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The second most popular skirting option is the Reil Rock panels (aka Mason’s Rock). They are made of sturdy plastic, have the look of stone and come in 3 colors. You can frame the area to be skirted with metal 2×2 or 2×4′s and then screw the panels into the frame. Novak skirting requires metal framing and some brands will require professional installation to honor their warranty. See the process of installing vinyl skirting on a mobile home here.
Shopping online can be cheaper but in most cases, the shipping charge will get you. Plus, returns and damages can be huge issues when buying online). If you don’t buy from your local retailer you can usually get a recommendation of installers. New skirting can completely change the look of your home and save on heating and cooling costs for years.
Why do mobile homes need skirting?
That measurement will be considered against the height from the ground and a total square footage can be determined. That means there is a wide range of skirting ideas to sort through. Consider these skirting options when customizing your manufactured home’s exterior.
With that measurement in mind, material costs can be arrived at by either a per-panel or square foot, depending on the skirting product. Materials such as plywood and wood-based composites are generally ranked low among skirting options. Although they require only basic carpentry skills to install, exposure to the elements can quickly compromise their structural integrity. Weather coatings tend not to be a viable solution because wood products swell and shrink with temperatures and humidity. Some of these panels are designed to directly attach to a manufactured home while others follow a similar installation process as vinyl.
How to protect and preserve your underpinning
The sturdier construction of Riel rock panels makes them fairly easy to install and similar to installing vinyl skirting with U-channels (or J-channels). We also carry a complete line of premium mobile home siding and all the accessories needed for the installation of both your siding and skirting. If you'd like to add some unique distinction to your installation you may also want to consider installing some coordinating raised-panel or louvered shutters. Rustic looking textures and a variety of matching colors make these great accent pieces. Also take a look at the various fiberglass steps and railings we have on offer.
If you hire someone, then you can ask them to choose the cheapest options. But if you don’t then mobile home skirting kits are the cheapest. You can add vents to the mobile home skirting yourself but most of the time, if you hire someone, they will vent it for you at no extra cost. Vents are cheap and can be placed periodically over skirting.
Wood Skirting
Easy installation helps lower labor and out-of-pocket costs. Recycled steel and tin skirting are both long-lasting and weatherproof, making them excellent choices for mobile home skirting. Metal skirting is simple to install, and it may be attached to a hardwood 2 x 4′′ frame using weatherproof nails or screws in minutes. Metal skirting is simple to install, and it may be attached to a wooden 2 x 4′ frame using weatherproof nails or screws in minutes. I live in a cold weather state and have problems with ground freeze that pushes up my skirting so much that it bends or pops out.
But the good news for manufactured home buyers is that there are companies that specialize in precast concrete skirting options. Working with an outfit that provides this niche type of skirting can lower costs. The downside is that concrete skirting panels, usually made withcinder blocks,are also almost always labor-intensive. It will take a long time to install on your manufactured home and will need to be done by a professional whereas another type of skirting has easy installation and can be done DIY. Many contractors would need to bring in masons to do the job and their skilled hourly rates can run high. Unlike the above-mentioned skirting options, these usually require 2x2 or 2x4 framing.
Concrete, Brick, and Cinder Block
Old barn tin has already stood the test of time and it’s gorgeous. One of our featured homes has antique barn tin as a skirting, and it is gorgeous! Railroad ties and straw are two unique mobile home siding options we’ve seen. Concrete panels are easier to install but have similar indestructibility and longevity as brick and cinder block. There are companies that specialize in concrete skirting but you can purchase precast concrete panels, too.
You can create brick skirting just like concrete skirting with blocks. But another option that is much cheaper is to get faux brick skirting panels which are more akin to faux stone skirting. Because foam products are easy to manipulate, manufacturers have created lines that include textures that mimic the appearance of pebble, stone and even real brick.
Mobile home underpinning can also make your mobile home look fantastic. When you install your mobile home without an underpinning, your home will look incomplete. Here is what you need to know about mobile home underpinning.
We don’t sell anything, we just share a few places that we find online and appear to treat customers well. I would use screws on the top bracing, and on the bottom, you may want to look into a metal channel so you can have a little less give between the vertical braces. I’d maybe seal the panels on the bottom just as an extra layer of protection from rot and ants. Most faux panels are made from polyurethane and come in pieces that are 46 ¼” wide × 24″ high × 1 ¼” thick. Plus, vinyl is very environmentally friendly and one of the most sustainable materials on earth. Vinyl is made from common salt and ethylene from natural gas.
Otherwise repairmen will damage the expensive skirting to get under the home and it may not be easy to fix. You’ll want to be careful where you place the vents in your skirting. T\air can circulate efficiently and you don’t get dead air pockets in the corners. If you go with metal skirting you may want to consider installing insulation along with it. Metal has a lot of great qualities but it lacks in insulating benefits.
After you calculate the perimeter footage of your home you’ll need to find its average height. There are several reasons why mobile home underpinning should be viewed as a necessity, not an option. Measuring height is primarily important if you have different heights along with your mobile home.
When you need affordable, quality skirting, contact MobileHomePartsDepot.com. Mobile homes are an affordable dwelling option, and if you make the right improvements, they are virtually identical to standard houses. One addition that will spruce up your mobile home and increase its weather resistance is Rapid Wall insulated skirting. Because mobile homes do not rest on the ground, cold air can easily reach the interior through the floors.