Siding and overhang attachment and alignment system

Abstract

A siding attachment strip and method are provided for retaining a plurality of siding panels to a building structure. The siding attachment strip includes an elongate body, a plurality of mounting holes, and a plurality of siding top edge clips that are spaced along the elongate body. A siding top edge clip includes a plurality of prongs extending therefrom and is capable of engaging a nailing slot in a siding panel. The siding attachment strip further includes a plurality of prong slots that are spaced from and correspond to the plurality of siding top edge clips. A prong slot is positioned to correspond to the siding top edge clip and is capable of receiving one or more of the plurality of prongs of the siding top edge clip. The siding attachment strip further includes a plurality of siding fold clips that are spaced from and correspond to the plurality of siding top edge clips. A siding fold clip includes a substantially orthogonal first portion extending from the elongate body and a substantially parallel second portion that is substantially orthogonal to the first portion. The siding fold clip is capable of engaging a siding fold of the siding panel.

1 . An insulation sheet adapted for use beneath a plurality of siding panels installed on an exterior of a building structure, comprising: 
 a wall face adapted to be installed adjacent to said exterior of said building structure, and    a siding face adapted to receive at least one siding attachment strip for attaching said siding panels to said exterior of said building structure, said siding face having at least one elongated channel formed therein, said elongated channel being sized to accommodate therein said at least one siding attachment strip;    a plurality of tabs formed on a first edge of said insulation sheet; and    a plurality of slots formed on an opposite second edge of said insulation sheet;    wherein said plurality of tabs are capable of interlocking with a plurality of slots of an adjacent insulation sheet when said adjacent insulation sheet is brought into abutment with said insulation sheet.    
   
   
       2 . The insulation sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of contours formed in said siding face, with a contour of said plurality of contours being substantially horizontal and substantially matching a contour of an inner surface of a predetermined siding panel.  
   
   
       3 . The insulation sheet of  claim 1 , wherein said insulation sheet comprises a fan-fold insulation sheet.  
   
   
       4 . The insulation sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of horizontal, substantially parallel lines printed on said siding face of said insulation sheet for use in alignment.  
   
   
       5 . The insulation sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vertical, substantially parallel lines printed on said siding face of said insulation sheet for use in alignment.  
   
   
       6 . The insulation sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one secondary channel formed in said elongated channel, for enabling moisture trapped behind said siding panels to escape through corresponding ventilation slots in a starter strip and/or in a top trim piece.  
   
   
       7 . A starter siding strip for use with a plurality of siding attachment strips each having at least two clips for retaining a plurality of siding panels on a building structure, said starter siding strip comprising: 
 an elongate body having a flange along one end thereof, said flange having a plurality of slots, wherein at least one clip of each of a plurality of adjacent siding attachment strips mounted on an exterior of said building structure engages with a corresponding slot of said starter siding strip;    a siding fold formed on said elongate body adjacent to said flange; and    an insulation sheet channel formed at an end of said siding fold which accommodates an insulation sheet installed between said building structure and said plurality of siding panels.    
   
   
       8 . The starter siding strip of  claim 7 , further comprising an extended flange portion extending from said insulation sheet channel, and at least one ventilation aperture formed in said extended flange portion.  
   
   
       9 . A starter siding strip for use with a plurality of siding attachment strips each having at least two clips for retaining a plurality of siding panels on a building structure, said starter siding strip comprising: 
 an elongate body having a flange along one end thereof, said flange having a plurality of slots, wherein at least one clip of each of a plurality of adjacent siding attachment strips mounted on an exterior of said building structure engages with a corresponding slot of said starter siding strip;    a siding fold formed on said elongate body adjacent to said flange;    an extended flange portion extending from said insulation sheet channel, and a plurality of score lines in said extended flange portion, which allow the length of said extended flange portion to be modified to accommodate various foundation wall spacings of buildings on which said starter siding strip is used.    
   
   
       10 . The starter siding strip of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one ventilation aperture formed in said extended flange portion.  
   
   
       11 . The starter siding strip of  claim 9 , further comprising a flex section in said extended flange portion, that allows said extended flange portion to bend against a foundation wall.  
   
   
       12 . A siding attachment strip adapted to retain a plurality of siding panels on a building structure, comprising: 
 an elongate body;    a plurality of siding top edge clips spaced along said elongate body according to a predetermined siding panel size, each siding top edge clip of said plurality of siding top edge clips having a main surface and having a prong section extending from said main surface at a predefined angle to said main surface, said prong section engaging a nailing slot in a siding panel; and    a plurality of prong slots formed in said elongate body and spaced from and corresponding to said plurality of siding top edge clips, each of said prong slots receiving a corresponding prong section when said corresponding prong section engages said nailing slot in a siding panel.    
   
   
       13 . The siding attachment strip of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said prong sections contains at least five prong fingers, which enables said siding top edge clip to accommodate siding panels of varying nail slot horizontal widths.  
   
   
       14 . The siding attachment strip of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said plurality of prong slots contains a chamfered edge.  
   
   
       15 . The siding attachment strip of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said siding top edge clips contains a gusset at a bending section thereof.  
   
   
       16 . The siding attachment strip of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one siding fold clip spaced apart from a siding top edge clip and being engageable in a siding fold of a siding panel, said siding fold clip containing at least one gusset formed therein to provide increased bending resistance strength.  
   
   
       17 . A trim adaptor for use with a siding attachment strip system for installing siding panels on a building, comprising: 
 an elongated main body containing a plurality of nailing slots at one section thereof;    an elongated channel provided on said main body, for accommodating a siding utility trim piece as well as J-channel pieces for installation around windows and doors; and    at least one elongated slot provided in a second section thereof different from said one section, said at least one elongated slot providing a ventilation aperture, and also being usable as a fastener slot for attachment of said adaptor to a roof overhang or sides of openings in a wall.    
   
   
       18 . The trim adaptor of  claim 17 , further comprising a soffit return channel provided on said main body, said soffit return channel accommodating a roof overhang soffit piece for covering a roof overhang.  
   
   
       19 . The trim adaptor of  claim 17 , wherein said elongated channel is provided with a plurality of stop guides for accommodating utility trim pieces and/or J-channel pieces of varying widths.  
   
   
       20 . An insulation sheet system adapted for use beneath a plurality of siding panels installed on an exterior of a building structure, comprising: 
 an insulation sheet having a wall face adapted to be installed adjacent to said exterior of said building structure,    a siding face adapted to receive at least one siding attachment strip for attaching said siding panels to said exterior of said building structure, said siding face having at least one elongated channel formed therein, said elongated channel being sized to accommodate therein said at least one siding attachment strip, and    a secondary ventilation channel formed in said elongated channel; and    at least one of a starter siding strip containing at least one ventilation aperture, mounted at a bottom portion of said insulation sheet, and a trim adaptor containing at least one ventilation aperture, mounted at a top portion of said insulation sheet; wherein said secondary ventilation channel and at least one of said trim adaptor and said starter siding strip forming a ventilation air space between said insulation sheet and an exterior wall of a building on which said system is installed, to provide a ventilation channel for escape of moisture present between said insulation sheet and said exterior wall.    
   
   
       21 . A siding attachment strip adapted to retain a plurality of siding panels on a building structure, comprising: 
 an elongate body;    a plurality of slots formed in said elongate body;    a plurality of siding top edge clips, each siding top edge clip of said plurality of siding top edge clips having a main surface being engageable in a respective slot, and having a finger section extending from said main surface through said slot, said prong section extending upward to engage a nailing slot in a siding panel; wherein    said plurality of top edge clips is capable of lateral motion to enable lateral motion of a siding panel to achieve proper alignment thereof with other siding panels.    
   
   
       22 . A fascia board and roof overhang soffit attachment system, comprising: 
 an adaptor for retaining a fascia board against a roof overhang of a building;    said adaptor including a first section for coupling to at least one spacer mounted to said roof overhang, and a second section for retaining a soffit piece for covering said roof overhang, such that a ventilation channel is formed between said roof overhang and said soffit piece.    
   
   
       23 . The siding attachment strip of  claim 12 , further comprising a thermal barrier coating applied to said elongate body to provide a thermal barrier between said siding attachment strip and said siding panels.  
   
   
       24 . The siding attachment strip of  claim 21 , further comprising a thermal barrier coating applied to said elongate body to provide a thermal barrier between said siding attachment strip and said siding panels.  
   
   
       25 . The siding attachment strip of  claim 12 , wherein said elongate body includes at least one chamfered screwhole for attachment of said strip to a wall.  
   
   
       26 . The siding attachment strip of  claim 21 , wherein said elongate body includes at least one chamfered screwhole for attachment of said strip to a wall.  
   
   
       27 . The trim adaptor of  claim 17 , wherein said elongated channel contains an upwardly extending leg that provides an additional locking point for a siding panel.