If you are siding over an existing wall that is flat and sound, you may be able to nail new siding directly to it. On the other hand, if the existing siding is metal, vinyl, or masonry or is irregular, you must either strip it off or provide a nailing base of furring strips, a gridwork of 1 by 2s or 1 by 3s, on top of it.

For siding removal, use a claw hammer and a flat prybar and a “cat's paw” and a pair of locking pliers for pulling nails. When removing most types of siding, start at the top and work your way down. If you want to avoid marring the wood, use the cat’s paw on the first board and then use a prybar to remove subsequent boards and pull the nails.

To remove shingles or shakes from a wall, insert a square-bottom shovel underneath them, lift them up, and pull them off, working from the top down. Pull out any remaining nails. Removing stucco is hard work; if at all possible, apply new siding over the old surface. For an extensive removal job, call a demolition contractor.

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