There are many different types of materials you can use for mobile home skirting. For the sake of space, we’ve limited this DIY tutorial to vinyl. However, we’ve also provided links to additional tutorials at the end of this article in case you want to use other materials.
How to install mobile home skirting – vinyl
Before you get started, make sure you have the following materials:
- vinyl skirting (Find now at Amazon)
- tin snips
- wood stakes
- hammer
- tape measure
- chalk line
- ground spikes/nails
- utility knife
- level or plumb bob
Step 1 – Make sure your ground is level
You’re going to have a hard time skirting your mobile home if the ground beneath it is not as level. Take a moment to walk around your home to make sure the ground is as flat as possible.
Step 2 – Outline where you’re going to install the railing
Go to each corner of your mobile home and mark the spot on the ground where your bottom rail will sit. Use your level to ensure that the corner meets the ground along a plumb line. You can map this out by nailing a wood stake into the designated spot at each corner of your mobile home.
Step 3 – Install the bottom rail
Installing the bottom rail properly is incredibly important as it lays the groundwork for the rest of your project. Take the corner piece of the bottom rail and nail it into the ground, making sure that the back end is aligned with the wood stake you previously set up.
Repeat this step for all four corners. Next, take the middle pieces of your bottom rail and nail them to the ground in a way where the back ends also meet the top corner of your mobile home. By the end of this step, your entire back rail should be nailed to the ground and running across your entire mobile home.
Step 4 – Set the top rail in place
Begin nailing the top rail pieces into place. This should be pretty simple, but there are a few key things you need to remember.
Make sure there is a half-inch of space between your top rail and each corner. This goes for both sides of the four corners. Do not nail too tight as you will need to move the top rails a little. You also need to keep a half-inch of space between each subsequent piece of rail you nail into the home. This added space is needed as vinyl is known to expand and shrink with changes in the weather. Use your pair of tin snips to make adjustments in length.
Step 5 – Start measuring
Make a mark every 16 inches on the top rail using your measuring tape and a pen or Sharpie. You’re measuring 16 inches as that is the width of each vinyl panel.
At each 16-inch mark, take your measuring tape and write down the distance from the ground to the bottom of the top panel. Take that measurement and add two inches. For the sake of organization, write down each measurement in the order you took them.
Step 6 – Install your side panels
Now that you have your top and bottom rail in place along with your list of measurements, it’s time to start cutting out your side panels. Use your tin snips to cut the side panels according to each measurement you took in the previous step. Drawing these measurements with a straight edge will ensure you cut the straightest lines possible. Each one should be 16 inches in length, with the height varying.
Step 7 – Install the corner pieces
Your final step is to install the vinyl pieces that will bend around the four corners of your mobile home. Measure the distance from one panel to the next around each corner. Depending on your measurement, mark the spot on your corner piece where you need to bend the vinyl piece.
It’ll be easier to bend your vinyl piece if you score it first with a straightedge. Try using the back of the nail to accomplish this. Be careful not to break the piece in two when you are bending it. Your corner piece should slide in nicely with the next panel.
Step 8 – Install the final top rails
This final step should be quite easy. Take your final top rail pieces and slip the top underneath the lip of the other top rail piece you already installed. Continue this until your whole house is covered. Note that the top rail pieces with a notch designate the corner pieces, so it’s a good idea to start there first.
You’ve now successfully skirted your mobile home. Congratulations!
Other skirting materials
Now you know how to install mobile home skirting and it’s just as simple to install other kinds of skirting too. Below we’ve provided links to tutorials for installing other materials.
Happy skirting!
Learning how to install mobile home skirting – vinyl – wasn’t so difficult! And there are plenty of other materials you can use to skirt your mobile home. The ones listed above are just a few of the most popular options. With the right tools and careful attention to the instructions, this is an easy task to accomplish on your own. Try your hand at some other renovations to your mobile home! Good luck!
