how to attach a camera to my vinyl siding


  #1  
Old 08-18-22, 11:44 AM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 157
Upvotes: 0
Received 3 Upvotes on 1 Post
how to attach a camera to my vinyl siding

We just had brand new vinyl siding put on the house. I want to attach a ring camera on it by the front door. It came with two screws. I am wondering what the proper way to attach something to vinyl siding. What material is it under the siding? What kind of screws? how long do the screws need to be? the photo below is what came with the camera. It is a small ring camera

 
  #2  
Old 08-18-22, 11:49 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,592
Received 2,144 Upvotes on 1,920 Posts
Usually I throw away the provided hardware. While convenient it is usually pretty poor quality and prone to rusting.

For something lightweight I use short stainless steel screws. They only penetrate the vinyl siding. This has the benefit of not putting holes in the backer membrane (house wrap) and the siding is free to move as it expands and contracts. For something heavier I use stainless steel or quality deck screws (for their corrosion resistance) and screw through the siding into the sheeting behind, so anything 2" or longer.
 
  #3  
Old 08-18-22, 11:58 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
I think the short answer is you don't.

Remember anything you screw into the siding will leave holes long after the camera has quit working or become obsolete. First suggestion is to see if you can find a different surface to mount it too.

Second, if there is nothing else then a thin piece of plywood on the back side will give you something much more secure to attach to than the soffit material itself, especially if there is a little mass involved.
 
Norm201 voted this post useful.
  #4  
Old 08-18-22, 12:36 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,816
Received 3,922 Upvotes on 3,518 Posts
I think the short answer is you don't.
What kind of answer is that ?
Wherever you put it will leave holes. That's just the way it is.

The camera is light. Short stainless steel screws into just the siding would probably be enough.
A sharp screw will start its own hole into the vinyl.
 
XSleeper voted this post useful.
  #5  
Old 08-18-22, 04:46 PM
Tolyn Ironhand's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 14,319
Received 874 Upvotes on 737 Posts
Look into 3M command strips. They are like Velcro but are all plastic so water doesn't affect them. IF you want to remove them they come off clean.
 
  #6  
Old 08-18-22, 08:11 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,045
Received 1,905 Upvotes on 1,711 Posts
For anyone who doesn't know, the Ring camera is a very small, light combination doorbell/camera. It does not attach to the "soffit".
 
  #7  
Old 08-19-22, 12:11 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
What kind of answer is that ?
Well, other surfaces like wood or mason can be easily patched, vinyl doesn't repair well. Maybe some people would be ok having holes in their siding for an item that will most likely be removed some day, I try to avoid those situations!
 
  #8  
Old 08-19-22, 04:06 AM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,045
Received 1,905 Upvotes on 1,711 Posts
vinyl doesn't repair well.
Dr. Vinyl is a repair chain that makes practically perfect repairs of minor things like that. They are common used by insurance companies for minor repair.

Either way, not really an issue since Janebench wants to put it on the siding.
 
  #9  
Old 08-19-22, 01:58 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,816
Received 3,922 Upvotes on 3,518 Posts
Two or three little blobs of silicone on the holes is all it takes.
 
  #10  
Old 08-23-22, 08:26 AM
K
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 222
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
These work well: Siding Clips
I don't have any Ring cameras so unsure how they mount but if there isn't a screw hole that works well with the clips, I often use metal junction box covers. Easily available and cheap if you don't have some scrap already handy. So this would be used as an adapter to go from the camera mount to the siding clip.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: