Caulk Siding Joints Seattle

James hardie does not recommend the use of caulk at field butt joints.

Caulk siding joints seattle.

My neighbor s house has hardie plank siding. I feel caulking will help a lot and enhance the appearance of the house. It was painted by a contractor who caulked the joints before painting. About installing flashing on already installed siding.

About 6 12 months later the butt joints looked awful. 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 ve always seen the joints caulked until this past saturday. Butyl rubber is sometimes recommended for exterior siding since it s a specialty outdoor caulk that can withstand changes in temperature and repeated exposure to the elements but you can choose any exterior caulk that will bond to your siding just make sure to read the labels and spot check on an unseen portion of your siding to make sure.

All the caulk. I read your info. Another critical place is where the siding butts together in the middle of the wall. Similar to weatherstripping caulk strips are pre shaped rolls of sealant that have a peel and stick installation.

These siding joints can be caulked successfully if the gap is wide enough for the caulk to get into the crack. Caulk backer rods are lengths of foam that help fill large gaps before caulking. We only caulk butt joints on cedar siding if previously caulked. If the siding joint is so tight that the caulk only bridges the gap it may split.

A 3000 sf house had not one speck of caulk at the end joints it was caulked at the trim.