm about to siding for the first time ever tomorrow on my shed and I'm really glad I landed on this!
Happy to help
Dude... Your 39 minute video took me about an hour studying your every move... I live in KY and It RAINS a lot.. The Front of my shop has problems with water leaking in so now i'm going to Fix it once and for all.... Thanks bud!! and i couldn't help but subscribing...
Awesome! Sometimes it takes that! Happy to help and thanks for the sub
Don't forget to flash it correctly before installing the j channel
Great no fail advice here. Thank you! My first time doing J and your process worked perfect everytime. Super pleased with my outcome!
Thank you I appreciate it
Definitely gonna fail. You never 100% miter the j. It's going to expand and contract.
As a tradesman myself, I ALWAYS took the time to teach. 10minutes to show a green guy the “right” way to do something was always better than an hour fixing what they tried to figure out on their own. My favorite “helpers” were the ones who were eager to learn and asked a lot of questions and they eventually blossomed into some of my favorite journeymen to work alongside of. Even with 15 years in my trade I’m STILL always open to suggestions/tips from the guys who came before me.
Getting ready to do siding for the first time.. thanks for the video, got alot more confidence going in now!
awesome best of luck
Excellent video I would guess you're from new york.. You remind me of some guys that I work with.. very knowledgeable and straightforward great info and training ..
This was by far the best instructional video in construction I've seen! Thanks.
Thank you!
Great video- thanks. As a side note- a similar technique was used in building the pyramids...
I know this should be obvious, but what happens to the water when it reaches the bottom of the, for example, window? Does it push the water behind the siding down the wall? If not, how does it get pushed to the front of the siding when it reaches the bottom?
Damn good job there. Wish I was still doing this stuff to be able to use your techniques. One thing I would throw out there that may help someone as it can be easily overlooked, is that when we would do a job like this with new windows being installed, we wouldn’t install the screens for the windows until the very end after the siding. This helps prevent anybody from putting a hole in the screen when they aren’t paying attention. (We had a few guys that were drawn to them like magnets and would inevitably end up putting a hole in one)
Anyway keep up the good work
@5:50 Would screws & a power drill be faster and cleaner?
I wouldn't say so. They were just under driven
When you trim out your windows with aluminum I do the built in window j. Also I use the midwest snips from menards. But out of all the people iv seen j channel in my 7 years of doing siding theres only 3 or 4 people I no who can j channel good. And yours looks good. Keep taking pride in your work
Thank you so much.
Do you use this on doors too?
Hi, my name is Jason, I own E.M.T. Home Improvement Co. So I have a Big Question that you may be able to help me out with. So I am doing a Cape, 9 windows, 3 Door's, 3 Porch, Balcony, etc and Solid Core Siding. Well when I ordered the windows I ask them for a Window with Built in J's that can receive Solid Core Siding. Well the window's are all in the house along with the doors, and we were so excited to finally start the Siding, well everything went Well till I got to the Window's and find the siding doesn't fit in the J-Channel on the window! So basically my Distributor neglected to tell me that they do not make those window's anymore. So now I sit with that problem. I have gotten a couple suggestion's, but then ran into you on UA-cam just looking to see if I could figure anything out. Well I watched your video and you know your shit really good so I figured I would ask you if you have ever run into this problem, how did you fix it? Or if not what do you think might fix the problem. THANKS!
That's a tough one. Hard to say without being there but I imagine you're going to have to j channel against that. Maybe slide some nice one by's in the window channel and make it look like a big window detail that was intentional. I imagine you're gonna have to do something along those lines. maybe Google exterior window trim and see if anything jumps out at you
Ya 2x4's and cap with Coil then J-Channel, Door's all need it also. It actually looks better than without Padding it out...
I’m siding my house now, this is how I’m doing all my windows and doors. Great video, thank you!!
Happy to help
Red snips are lefts not rights. The cut in left direction. Hence “lefts”
Man it does my heart good to watch you vinyl side this home. I don't know why but I always loved vinyl siding homes it always made me feel good turning a dump into a show place. You guy's do great work...
thanks bud same here!
Your the man. Thanks a lot. I do commercial carpentry so never did siding. I had a siding guy come over an start my j runner. I watched yiur video. Took all his down an re did it the right way lol the way you just taught me. Thanks again!
Amazing demonstration of proper trim on the outside of a window. I have scoured multiple videos(maybe that added to my understanding), but this video was the real kicker to understanding the concept.
Thank you for this, after my first attempt, which took me way longer than I would like to admit...and looked awful, I found your video, and that made the rest go so smoothly. It is so nice to not have to use the measuring tape as often, and all my cuts now look so much better. Thank you for taking the time!
No problem. Happy to help
Is it worth putting a bead of caulking between the bottom of the J channel and the window? So when you push it against the window it will seal.
I need to get replacement windows installed... Where are you???? I am in Davenport, Florida, and looking...
Awesome video. I’m DIYing my own siding and have been struggling with the J all week. An hour a window. This is so helpful. Thank you so much!!!!
Glad it helped!
Always a pleasure watching others take pride in what they do.
Thank you same here never done this before doing remolding my parent's house siding wrapping and the j-channels on my own but watching this helps my confident I can do it
Glad I could help
I watched the whole thing and this really is a great method! with fail-safes built in! I used this method for my first siding job and it made it make more sense to cut those miters and the whole process really. Thanks dude!
Great video. I followed your process and it turned out great!
Thanks for making this video. I'm a newbie at this and I was getting ready to do a small repair and was gathering up tools. But I'm confused about the snips. At 1:25 you pulled out a red handled pair of snips and called them right cutters. I thought all red handled snip cut left. I have a Wiss pair and a Blue Point pair and red/left is their convention. My right cutters have green handles.
You're correct. Hillbilly messed me up them
All three sides were spot-on as to measuring and cutting. I am having a real rough time with only the top piece. The miter has always been falling short.
sorry to hear that! maybe you needed to make sure you were holding the far end flush to where you want them to sit before you made your mark? you can always elongate your 45 also, and nip off any extra. better long than short.
Well done and it made my DIY siding look like a pro. (perhaps better than some pros around here) Thanks!
You can bet on that! Nicely done sir
bro, used this yesterday, 28 degrees in upsate ny. it came out amazing! great viseo. your generosity made a huge difference in the quality of my job. cant wait to check out more of yuor vids. btw- where u located?
Thank you. Happy to help. And I'm in Indiana
Do you have a video showing how to install J-Channel under existing siding that you had to cut to add something like a Pellet Stove Thimble? Thanks
No I'm sorry I don't!
Thanks great video! What about nailing the utility channel the same time you install the bottom piece? Use the same nail to secure both pieces...saves time...
Well, that's why I barely nail the bottom. But I also wrap those 45s around the bottom so if the UT is on it'll get in the way.
Is this the same process you would use for a door, minus the bottom?
I never had a teacher for much either. My mistakes and the things I done right taught me and now, have made me prosperous. It's to easy once you take the time to learn and to also learn how to learn that sometimes there is a better way than the first. Complacency is the downfall of a lot of the workers and I've seen it first hand. I'm a roofer. I do inside work and outside. Anything but heating and air. Your videos have made a difference in certain things I do because I liked your technique. Thank you for everything bro, keep up the good work. Every video is helpful to me if no one else lol
thank you for letting me know! there's nothing more rewarding than knowing these videos are helping fellow installers. that's what they're here for. I do just about everything as well! hope you stick around to see the indoor work I have in store. if you saw the roof measuring video you can tell in the beginning I have more cut out for me yet at the flip house
Any tips on replacing vinyl siding window lineals that are dry rot and breaking without removing the siding?
Cut the caulk loose pull em free. If you need to replace the window run a Sawzall down the nail flange and buy a replacement window
Not that easy, these lineals have j channel attached to then for the siding. IE, the siding ends 3.5 in away from the door and window casings. The lineals have the j channels built into them for where the siding ends.
@@deanweingarth9586 oh. Well if im imagining this correct just remove those wraps. Redo the wood (or leave it) and rewrap.. You're gonna need a brake to bend the metal.
This is great! Do you have a video on putting j channel along outside stairs?
Thank you very much. This is my first time doing this. And i ve learned how to do the 45.s
Do you guys caulk around ur j's? I was taught to leave a siding nail worth of gap around the verticals and top horizontal j's to allow for a caulk gap.
Nope. If the window is flashed with tape you don't need to do that. That's Prolly not a bad practice on replacement windows and wrapped windows though
4 years late. Thank you for a great instructional video. I actually learned a lot.
Just finishing my 3000 sq ft place, great video, I want to share some tips I used. I bought the tool that cuts-bottom out. Worth the money to save time, but not necessary. But my siding is wood colour and with snips left the cutouts showing the plastic colour. Tool makes neat cuts. The tool I said can cut a small tab but Zack’s idea is way better for attaching. The corners at 45, if you keep it a few inches long then you can bend it over and keeps corner crisp and in place. I also too a 6” piece, cut perfect 45’s on each corner, used as a temp plate. Had some big windows and was hard to hold sides and get top figured out. I would get the bottom first, the sides at bottom are easy todo, then by leaving the sides a bit long at top, using my template I can trim the side piece at top, both sides, then measure the piece, keep few inches each side long like video, I did left side first, then put the piece up and used my template to measure the angle ect, then, put it up and Bammmm! Done. Looks great. As a tradesman I tell my apprentices my way works, here is how to do it, but, it’s ok to tweak it as you like. Thanks again.
Thanks for the comment bud! I just don't have it in me to buy that tool so I can clip the ends to accept a 45. Coz like you said, With the way I do my corners I'm leaving that flange that the tool cuts off.
Hey, how is the j trim done up against the inside corner or out side corner. Just butt it up or does it get put inside it, let me know please
Have you thought about using a dewalt roof nailer makes doing windows so much faster
Thnx for the tips Bro
We work much alike
Semper Fi from Boston
Stay Strong
Keep the Faith
Right on glad you enjoyed
Just a quick question I understand the length of the J-channel as you cut it but the thickness of it when you put it up against the window is it supposed to pass the window or be just as flush as the window for future reference when I’m doing J-channel, or does it matter how far the J channel sticks out From the wall, (I hope somebody can answer this because I just got done working on some wooden casing around these old windows and supposedly the partner says that the J channel supposed should be flush with the window casing
Mine is flush, but I'm new to vinyl siding. It looks good, and this technique worked well for me. Personally, I wouldn't have worried about the thickness as much as it being a good fit at the corners. Good luck, man.
Great job!!!No foam,backer, dense board??
Wish I'd found this last week. Have a small porch rebuild with aluminum that was rotted out - zero flashing... Rebuilt with vinyl but not done it before. It's "ok", nobody but a pro would object, but some of it's coming out and getting redone now.
We have similar tequniqe but I do it differently maybe I'll get on a vinyl job again do a video. Been doin lp smartside all summer.
Do you offer insulation???
Then rain guard or does it matter ...To your customer’s..
Or does hardy board required it...
Vinyl is just how it is. I think there might be a crazy panel with the insulation but idk
Thanks for the video. I watched it twice and then once while I did my first window and it looks mint. I only messed up on my extra that gets tucked under. I cut one 45 closer to the edge, but I kept it.
Thanks again.
Happy to help
Shouldn’t the window flashing be underneath the housewrap? On the top and two sides
Lots of swinging D'S & egos. Great video. I like how u had issues along the way, it shows the person watching what to do in those moments and they are common in the process. U don't have to blame it on (Matt) or his rookies, it happens to all of us.
I'm pretty sure your windows are taped wrong on top. The paper needs to be flipped up. Put tape straight on the sheeting and the window flashing. Then flip the paper back into place and retaped.
Good job. If you leave the corners on it they will lock into the other piece. It’s hard to explain but if you know, you know.
great video. just put up j channel for the first time after watching this and looks great. Thank you and thanks for your service!
Happy to help
Thank you verryy much. I just did my window like you show it and it works perfect. Thanks again
You're welcome!
Is it best to take the fins off or leave the fins on the windows to replace a window with j channels and vinyl siding ?
Outstanding myman great work and instruction!
I watched this video while installing my first J channel pieces. You helped me get perfect corners. Thanks!!
Hell yea that's what it's here for! Elongating that angle a smidgen and opening the mouth of that cut will do it every time! Thanks for the comment
@@NWIVeteranConstruction For sure..I kept telling my wife as I was cutting that angle..."I need to cut a bit off the line", along with other tips you gave. Thanks!
Very well done video. Thank you for making this. I'd like to see a similar one on doors. (ie: do I need an aluminum drip cap? Caulking? Tape? How is a door properly installed to protect from weather?
Again... very well done. Very thorough and descriptive.
depends on the window! if its got a flange like this and a place for you to but your j channel to then no..but if there's a piece of wood surrounding your windows edges then yes, the wood will rot if not wrapped or painted
what about adding Sealer or caulk in the gap between the J-Ch and the window frame? Not required?
Not where I'm from. I do know specifically for hardy n lp you don't caulk souvenirs l above the windows before water gets behind and doesn't have a way to drain
@@NWIVeteranConstruction Thank you.
Vinyl siding is designed to accept and shed water at every penetration (weep holes, and even if it doesn't rain humidity condensates on the back of the panels and collects esp in the early morning hours, think morning dew). Prep should be layered and water tight prior to installing any vinyl
I liked everything you did but i would have bent out the channel so it sits against the window better. You wont have any gaps between channel and window.
Nice video! In my experience the Jeld-Wen windows are of poor quality. Always have to trim the corners and the nailing flange is almost always distorted. Sometimes so bad that you cannot straighten them!