Can I Cut Vinyl Siding With Tin Snips

Cut along the marked line using tin snips.

Can i cut vinyl siding with tin snips.

Because of this using tin snips to cut vinyl siding with short vertical incisions is a good idea. Use your measuring tape to determine where you want to cut your siding and make a mark on the underside at each end. With the other begin cutting through the piece of siding with a pair of tin snips. Then place a straightedge on your siding to mark where you want to cut it.

As you re cutting the siding avoid closing the blades on the tin snips all the way so you get a cleaner cut. Besides making clean crosscuts tin snips are the only practical option when you need to make a curved cut to fit the siding around a vent pipe or some other obstruction. Instead of using a carpenter s square to help you cut straighter line you can guide the side of the strip of the vinyl siding along the edge of your working table. It s better to use tin snips when you only have to cut a few vinyl strips as opposed to many since using tin strips tends to take longer than using a circular saw.

Close the snips about two thirds of the way. Use tin snips for vertical cuts not horizontal cuts. Wear safety goggles while you re cutting the siding. Hold the siding and the carpenter s square steady with one hand.

Horizontal vinyl cuts can be a little long for tin snips so instead you can use a regular utility knife to make things easier.