Caulking Lap Siding

Caulk by its adhesive nature will try to limit this movement leading to widespread failure and cracking in the caulk over time.

Caulking lap siding.

The nails holding up the siding should not be caulked. Whether you are repainting replacing a window or replacing the siding on your house the caulking around the window trim is a very important element. And many homeowners over caulk applying caulk where it doesn t belong and potentially compromising the performance of their siding. How to caulk the window trim on lap siding.

If overused or incorrectly placed siding caulk can cause more damage to your exterior than good. The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity. A diyer or a novice painter might attempt to achieve a cleaner look by caulking the siding nails but the nail is guaranteed to push the caulking material out within a few months. Think of a wood home as a living thing.

152 4 mm wide 1 in. Similar to paint previous coats of. Is the old caulking removed before new coats are applied. It needs to move and breathe.

James hardie also does not recommend applying caulk to the horizontal overlap between siding planks see figure 2. Caulk is by necessity a sticky gooey substance and as such it smudges easily. It is generally not a good idea to use caulking on wood siding. In this instructional video we demonstrate how to use proper caulk techniques on lp smartside products pre finished with diamond kote which recommends dap.

When you try to restrict either it is at your peril. Joint flashing butt joint horizontal lap treatment june 2014 james hardie does not recommend caulking butt joints or the horizontal overlaps joint flashing 6 in. 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.