Skirting

[raymondjay]

Fifth year in my single wide in a rural area. My first year, the cheap vinyl skirting bowed in and out leaving spaces for mice to get in and enough wind to freeze sewer pipes. I took the dealers advice and removed some of the top so they had room to move up and down. Helped a little but I still had panels in and out all winter. I also feared if I took too much off, wind could blow them out.

Two years ago, my neighbor down the road with the same problem I have, had new panels installed. Rapid wall or ridges wall I think it is called. 2 inches of foam insulation on the inside. He told me that solved his problems. No bows and solid tight fitting sides. Thinking of doing the same thing. However, don’t the panels still get the same pressure as my vinyl ones? Can they still bow out and in?

Tired of giving mice a way in and having the crawl space the same temperature s the outride.

Thanks,
Ray

[Joe Freeman]

I have a alterntive to vinyl skirting. I used it on my home. I started with pallets.used the plakes to make sections. Then stained them with deck stain. Applied foil back foam insulation board to the back. If your home skirting is on a slab you may not have an issue with ground freeze buckeling them. But I haven't had any issues with mine here in PA. You can also form a foundation for the lower channel. I used pressure treated 4x4 stained them as well. Stockade fence section work well too

[Greg]

I am a firm believer in metal skirting. Check the articles section of the site. properly installed you will never have a problem, and if a critter chews it's way through it they can have the place.

Greg

[Jim from Canada]

I have enough concrete board to do the section I want to start on now. I dug a trench, then it rained and it turned into a moat. Got some gravel being delivered. Apparently, pea gravel is hard to find around here, so I told the guy to get the smallest crush he could that has no sand in it. Maybe today I will cut one of the access doors/vents in it. They will be 36" x 16" (outside dimensions). The piece that gets cut out will be the winter cover and I will build a screened panel for summer. I will be pre-drilling holes in it to attach it to the home. Photobucket is now a pay service for 3rd party hosting and I haven't signed up anywhere else yet, so no pics. I am going to vlog it though and put it on my You Tube channel eventually.

I did the back of the home about 3 or 4 years ago with the cement board and it still looks great, so I am pretty confident in the method. This fall, after the wife's flower garden is done I will continue on around the corner and do the front of the home. Of course, when I sided the front end I got all "artsy" and brought the siding down over the skirting on the front, so I will have to modify that too. The plywood lasted 14 years, so if this lasts 20 it may out last me.