How to put soil against Siding??

[Al Knight]

Our soil is higher than our siding. What to put against siding to keep soil away from it. We were wanting to put brick as an outside border but wondering what to put against the siding? Al

[Travis]

How the hell did that happen?

Get the soil away from your house or it will rot.

[Chris Owens]

Rake everything away from the siding until you have several inches of foundation exposed. Having anything against your siding is a prescription for rot and insect / small animal invasion. If you don't like looking at the foundation concrete, plant perennials or bushes a few feet away from the house, so that there's at least six inches between the back of the plantings and the siding . . . a foot to 18" is better, then you can walk behind them if necessary.

Make sure that the soil level at the house foundation is higher than the surrounding soil, though -- even if you have to do major regrading to achieve this. When it rains, and especially if you get snowmelt, you want the water to flow AWAY from the house.

Chris Owens

Al Knight wrote:

[sparkie]

Good thoughts here. You should have at least 6 inches of clearance between the soil and siding. Beside rot you're just inviting termites if it's right up to it.

sparkie