Best caulk for fiber cement siding or hardiplank siding lets you have the perfect sealing your surface needs.
Caulking cement fiber siding.
What you want to use is a silicone caulk because it s the most permanent one.
We only caulk butt joints on cedar siding if previously caulked.
Big stretch acrylic latex caulking sealant by sashco.
It s got good adhesion and expands and contracts.
But you are correct that it is very difficult to paint.
Caulk is usually used with fiber cement siding to prevent water intrusion at the butt joints.
Caulking around windows doors eaves and trim edges gives added insurance that leaks will not occur.
When james hardie siding products butt into wood based materials a 1 8 gap will allow for expansion and contraction of the wood based product.
Both certainteed and jameshardie as of september 2008 have made clear that siding butt joint gaps should never be made that is.
So what i would tell you to do is to use a colored caulk to choose the caulk in the color of the siding.
Flashing acts as a waterproofing layer for this type of siding and caulking will prevent the flashing from doing its job.
Siding butt joint treatment.
Do not deliberately leave butt joint gaps in fiber cement lap siding and that they do not recommend caulking field cut butt joints in their board type fiber cement siding products.
Natural siding boards are designed to expand and contract with the elements and we do not want any adhesive to prevent their natural movement.
Fiber cement boards are caulked only when there is no metal flashing behind them.
Many professionals like those at james hardie also agree that you should not use caulk on fiber cement siding unless there is no metal flashing underneath.