It shouldn't be this hard, but I can't figure out how to remove the vinyl siding around my back door. It's the vertical siding, and it looks like each vertical grouping is its own piece. I know it locks into the next piece, but I can't see how to remove it.

I need to remove the pieces around the door so I can replace the door. Does anyone know how I can remove it without destroying it?

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I don't know about vinal siding, but when I recently replaced a sliding door, we ended up removing the wooden trim and then cutting off about 2 inches of the siding around the door jamb to make room for the new door's collar so we can fasten it to the wood frame with nails.

Often time the trim is caulked all the way around to make it weather-tight. May consider taking a utility knife to it - see if you can separate it from the door. Just saw the picture you posted... looks like they 'butted' right up to the door jamb. Can you remove the screws that hold the door jamb and just leaving the siding alone?!

James

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The c-channel of the siding goes right up to the door, so it has to come off before I can remove the trim underneath it to remove the door.

I think I need to remove a couple pieces of siding and remove the c-channel so I can get to where I need to be, I just don't see how to undo the siding.

There is a tool called a "zipper" I think... but I never worked with it myself.

This guy seems pretty confident...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bh7tHkZBMs

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No expert here but build a little from time to time. Age and condition of the siding is important. Has it gone brittle yet? As you are aware the side against the door just secured by nails or just basically retained with the trim strip must be dealt with first. Above the door the problem increases. You are going to have to either horizontally cut the siding or use the jiffy type tool to start unlocking. Pulling nails etc. to get it loose. Then you may have an issue getting it back on without obvious fasteners showing.

If horizontally cut you may have enough material available depending on how visable the bottom is to engage a slight overlap joint beside the top of door level especially if the ultra violet has made it brittle. That way everything above the top of the sides of the door is undisturbed basically. Patching in with new material because of color match issues would not be an option in my mind. Much is just going to depend on the condition of the siding. This plastic stuff is not a forever product as advertised. I use it mosly just to save a buck.