Caulking Cedar Siding Joints

Some of the most commonly caulked areas of siding include both corners and crevices as well as some butt joints and window and door trim boards.

Caulking cedar siding joints.

The siding will be a combination of lap wood siding front and colorplus hardie plank the rest. Should they always be caulked. It needs to move and breathe. It dries in just an hour and serves for up to 35 years.

This is a high performance formula that comes in a 10 1 oz bottle. Butt joints are a perfect example of poor joint design they re too small to accommodate a bond breaker so the caulk can t stretch properly once applied but they re also too large to simply leave alone. Caulk by its adhesive nature will try to limit this movement leading to widespread failure and cracking in the caulk over time. The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity.

A lot of moisture from rain snow misdirected sprinklers or exuberant water fights can get in there enough to do some serious and expensive damage. Generally we do not recommend caulking butt joints on cedar siding. The answer depends on the manufacturer and installation method used when the siding was first installed. If i install a non finished product i usually go with a 3m paintable caulk.

Where two pieces of siding meet. Butt joints but not all butt joints. Siding caulk can be used on several different areas of your exterior siding to help prevent water damage and moisture buildup. Most other areas were caulk is necessary should be lightly smoothed with your finger.

Think of a wood home as a living thing. If i am installing a prefinished product which i do mostly i use a color osi match caulk. The hole should be about 3 16 of an inch for most caulking joints. I m about to put up siding on a building enclosure that includes a wrb taped xps and furring strips.

Natural siding boards are designed to expand and contract with the elements and we do not want any adhesive to prevent their natural movement. I m not a painter but i do install cedar siding and i always caulk all the joints. I am in agreement with martin not to use caulking as it seems to cause more. My question is limited to the seams in which the siding contacts vertical trim.

Caulking on the exterior siding joints at the corner board if done carefully does not need to be smoothed with a finger.