Caulking Siding Tips

But outdoor caulking deserves some extra attention.

Caulking siding tips.

Brick concrete and stone may seem impervious to water but caulking anywhere wood siding meets the siding is critical. Caulk is by necessity a sticky gooey substance and as such it smudges easily. And when an outdoor seal fails water gets in and serious trouble follows. White caulk on brick or concrete looks terrible.

It will also extend the life of your soffit and fascia boards. And many homeowners over caulk applying caulk where it doesn t belong and potentially compromising the performance of their siding. Similar to paint previous coats of. Caulking around windows doors eaves and trim edges gives added insurance that leaks will not occur.

The nails holding up the siding should not be caulked. In this instructional video we demonstrate how to use proper caulk techniques on lp smartside products pre finished with diamond kote which recommends dap. So here are some tips for caulking that lasts. Is the old caulking removed before new coats are applied.

Caulk behind the fascia boards for a neat finished appearance. 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. Sometimes the old caulk in the siding joint is cracked and you need to cut the old caulk out with a razor knife. The selection in the caulk aisle at home centers is mind boggling but actually choosing the right one is pretty simple.

Caulking your home s siding is a simple process but not necessarily a foolproof one. Start your siding project today. Here s how to make the right choice. Siding windows and doors.

First we recommend investing in a large good quality caulking gun. 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 after reading up on the whats and whens of siding caulk you decide to complete this home improvement task on your own there are a few things you should keep in mind. Most of the caulk on store shelves is basically one of four types.

Diy caulking tips and tricks. Siding is often textured and if you slide the tip of the tube along the bumpy texture the bead of caulk will. Elastomeric polyurethane latex or silicone. Brick and concrete caulking tips.

If the siding joint is so tight that the caulk only bridges the gap it may split again. These siding joints can be caulked successfully if the gap is wide enough for the caulk to get into the crack. Your goal is a neat looking seal over cracks and gaps.