Install J Channel when the butt together


  #1  
Old 09-23-19, 04:12 PM
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Install J Channel when the butt together

I'm installing a small deck in from of my house. There is J channel around the door and I'll have J channel above the ledger which will come to the door and meet at 90 degrees. I've looked long and hard and can't find anything that tells me what to do with the J channel when they meet at 90 degrees. I've attached a pic. Do I just butt them up against each other or cut the front of the horizontal j channel and slide the back under the parallel J channel? The vinyl under the J channel (under the door will be removed) and the other small white piece of J channel will be removed.

Second. As it happens the vinyl siding above the J channel will end right where the J channel starts ( 2nd pic) can I just tuck the vinyl siding under the J channel or does it need to be attached to the house some other way? Seems as though tucking the vinyl into the J channel does the trick. For reference the J channel will be above a drip edge the space between will hold the deck boards.

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Last edited by PJmax; 09-23-19 at 04:24 PM. Reason: reoriented/resized pictures
  #2  
Old 09-23-19, 04:28 PM
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Talking

Yes, you can just butt it as you have pictured. Water will be dumping out the ends of any horizontal j channel so be sure it's flashed correctly underneath it to shed all that water.

Yes, you can just start the siding in a j channel, but it would be better and look cleaner if you were starting the siding using a starter strip instead.

J channel will catch leaves and gunk.

It usually helps if you keep all the questions regarding one project in the same thread. Not a new thread for every related question.
 
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Old 09-23-19, 04:59 PM
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Ya sorry, I wasn't sure what the best approach was. Usually you get a talking to if you post in the wrong forum so I figured this one belonged in the vinyl forum.

Will try the starter strip. I'd like it to look as clean as possible. Rhanks.!
 
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Old 09-23-19, 05:07 PM
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You will need an unlock tool to use the starter strip. Malco Sideswiper. Unzip the row above so you can remove that first piece of siding.
 
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Old 09-23-19, 05:46 PM
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I have a tool like that. Are you saying to use a starter strip above the drip edge instead of the J channel strip?
 
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Old 09-23-19, 05:55 PM
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Yes....?..................................
 
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Old 09-25-19, 05:29 AM
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I'm going with the starter strip as you suggested but what do I put on the end? I assume J channel? Also, because the J channel I was going to install takes up some space, the gap from the decking to the where the vinyl starts is going to be a bit bigger with no J channel. Will this be an issue?

The decking in the picture is just for measuring. Out of curiosity, why would anyone use J Channel instead of a starter strip if you have a full piece of vinyl where a starter strip would work.
 
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Old 09-25-19, 06:12 AM
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I thought you were cutting off the stuff below the door so that your ledger was continuous. (your pencil line in picture 1) You would have no siding to the left of your existing drip cap, no siding below and so no vertical j channel.

No, a small gap between the siding and z-flashing is not a big deal. But you will want your flashing to be tall... you might need to put some flat stock over the vertical leg of your flashing to provide more height. 4" is what you usually want to see there, and standard drip caps are usually not large enough...

As for the space, you need some space to get the siding to lock up into the starter strip. So you will need to get the ledger in, the flashing in, then install the starter strip at the right height, then put that first row of siding back on. Then your decking will fit into the gap.
 
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Old 09-25-19, 07:04 AM
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I will be cutting the door but the ledger will still have 2 ends. The ledger will go across (blue lines) when the door is cut but I'll still have the 2 ends of the ledger (red arrows) that I need to do something with. The J channel that is to the right of the door will be coming out so I can do starter strip instead.

The drip cap goes 4 to 5 inches behind the vinyl, HD sells a cap that has a high back.
 
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Old 09-25-19, 07:08 AM
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You use j channel just like what you have there now. You will be able to see right down the top of it which is normal.

Nice that they sell longer flashing.
 
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Old 10-21-19, 06:19 AM
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The deck is done, and this is off the original topic but.... I used composite decking and the temps were about 60 degrees when I installed the boards. I used a 1/8 gap for all the boards as suggested by the manufacturer. The one place I didn't leave a gap was the final piece that was up against the house. I ripped this piece to get it up against the edge and I didn't leave a gap. Basically this piece is right up against the house, I didn't think it would matter but now I'm second guessing myself. Is this a big deal that I didn't leave a gap, for expansion?
 
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Old 10-21-19, 06:38 AM
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Doubtful it will be a problem. As long as one side of the plank has the 1/8" gap you should be good.
 
 

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