Best Way To Drill Holes In Aluminum Siding

Use a carbide or masonry bit if the siding is a composite or concrete fiber product.

Best way to drill holes in aluminum siding. Cut a portion of the intact siding material to match the piece you just cut out. Clean the area around the hole in the aluminum with a sponge soaked in warm water mixed with liquid detergent. Or thicker use cutting fluid or a multipurpose oil like 3 in one. Of the way when machining harder materials.

The only way to repair these holes perfectly in vinyl or aluminum is to replace the entire piece a repair that ranges from challenging in vinyl to almost impossible in old aluminum. How to repair holes in aluminum. When using a hole saw to drill the hole in aluminum siding keep the saw slightly tilted to one side to reduce the chances that the hole saw will bind while cutting the hole. If you notice that the saw binds pull the hole saw away from the siding tilt the hole saw in a different direction and restart drilling the hole.

Take the x acto knife and cut out the portion of the aluminum siding that contains the large hole. For drilling holes in steel that s 1 8 in. Rinse thoroughly with water. Whoever built the deck bolted a 2x6 into the siding of the house to act as a joist for the floorboards.

Peel off any excess so the patch is flush with the front of the aluminum siding. Generally drills with a high helix angle polished flutes and 130 to 140 point angle will provide the best chip evacuation and cutting performance frazier said. Lubricating the bit reduces friction and heat buildup which makes drilling easier and your bits last longer. Mix the two components together thoroughly then push the putty into the hole with your fingertip.

The less you have to cut the better. Work fast because this stuff sets up quick. For easier to drill metals like aluminum brass or cast iron lubrication isn t usually necessary. Sand the corners of the area you cut and lightly sand an area of about 1 inch on both sides the top and bottom of the gap.

Apply the epoxy. For an easier nearly as good fix that keeps water out and is almost invisible from several feet away fill the hole with a color matched caulk. Hold the drill so the bit enters the siding straight and horizontally. This means an upright high shear angle with a minimal edge hone is ideal for drilling aluminum.

Don your latex gloves again then pull off a small chunk of aluminum repair epoxy from the tube. Do not tilt the drill up down or to. When i remove the 2x6 i ll have a few bolt sized holes in my siding. Step 6 reverse the direction of the drill motor after making the hole and slowly work it through the vinyl siding while pulsing the drill as you pull it outward.

Winter is fast approaching and the last thing i need is snow getting into the holes melting refreezing and causing untold havoc on the interior.