Caulking Old Cedar Siding

It needs to move and breathe.

Caulking old cedar siding.

The western red cedar lumber association publishes a number of downloadable booklets concerning the design installation and finishing of cedar siding. Caulk comes in two forms. It seals the spaces thereby protecting your home from invasion by pests and keeping the moisture and cold outside. 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.

If i install a non finished product i usually go with a 3m paintable caulk. Other technical resources can be found elsewhere on their website. If i am installing a prefinished product which i do mostly i use a color osi match caulk. But if done incorrectly it can lend a sloppy amateurish look.

If overused or incorrectly placed siding caulk can cause more damage to your exterior than good. If your house has siding on the exteriors caulk is a product you might want to install. Basic maintenance repair and painting of cedar wood siding using gardner flex n fill and behr premium plus exterior paint. I m not a painter but i do install cedar siding and i always caulk all the joints.

Is the old caulking removed before new coats are applied. Recommendations for caulks are located on page 10. Caulking windows to give them a finished look inside and out and seal out leaks and drafts is a fairly common diy task. Caulk by its adhesive nature will try to limit this movement leading to widespread failure and cracking in the caulk over time.

If you re shopping for the best caulk for cedar siding here is what to look out for. The nails holding up the siding should not be caulked. Grumpy chicago gutters. It is generally not a good idea to use caulking on wood siding.

When you try to restrict either it is at your peril. Below is a link to their installation guide. Similar to paint previous coats of. When deciding how to use caulk on your siding however it is generally more important to consider where you should not use it.

While cedar stands up to the elements fairly well on its own putting a seal or a coat of paint on it can enhance the color and protect the wood from inclement weather. Think of a wood home as a living thing.