The end of a panel is a wing
A vinyl panel is light, cambered, and happy to fly once air gets under the butt edge. One strap across the middle clamps the center and turns the two ends into wings that flutter until they crack or pull out. Bundle a liftable number of panels, tape the bundle, and then put a cargo net or several cross straps over the whole length so both ends are held. Tuck the butt edges down, not up into the wind. Keep the stack below the rails. A stack above the rails is in clean air and will leave the truck. Foam-backed panels are thicker and catch even more wind. Give them their own lower stack, not a tall mixed pile. Where the site wants the siding is a question to settle before you tie the load.
Nails and loose J-channel undo the net
A nail standing proud will tear the net the first time the bundle flexes, and then you have a hole the next panel can exit through. Bend nails or pull them before the panels go in. J-channel and starter strip are springy. Tape them into a separate coil and put that coil under the net, not on top where it can unwind through a mesh hole. A net with a basketball-sized hole is a suggestion. Repair it or fold the hole under a strap. Anchor the net to all four corners of the bed, not only to the two hooks you can reach without climbing. A net hooked only at the cab will peel from the tailgate backward.
Stop and walk the load
After a mile, or after the first highway ramp, pull over where it is legal and look at the stack. A panel that has walked an inch will walk a foot. Reset it and add a strap across the end that moved. At the site, unhook the downwind side last, with a hand on the stack, so the whole bundle does not stand up when the net comes off. Hand the bundles down. Do not frisbee panels into the bay. A panel that flies in the parking lot is the same panel that would have flown on the road. Pick up anything that escaped before you leave the bay.
Before you go
- Tape panels into liftable bundles with butt edges facing down.
- Net the full length of the stack and anchor all four corners of the net.
- Pull nails flat and tape J-channel so it cannot spring through the mesh.
- Stop after the first stretch of road and reset any panel that has walked.
A single middle strap on a tall stack of siding standing above the bed rails.
Questions people ask
Is a closed car better than a net?
Yes, if the panels fit inside with the lid shut. A net is what you use in an open bed, and it has to cover the ends, not only the middle.
Can I slide panels under a heavier item instead?
A heavier item on top helps only if it covers the whole length and is itself strapped. A toolbox on the middle of the stack repeats the wing problem.
Search Dumpmapper by ZIP code or city, then call the site before you load the truck. Hours and accepted materials change.